Learn About Colonial Sweets and Treats

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Pottsgrove Manor.

Discover something special to satisfy your sweet tooth at Pottsgrove Manor’s Sweet Treats and Historic Candy Making demonstration on Saturday, Feb. 9, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., including a lecture by Susan Benjamin on historic candy at 1 p.m. 

Then learn about the role of coffee, tea, and hot chocolate in the 18th century with Clarissa Dillon, PhD, at the lecture “Coffee in the Kitchen, Tea in the Parlor, Chocolate in the Dining Room” on Sunday, Feb.17, at 1 p.m.

Looking for something different to impress your valentine? 

Visit Pottsgrove Manor to see 18th century candy and dessert recipes brought to life in the reconstructed kitchen. 

Then at 1 p.m., dive into the history of candy with Susan Benjamin, food historian, author, and founder of True Treats Historic Candy located in Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, as she speaks about how some of our favorite treats came to be. 

Those who pre-register for the lecture will be able to taste samples from True Treats Historic Candy to truly get a taste of history after the lecture. 

There is a Tasting Fee of $15 per person for those who wish to sample historic candies. 

Pre-registration for the tasting is required and registration information can be found on the Pottsgrove Manor website, www.montcopa.org/PottsgroveManor. Payment must be received by Saturday, Feb. 2 and can be cash, check, or money order. Tasting is not required to attend the lecture.

American colonists enjoyed sweet treats that included a variety of cakes, puddings, and also gelatins, made from boiled calves feet, dried fish bladders, or boiled deer horn. 

These dishes were both eye catching and mouthwatering luxuries that would impress guests at upper class parties and dinners. See these special treats being prepared before your eyes and learn about the intense labor process needed to produce these stunning dishes. 

Ask about the role of sugar, an indulgence in 18th century kitchens, while learning about other methods used to bring sweetness to desserts. Historic recipes will be available so you bring the history home.

On Sunday, Feb. 17 at 1 p.m., historian Clarissa Dillon will explore the “who, what, where, and when” involved with sipping these hot beverages during the 18th century. 

Tea, coffee, and chocolate all began as luxury drinks when they were introduced to Europeans in the 16th and 17th centuries. During the colonial era, all three beverages remained an expensive indulgence and as their popularity grew, so did social customs around drinking these refreshments. 

Uncover the importance of having tea and the manners needed when drinking tea. Learn why setting out a chocolate pot would have highly impressed guests and why a visit to a coffeehouse would be fashionable.

These programs welcome all ages and is a suggested $2 donation per person. Tours of the Potts family manor house will be available throughout the day and the Museum Shop will be open, full of unique and historic gifts.

Pottsgrove Manor is located at 100 West King St. near the intersection of King Street and Route 100, just off Route 422 near the Carousel at Pottstown and Manatawny Green Miniature Golf Course. 

Pottsgrove Manor is operated by the Montgomery County Division of Parks, Trails, and Historic Sites.

For more information, call 610-326-4014, or visit the website at www.montcopa.org/pottsgrovemanor. 

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