Sauder, Greenfield villages are draws
6/15/2003People interested in food history will enjoy the living history village of Sauder Village in Archbold and the food-themed attractions at Greenfield Village at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich. Both are perfect for day trips this summer.
A permanent addition to Sauder Village, Natives & Newcomers: Ohio in Transition, 1803-1839, has opened. The two-acre exhibit with costumed guides allows people to smell foods cooking over an open fire and learn how people made dinner 200 years ago. It also shows people at work in their homes and tending their fields. Information, call 800-590-9755.
Greenfield Village reopened last Tuesday after a $60 million facelift, nine months of construction, and a new infrastructure. Among the themed districts is Main Street, where visitors can sample treats from the frozen custard stand and the Sir John Bennett Sweet Shop, or get a meal at the Eagle Tavern, A Taste of History, or the Main Street Lunch Stand. One new restaurant is Mrs. Fisher's Southern Cooking, named in honor of Mrs. Abby Fisher, a former slave. She published a cookbook in 1881 of her signature recipes, What Mrs. Fisher Knows about Southern Cooking, Soups, Pickles, Preserves, Etc. Greenfield Village has obtained the rights to reprint the cookbook, which is said to be the first African-American cookbook. It will be sold at the restaurant for $8.95. For information on hours and admission prices, call 313-271-1620.
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Area chefs continue to win awards and update their culinary credentials.
Chef Douglas Corcoran, executive chef/operations manager for St. Anne Mercy Hospital and the Mercy Healthcare Center Dietary Departments, was the first-place winner of the 2003 Premier Culinary Creations Contest with a recipe for Vegetable Wellington. He brought home a trophy and the opportunity to return to the convention next year in Las Vegas. Premier is a buying group for health care facilities nationwide. It hosts the contest every year for the 1,800 facilities around the country. The criterion for this year's award was a hot entree or side dish that utilized specified products; taste, and cost.
Thomas Elliott, executive chef at Camp Miakonda, Erie Shores Council, has earned the Certified Executive Chef designation from the American Culinary Federation. Mr. Elliott is a member of the Maumee Valley Chefs' Chapter, ACF.
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Cherries will be served up July 5 to 12 at the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City, Mich. This includes the pie eating contests and the nation's largest cherry ice cream social on opening day.
The Taste of Cherries Food Fair presented by Holiday Inn- West Bay from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 6 is prepared by culinary students and staff from Northwestern Michigan College's Hospitality Program. Prices range from $3 to $10.
The Grand Cherry Buffet Luncheon hosted by the hotel at noon July 11 will feature an entree table with everything from poultry smothered in cherry salsa to cherry barbecued meats. Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for children.
Just-picked cherries and cherry specialty products are presented all week in the Festival Farm Market Tent from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. in the Festival Open Space.
For more information, call 800-968-3380 or see www.cherryfestival.org.
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Ground chicken burgers accented with cilantro and garlic and served with ginger-flavored mayonnaise won the grand prize and $25,000 at the 45th National Chicken Cooking Contest in Baltimore on May 30. The recipe was a dish by Kristine Snyder of Kihei, Hawaii. It is believed to be the first featuring ground chicken to win the grand prize in the competition sponsored by National Chicken Council and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association.
Second place and $5,000 went to Jamie Miller of Maple Grove, Minn., who prepared Moroccan Chicken and Squash Tangine. Linda Miranda of Wakefield, R.I. won third place and $3,000 with Jerk Chicken Thighs on Sweet Potato Pancakes. Both women had been in the contest previously.
Fourth place and $2,000 went to Jean Williams of Salt Lake City, who cooked Citrus Chicken Thighs with Avocado Butter. Fifth place and $1,000 went to Virginia Anthony of Jacksonville, Fla., for Guava-Sauced Chicken over Beans and Rice.
The Ohio contestant was Margaret Blakely of New Philadelphia, with Chili Chicken Salad with Pumpkin Seed Salsa.
All of the recipes can be found in The Chicken Cookbook: 45th National Chicken Cooking Contest which is available at participating supermarkets for $2.95 or by ordering through Chicken Cookbook, Department NCC, Box 307, Coventry, CT, 06238. Send a check or money order for $2.95 plus postage with name and complete mailing address.