Colonial Bread

Saturday I returned to West Chester, PA for the monthly public archaeology day at Newlin Grist Mill. I've become the designated public face person, a role I was more comfortable with this month as we had less visitors and they asked less questions. Also helped that Keith was back to his usual healthy self. 

The day went as before ... strong arms dug piles of dirt for the public to sift. I stood with the public and helped point out what we are looking for, and praise the children when they find a piece of colored glass or pottery. One child's had such good eyes, he found a rusted metal bar just under the surface of the path we use, the one we all walked over dozens of times without seeing it. The bar was at least a foot long, my guess is it was used with farm animals, likely part of a cart.

Another child succinctly summed up our findings: Bricks. Nails. Mortar. I laughed because it was perfect. Toss in some random bits of pottery, glass (colored and clear), a button, and other pieces of metal and you have the idea. It is not glamorous. It won't change our historical recollection of the area, but it enhances the narrative. 

The weather was stunning. We have been blessed this fall with many warm, yet low humidity days. The kind you want to bottle for when it turns in the winter, or is too hot in the summer, or we feel like building an ark because the rain won't let up. 

We continue to make slow progress on trying to determine the footprint of the former barn / shed / garage that burned down in 1957. In the past 65 years, the stones were reclaimed by nature. It is only a few inches below the grass, but interspersed with many rocks that are not part of the story. Maybe the farmer added a small stone path near the door? Maybe the stone walls collapsed into the barn when the fire took place? Maybe years later someone working in the park moved a bunch of rocks there? In any case, we are using pick axes more than trowels and working muscles that are normally at rest. 

I love it!

Best find of the day: a piece of Wawa milk glass

This month we had a nice treat at the end. Interpreter Laurie demonstrated how to bake bread using 18th century recipes and a replica 18th century oven. Either due to not being allowed to share with the public, or simply the timing of it being that they finished after the public left, us volunteer archaeologists who stayed until the end were placed in a taste test.

Which recipe make the best corn bread? Which one do you like best?

A) Martha Washington (lower left corner)

B) Ben Franklin (lower right corner)

C) 1826 "receipt" calling for all cornmeal (upper left)

D) 1826 "receipt" modified with a half and half recipe of cornmeal and regular flour (upper right)

I was in the minority voting for the crustier Martha Washington recipe as my preference. Ben Franklin won the contest. The 100% cornmeal batter was crumbly, it needed the flour to hold it together. The upper two would be great with chili. The lower two could stand on their own, especially the sweeter Ben Franklin.

Thank you for sharing!