Upcoming Events at the Shaker Heritage Society

We've planned some interesting events to keep you busy while we endure the last few weeks of winter. Please join us and learn about Shaker history through these interactive workshops.

Shaker Cooking Workshops
The Shaker Heritage Society has teamed up with Diane Conroy LaCivita of the Harmony House Bakery in Cohoes to present a series of four hands-on cooking workshops. We will meet in Cohoes on Tuesday evenings in March between 6 and 8pm. These classes are a unique opportunity to learn about and experience history in a truly delicious way. Space is limited, so be sure to sign up soon!

March 1: Shaker Baking

March 8: Shaker Meats

March 15: Shaker Vegetables

March 22: Shaker Desserts

Prices for the series are:

Shaker Heritage Society Members: $40.00 Not-Yet Members: $50.00

All materials and ingredients are included in fee. Pre-Registration is required by February 25.

Please contact us at (518) 456-7890 Ext. 25 or ShakerEducator at gmail.com with questions or to register.

http://www.harmonyhousemarketplace.com/index.html

Shaker Chair Taping Class
Saturday, March 19

10:00 – 1:00

Learn how to weave a chair seat in the Shaker style. At the end of the workshop, you will have a comfortable chair you will be proud to have your guests sit on. Participants provide their own chair, chair tape and stuffing. One inch chair tape is available from the Shaker Heritage Society gift shop. We encourage participants to purchase their tape at least a few days before the class.

The class is limited to 8 participants. Cost is $30.00 per person, $25.00 for SHS Members. Please contact us at (518) 456-7890 Ext. 25 or ShakerEducator at gmail.com with questions or to register. Pre-registration is required by March 15.

Make a Twill Weave Market Basket
Saturday, March 26 10:00 – 3:30

This lovely basket is made of reed and an oak handle and is perfect to take to your favorite farmers’ market or to your own garden to gather vegetables. Height: 5” deep with a 12” tall handle. Base measures 8” X 12” Top measures 17” X 8.” This is a 5 hour class. Participants are encouraged to bring a bag lunch. All tools and materials will be provided. Cost is $60 for SHS members and $65 for not-yet members. Please contact us at (518) 456-7890 Ext. 25 or ShakerEducator at gmail.com with questions or to register.

Shaker Apple Bread Pudding

There is certainly a hint of Autumn in the air here at the Shaker site today. For that reason, we thought we might inspire a bit of home cooking by sharing an authentic Shaker recipe for Apple Bread Pudding. This recipe is from Amy Bess Miller and Persis Fuller's The Best of Shaker Cooking. According to the text, this recipe is from Mt. Lebanon Shaker Village.

Ingredients:

8 Slices of toast without crusts, cubed (About 5 cups)

1 & 1/2 cups of hot milk

4 tablespoons of melted butter

5 eggs

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg

1/2 cup of raisins

1 teaspoon of rose water *

4 apples pared, cored and diced (About 4 cups)

1/4 cup of brown sugar

Combine 5 cups of cubed toast with hot milk and 4 tablespoons of butter. Let stand for 30 minutes. Beat eggs until light. Add salt, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins, rose water and apples. Add to bread mixture. Turn into buttered 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle brown sugar over top. Bake uncovered at 300 degrees F. for 45 minutes. Serve with Apple Cream sauce. Serves 6-8.

*= Rose water was frequently used in Shaker recipes. It can be purchased at our gift shop in Albany, NY, online and in some Middle Eastern grocery stores.

Apples were extensively grown by the Shakers and were used to produce a number of different foods. Apples could be eaten fresh or dried, baked into pies, puddings, or sauces, made into cider, applesauce, or even vinegar. When sugar was scarce, apple cider sweetened dessert recipes.

The Shakers all came together as a community to harvest and process their apples. The brethren and boys picked the apples and ran the paring machines (apple peelers). The sisters and girls cored and trimmed the apples and were responsible for preparing the fruit for consumption or storage.

A portion of the Watervliet Shaker Community's orchard still exists today. We encourage you to visit and stroll among the trees.

.

Apple Clip Art from the University of Florida's Educational Technology Clearinghouse.