The Historian: Hearth cooking, then and now

May 19, 2012 | The advantage of the European root crops and the adopted Indian crops, is that they could be stored for the winter. Cabbage, onions, turnips, and other root crops were the principal vegetables in German gardens. Amos Long in The Pennsylvania German Farm Family  notes that among the earliest settlers, &ldquo. indeed, in the earliest times the whole family sometimes  ate out of  one large bowl in the German peasant fashion. They quickly adopted the Indians &ldquo. Orchards and gardens provided abundantly without spray, but the problem was how to hold the foods Raising food was never easy. Noodles, gruel, soups, and vegetables formed the bulk of the meal. s noxious weeds, grasses, plant diseases, and insect pests are alien invasives and were not originally present. The stewpot was the primary source of kitchen fare during the colonial period. but the soil was rich and most of today&rsquo. three sisters&rdquo. These were all boiled. Read more »

Spare The Air Alert For Today and Thursday - No Wood Burning

May 19, 2012 | During a Winter Spare the Air Alert, the use of fireplaces, pellet stoves, wood stoves, fireplace inserts and outdoor fire pits is generally illegal, according to an Air District press release. Fires for cooking are not prohibited during Winter Spare

Open-hearth cooking demonstration sheds light on the Colonial kitchen

May 19, 2012 | Thanks to the efforts of the Monmouth County Historical Association in Freehold, however, this experience was brought to life recently through an open-hearth cooking demonstration and house tour offered at the historic Covenhoven House at 150 W. Main

Local fire chiefs warn of holiday dangers

May 19, 2012 | In particular: don't place a live tree near a heat source; keep the tree stand filled with plenty of water; never burn branches or needles in a fireplace or wood stove; inspect strands of light for frayed wires, bare spots and other damage;