Foodies gathered at the historic Wyckoff House Museum — the city’s oldest standing structure — on June 28 to dine on old-timey treats.
But the Wyckoff House — built in 1637 in the former Dutch-controlled colony of New Netherlands — didn’t limit the menu of it’s Fireside Feast event to match a pre-colonial diet, according to the museum’s chef, who said he delighted in putting a modern twist on some classic American treats.
“I looked beyond what was eaten and available in pre-colonial times, because dishes are largely affected by ingredients. I made sure to include food that is local and specific to this place,” Strein said.
The event meshed cuisines from various cultures that have contributed to Brooklyn’s rich and vibrant history, and the menu included fire-roasted oysters on the half shell served with compound butter, a mustard green and radish salad, tostones with basil aioli, stewed greens from the Wyckoff House garden and lamb stew. To wash it all down, guests were served a summer gin cocktail, along with homemade vanilla ice cream for dessert.
With many of the ingredients at the Wyckoff House’s Fireside Feast grown in the museum’s garden, Strein hoped locals got an appreciation for the care and expertise that’s required for every level of food preparation.
“You could see where the food is growing and in doing that to draw connections to where things come from, how they are prepared and what happens with that waste,” Strein said.
The Wyckoff House is planning on returning with the Fireside Feasts this Fall. For more information, visit www.wychoffhousemuseum.org
