The Dutch are
given credit for having founded what we know as Brooklyn. They
are not famous, however, for their cuisine, although they should
be; the Dutch invented coleslaw and oily cakes (a predecessor
of the doughnut), and produce delicious cheeses such as edam
and gouda. The Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum hopes to rectify the
situation this Saturday, when food historian Peter G. Rose (author
of "The Sensible Cook: Dutch Foodways in the Old and the
New World," Syracuse University Press, 1989) demonstrates
Old World Dutch cooking.
"Bread: Staff of Dutch Life in the Old and New World"
is a slide lecture and hands-on open hearth cooking demonstration
in which participants learn the history and technique of bread
baking in a traditional Dutch oven. Rose will show slides of
17th-century Dutch art to illustrate traditional bread preparation
methods.
At the end of the demonstration, participants get to sample the
fruits of their labors. To accompany the bread, there will also
be a warm coleslaw salad and a meat-and-root-vegetable stew,
called a hutspot. Children are welcome to help cook; there will
also be activities planned especially for them.
The demonstration will take place at 5816 Clarendon Road at East
59th Street in East Flatbush on Oct. 25, rain or shine, between
1 pm and 4 pm. Admission is free. For more information, call
the Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum (718) 629-5400.
