Allison Meyer
Traveller's
accounts of time spent in Virginia during the mid 18th century reflect
a common experience of gracious hospitality, marked by an abundance and
variety of food at meals. By mid century the ritual of dining became important
enough to create a dedicated space in the house specifically for this
activity. A beautiful and well furnished dining room reflected the family's
status among the Virginia gentry.
Dinner, the main meal of the day, started between 2:00 and 3:00 in the afternoon, and generally continued on for a couple of hours, but might last even longer for a particularly elaborate meal. Typically there were two full courses and a dessert course.
Preparing the food for such a meal was quite a task. While some dishes might be pre-prepared, a number of them were made the same day as they were served.
Once the lady of the house had planned her "Bill of Fare" she would then dole out those expensive ingredients that were kept under lock and key. If she chose a dish that was unfamiliar to her cook, she might read the instructions to the cook, and supervise the preparation of the dish.
Follow Mrs. Mason through a typical bill of fare to see how various dishes were prepared, and where ingredients for the various dishes were stored.