Bygone Basics

Preserving heritage through experiencing the lost art of “putting by.”

Discover the simple pleasures of earlier American kitchens and rural farm life.  Chef Valerie Hanson, Kitchenaire,  opens the door to the lost (almost) culinary arts of “putting food by” and the home artisan skills of baking, candle and soap making.  Make memories, eat great food, gain skills you really can use.

Re-Live an era when things were simpler, foods were natural, saving pennies was important, and people knew what was on their plate.

Preserving the harvest is food at its best!

There is no better way to see the character and flavor of an area than through experiencing its food and heritage.

Learn and Do; Heritage Immersion Culinary Sessions tailored for each private group. Hands-on home canning, food preservation (freezing/drying), jam & jelly making, soap making, butter churning, and baking items from “scratch”. Revel in heritage kitchen tools and methods while comparing with modern ones. A full meal is included. The meal harkens to the old-fashioned farm mid-day dinner. (the evening meal was called supper)OR….register for one of our upcoming open sessions.

Select and Eat; Baked goods, jams/jellies, herb mixes and flavor packets, old fashioned candies…all made to your order from heirloom recipes in a heritage licensed kitchen.

Stay and Play; Amanda’s Bequest-A Heritage Immersion Bed & Breakfast is located on-site for guests to relax and enjoy the many activities and beautiful scenery of the area.

Meet and Retreat; Space available for meetings in the dining room & parlor. A “menu” of options available. Choose to just meet with a beverage and snack , add a meal, even choose to add full Experiences. Additionally, team or business retreat day packages available.

These are the perfect experiences for families, best friends, engaged couples, sisters, teams, co-workers, entire business departments, grandparents & grandchildren, and
of course….visitors to this beautiful rural area.