A Taste of History

Martha Washington is usually portrayed as a dowdy grandmother, but in reality she was a beautiful and passionate wife befitting her handsome George. Martha was also the secret weapon that kept troop morale high during the hard winter's encampment at Valley Forge. We prepare Martha's authentic Turkey Stew with Oysters and speak with well-known Martha Washington expert Patricia Brady.

As early as 1690, German settlers left Europe for religious freedom in the new world of North America. They settled in the Philadelphia area, and immediately started to contribute to the innovations and spirit of our new country. In this episode, Chef Walter Staib prepares ale-braised sausages and shows us how his German ancestors helped to make America great.

General von Steuben was a German officer who volunteered to help Washington battle the British monarchy. He instituted a discipline to the rag tag army that made them a determined fighting force that would eventually win the war. Chef Staib prepares Braised Rabbit Legs and Potato Cakes in honor of his favorite Continental soldier, General von Steuben.

Before the Christmas night in 1776 when Washington led his troops to a surprise attack on the British at Trenton, he ordered one of their favorite meals to be ready upon their return, Pepperpot Soup with Cornbread. Chef Staib makes this West-Indies influenced dish again, right at that same spot along the Delaware, with revolutionary troops at his side to celebrate that all important victory.

We start a special four-part series cooking in Thomas Jefferson's actual kitchen at Monticello, his Virginia home. Chef Staib prepares Jefferson's favorite exotic dish, Stuffed Cabbage with Fried Asparagus. We also tour Jefferson's gardens, where we learn how important discovering and growing foods was to our third President.

In this next episode at Monticello, we learn how Thomas Jefferson "liberated" grains of European rice to grow here in America, and tour his legendary Monticello estate, including the Dependencies that housed the beer and wine cellars, and the ice house. Chef Staib also borrows Jefferson' kitchen to prepare Bouilli, a favorite boiled beef dish of Jefferson's, along with Bouillon Potatoes.