Well... it's a different perspective but here's a survey of what food I took to events this season past. It includes everything from "local history days" living history presentations to full immersion events that were too "hard core" for the "hard core." I start with the title of the event, give a brief blurb about the nature of the event and whom I was portraying, and finish up with the "bill of fare."
I prefer to have historic foods decanted into period appropriate containers, no matter the event. I prefer to have period menus when I can have control over such. Thus, you will see some items eaten at "strange" times.
Recipes and documentation available for my items available upon request.
150th Pittsburg Landing/Shiloh
3 day event, no refrigeration and minimal cooking, providing for myself
-Wallachian immigrant who has travel interrupted
Friday Supper: Potato & Onion Knish, Lemonade
Breakfast Saturday & Sunday: Farina, Dried Apples, Tea
Saturday Supper: Puliszka, Lemonade
Lunch Saturday & Sunday: Clatita, Dried Apples, Lemonade
Living History Presentation at Cherry Hill
1 day, lunch provided by unit mess with contributions from unit distaff
I brought lemonade. I was served ham & roll, lettuce salad with oil dressing, cucumber pickle, gingerbread with whipped cream.
Taps 150th/ Harrison’s Landing
3 day event, no refrigeration and minimal cooking, high heat and humidity expected, providing for myself and friend
-I said “local citizen” but most probably thought “distaff”
Friday Supper-McDonalds on the Road
Breakfast Saturday & Sunday: Farina, Tea
Lunch Saturday & Sunday: Jelly Biscuit, Lemonade
Saturday Supper: Meat Pie
Independence Day at the Frontier Culture Museum
1 day event, minimal refrigeration and moderate hearth cooking, high heat expected, pot luck shared among unit
-farmwife of 185X celebrating Independence Day
Breakfast: I provided tea, fried potatoes & onions. Others provided eggs, sausages, coffee, fruit
Lunch: I provided corn pudding and lemonade. The site provided ham. Others provided potato salad, beans, fruit, bread, and switchel
Maryland, My Maryland: 150th Antietam/Sharpsburg
3 day event, minimal refrigeration and moderate campfire cooking, storms & rain expected, providing breakfast for myself…or so I thought, pot luck for lunch and supper
-local citizens who’s lives were interrupted by battle, sorta immersion in parts
Breakfast Saturday & Sunday: I provided farina and tea for myself. Others provided eggs, sausage, fruit.
Lunch on Saturday (Church picnic theme): I provided cold slaw and lemonade. Others provided cold fried chicken, bread with butter and jam, apple pie, cookies.
Supper on Saturday: I provided fried veggies. Others provided beef stew, potato salad, corn bread, berry cobbler, and coffee.
Lunch on Sunday: Left overs
Yankees at Falmouth
1 day event, minimal refrigeration and cooking, providing for myself and a friend
-regimental matron with Federal army, living history presentation
Breakfast provided by the site at a near by restaurant.
Lunch: meat pie, apple dumpling
Event at Belair Mansion
1 day event, easy refrigeration and microwave cooking, pot luck shared by unit
-living history presentation
Lunch: I provided pumpkin pudding, lemonade, fruit vinegar drink. Others provided ham & biscuit sandwiches, beans & snap peas, deviled eggs, potato salad, cookies
Amidst the Storm: Hopewell Homefront 1862
3 day event, minimal refrigeration and moderate hearth cooking, meals provided as part of event fee
-immersion event portraying a charcoal-maker’s wife
Saturday Breakfast: scrambled eggs, bacon, biscuits with butter and jam, tea, coffee
Saturday Lunch: split pea soup, sandwiches, pickles, peaches, apples, cookies, apple cider, lemonade, milk
Dessert Contest as part of our Fundraising Fair theme: I provided pear custard tart. Others provided, flummery, pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie, apple pie, apple cake, and gingerbread
Saturday Supper: roast beef, chicken and dumplings, baked potatoes, acorn squash, string beans, gingerbread and applesauce, dessert contest left overs
Sunday Breakfast: pancakes and syrup, sausage, dessert contest left overs, tea, coffee, milk
Mrs. Egbert’s “At Home” (aka: baby shower): fruit vinegar drink, lemonade, cookies, jam biscuits
Sunday Lunch: Left Overs
Welbourne 1862/ 150th Unison
4 day event, modern kitchen but period menu, meals provided as part of event fee
-immersion event portraying the immigrant Cook to the Dulany family and serving as food coordinator/cook for the event
Breakfast Friday, Saturday, & Sunday: provided by modern B&B staff
Friday Lunch: biscuits, ham, macaroni pudding, greens salad with mustard & vinegar dressing, cookies, fruit water drink, apple cider
Friday Supper: French Rolls, Tomato Soup, Salmon in a Potato Paste, Breaded Pork Loin, Apple Sauce, Gravy, Carrots, Cabbage & Onions, Butter Sauce, Sweet Potato, Custard Apple Tart, Jelly Cake, Cheese Selections, Spinach Salad
Saturday Lunch: Bread, Cabbage & Carrot Slaw, Breaded Pork, Fried Veggies, Sweetmeat Dumplings, Apple Cider, Fruit Water drink
Saturday Supper: "Indian Meal" Rolls, Chowder, Stuffed Turkey, Cranberry Sauce, Ragot of French Beans,
Squash, Potato Snow, Butter Sauce, Cup Cake, Baked Spiced Pears, Cheese Selections, Pickle Salad
Sunday Lunch: Left overs Buffet
Prospects of Peace in Quartermaster City 1864
2 day event, minimal refrigeration and cooking, providing for myself and a friend
-museum docent interpretation
Lunch Saturday & Sunday: summer sausage, cheese, rolls, cinnamon & sugar rolls, and lemonade. I also provided lubkuchen to outfit a confectioner’s display
Fire On the Rappahannock: 150th Fredericksburg
2 day event, minimal refrigeration and cooking, providing for myself
-sorta immersion as a traveler stuck when the battle interrupted
Lunch Saturday & Sunday: dried salami, cheese, rolls, lemonade