The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Earned Media Coverage

July 24, 2014

http://www.post-gazette.com/life/food/2014/07/17/Eating-up-Williamsburg-Williamsburg-goes-foodie/stories/201406100178

Eating up Williamsburg: The Colonial tourist destination goes foodie By Renee Skarlew

July 17, 2014

Chef Travis Brus and Chef Rhys Lewis point out ingredients in Kings Arms Garden in Williamsburg, Va.

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. -- Have you heard the one about the colonial farmers? “They originated the slow food movement,” says Colonial Williamsburg’s executive chef Rhys Lewis. “They used horse and buggy to transport their goods.” Mr. Lewis delivers a stream of food jokes in his classes at Taste Studio, the

http://www.post-gazette.com/life/food/2014/07/17/Eating-up-Williamsburg-Williamsburg-goes-foodie/stories/201406100178

new hands-on teaching kitchen at the stately Williamsburg Inn. Taste Studio features lessons in garden-to-table cooking instruction by Williamsburg’s top chefs.

Part historian, part showman, Chef Lewis has an unsurpassed passion for cooking and teaching. He‘s lead several classes this summer, including “Pairing Herbs and Fruits” and “Tasting Tomatoes.” During a recent visit I participated in Taste Studio’s “The Language of Green; Pea Green.” Chef Rhys prepared fresh peas from the Colonial garden multiple ways — pea crostini, pea pesto, corn and pea ravioli, and peas-and-carrots ice cream. Having sampled all of the above, I can attest to their nimble, bright flavors and gossamer textures.

Taste Studio classes include a 45-minute walk through Colonial Williamsburg’s historic village to tour the lush, well-tended Kings Arms Garden (on the grounds of the Kings Arms Tavern). Students are shown where some of their kitchen's ingredients originate, and learn about what Chef Lewis calls “cooking from garden to guest.”

For sweets lovers, Taste Studio’s dessert classes pair heritage chocolate with local Virginia fruits. There’s also “Hands On With American Heritage Chocolate” taught by executive pastry chef Rodney Diehl. He explains the origins, uses and chocolate’s allure during the 1700s. Aprons on, students begin rolling truffles and flavoring their own chocolate bark.

All classes include step-by-step instruction as well as abundant sampling of each dish. The price of classes ranges from $25 to $33 per person. In the heritage-chocolate classes, students leave with swag -- a brown apron and gift boxes for the handmade truffles.

Williamsburg’s Colonial Gardens play an integral role in Taste Studio education. The chefs, including Mr. Lewis and Williamsburg Inn’s executive chef Travis Brust, delight in foraging from the many heirloom varieties of produce growing on the grounds. To help tend the gardens, Williamsburg hires kitchen apprentices who do everything from plant seedlings to harvest vegetables. An interesting side note shared by the chefs: Thomas Jeffersoncultivated several of the plant strains grown in the colonial gardens (like at the White House Garden!).

Chef Brust explains how using this produce has effected his cooking: “The hardships involved in farming your own vegetables and herbs teaches a deeper appreciation for the work of growing and harvesting. You learn every carrot counts. You never want to burn or waste anything.”

Not everything can be grown in the diminutive colonial gardens. To keep up with demand at Colonial Williamsburg’s busy restaurants, Williamsburg chefs seek out local and regional purveyors of meats, cheeses, fish, wines and other vegetables. The taverns and hotels have prioritized using local ingredients on all their menus.

http://www.post-gazette.com/life/food/2014/07/17/Eating-up-Williamsburg-Williamsburg-goes-foodie/stories/201406100178

Revolutionary? To some. The chefs continue to honor tradition, and retain dishes that were first introduced when John D. Rockefeller Jr. donated the funds to establish the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in 1928. But the current kitchen team also serves contemporary twists on old recipes at Williamsburg's taverns and restaurants. One tasty synthesis of old and new has gained attention: Colonial Williamsburg's Old Stitch Brown Ale took first place in the Mid-Atlantic division of the U.S. Beer Tasting Championship in April 2014.

Now there's another reason to visit Williamsburg. Check out the food-related events on ColonialWilliamsburg.com, including “The Founding Fathers of French Cuisine” this Saturday, July 19, “The Taste Tradition” culinary celebration over Labor Day weekend and the Chef’s Garden Tour and Tasting titled “Fabulous Figs” on Sept. 14.

Fresh Pea Crostini with Feta Basil Pesto For the crostini 1/4 cup clarified butter 4 cloves roasted garlic 12 ¼-inch-thick slices of French-style baguette 1 shallot, peeled and minced 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas 1/4 cup vegetable stock 1/4 lemon squeezed for juice Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste For the Feta Basil Pesto 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled 12 large fresh basil leaves 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, peeled and chopped fine 1/2 lemon squeezed for juice 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil For the crostini Combine melted butter with the roasted garlic cloves and spread it on each slice of the baguette. In a saute pan and over medium heat, saute the slices of baguette a few minutes until toasted and reserve. Saute the shallots in 1 tablespoon olive oil a separate pot over medium low heat until they are tender without any color and add the fresh peas and vegetable stock. Cook the peas 3 to 4 minutes or until they are tender and the stock is absorbed. Pour out on a plate to cool. In a food processor or blender, puree the peas with the remaining olive oil, juice of 1/4 lemon, kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Reserve, chilled. For the Feta Basil Pesto Combine the basil leaves, fresh garlic and olive oil and blend until smooth. Add the crumbled feta and juice of 1/2 lemon, and pulse in the blender. Reserve, chilled.

http://www.post-gazette.com/life/food/2014/07/17/Eating-up-Williamsburg-Williamsburg-goes-foodie/stories/201406100178

Portion the pea puree on the crostini and spoon a portion of the Feta Basil Pesto on each piece. Garnish with micro greens if desired. -- Chef Rhys Lewis, Colonial Williamsburg

http://www.dailypress.com/entertainment/food/the-dish-blog/dp-origins-of-frenchamerican-cuisine-explored-in-colonial-williamsburg-dinner-20140717,0,3196845.story

Origins of French-American cuisine explored in Colonial Williamsburg dinner

By David Nicholson

July 17, 2014

The elegant Regency Room in the Williamsburg Inn is a romantic spot for dining. Courtesy Colonial Williamsburg (Handout/ February 2, 2012)

WILLIAMSBURG—

A history lesson and a great meal are in store if you sign up for “The Founding Fathers of French Cuisine,” a French-inspired culinary evening taking place from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, July 19, in the Regency Room of the Williamsburg Inn.

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The theme of this dinner is how the relationship between Thomas Jefferson and the Marquis de Lafayette shaped American cuisine. During the evening, two costumed characters representing these historic figrues will dicuss how their friendship and love of good food fostered French-American cuisine.

Chef Travis Brust has designed the menu for the reception and five-course dinner that will be paired with French wines. Courses include Country Pate with Quince Relish, Ratatouille, Chicken Coq au Vin with Potatoes, Shallots and Mushrooms and Brillat-Savarin cheese. Dessert will be Paris-Brest, a signature French pastry made with almond cream and raspberry puree.

The wine list will feature Sancerre, Domaine Thomas “Le Crele” 2009; Chateauneuf Du Pape, Domaine de la Solitude, 2007; and Domaine La Fage “Ambre”, Pyrenees.

Cost is $128, and prepaid reservations can be made by calling 888-965-7254.

Williamsburg Inn. 136 Francis St., Williamsburg.

http://artdaily.com/news/71672/Rare-textiles-complete-groundbreaking-exhibition-at-the-Art-Museums-of-Colonial-Williamsburg-#.U8_eY-NdXmc

Rare textiles complete groundbreaking exhibition at the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg

June 21, 2014

Fan and Case. England , 1780-1820. Bone, paper and metal. Colonial Williamsburg Museum Purchase, 1978-90, A-B. Photo: courtesy of the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg.

WILLIAMSBURG, VA.- An extension of the highly acclaimed and groundbreaking exhibition, A Rich and Varied Culture: The Material World of the Early South , which opened in February at the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum (one of the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg), opened there on July 4, 2014. A Rich and Varied Culture: Textiles of the Early South adds a selection of important textiles, primarily from the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation collection; additional pieces are on loan from The Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA) at Old Salem Museums and Gardens in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and private collectors. Featuring more than 60 works, including rare examples of southern schoolgirl samplers and embroidered pictures; quilts; imports; homespun linens, cottons and wool blankets and textiles; Martha Washington mementoes and Masonic symbolism, these historic textiles add another dimension to the furniture, paintings, prints, metals (silver and pewter), ceramics, mechanical arts and arms, architectural elements, archaeological objects, rare books, maps, costumes

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and accessories and musical instruments that show the diversity of early southern culture in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. The exhibition will remain on view through May 2016.

“Textiles reveal a great deal about historic cultural patterns and are particularly illustrative of women’s lives and education for young girls,” said Ronald L. Hurst, the foundation’s Carlisle H. Humelsine Chief Curator and Vice President for Collections, Conservation, and Museums. “Yet they are also among the most fragile of artifacts, particularly in humid climates like that of the South. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation has assembled a large and diverse collection of early southern textiles over the past eighty years and we are pleased to be able to share so much of it at one time in this exhibition setting,”

Among the myriad textiles on view in A Rich and Varied Culture: Textiles of the Early South are extraordinary examples of southern schoolgirl samplers and embroideries. As diverse as the southern geography itself, these works reflect the different cultures, religions and education of the people—both free and enslaved—who lived in the South during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Most of the schoolgirl needlework shown in this exhibition was stitched by girls between the ages of six and sixteen who worked under the careful guidance of a teacher. Two examples in the exhibition are particularly unique: the Choctaw Mission School Sampler by Christeen Baker (b. 1817), age 13, in Mayhew, Mississippi, 1830, and The William Levington Sampler from Baltimore, Maryland, 1832. The first is a rare and important work wrought by a Native American girl on the American frontier in what is now Mayhew, Mississippi. Christeen Baker was the white name given to a young native Choctaw who worked her sampler while attending the Female Mission School there in 1829 and 1830. Just three months after she completed her sampler, the Choctaws surrendered their claims to the Mayhew area in the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek; in exchange, they were given lands in present-day Oklahoma to which most of them moved. It is not known what became of Miss Baker, but her surviving sampler provides a glimpse into her life and powerfully illustrates the story of cultural assimilation, women’s education and the forced removal of an indigenous people.

The second extremely rare sampler is The William Levington Sampler, made in Baltimore, Maryland, which carries the inscription, “Worked by William Levington, Rector of St. James First African P.E. Church in Baltimore and Respectfully presented to James Bosley, Esq. July 4, 1832.” (Bosley had donated land for the church—the first African-American Episcopal Church south of the Mason-Dixon line—seven years earlier.) The Reverend Levington, a free black deacon in the Episcopal Church, directed day and Sunday schools at Saint James School for the neighborhood black children. This sampler is unique among typical schoolgirl needlework by its large-scale flowers, bold border, patterning on the basket and unusual ornamental peacock-head handles. It is rare for an adult to be associated with a piece of needlework, and samplers attributed to males are so rare that their numbers are undocumented. Almost as rare are surviving samplers worked by African-Americans of either gender.

“The Choctaw Mission School sampler and the Reverend Levington presentation embroidery are remarkably rare because the majority of American schoolgirl embroideries were created by middle and upper class white girls who lived on the Eastern seaboard in the New England and the Mid-Atlantic states,” said Kimberly Ivey, Colonial Williamsburg’s curator of textiles and historic interiors. “Like the

http://artdaily.com/news/71672/Rare-textiles-complete-groundbreaking-exhibition-at-the-Art-Museums-of-Colonial-Williamsburg-#.U8_eY-NdXmc

other schoolgirl embroideries and southern quilts in the exhibition, they are rich in stories of human experiences and provide an important perspective on the southern past.”

Among the quilts on display, two by Amelia Heiskell Lauck (1760-1842) are notable. Amelia, who married Peter Lauck at the age of 19 in 1779, settled with her husband in Winchester, Virginia. Together they had eleven children, six of whom survived into adulthood. At least four quilts made by Amelia have survived, two of which are the Framed Center-Medallion and Pieced Delectable Mountains Quilts, the first created as a wedding gift for her eighth child in 1822 and another by the same name, made ca.1825, are in the Colonial Williamsburg collection (the other two are owned by the Daughters of the American Revolution). The 1822 quilt is exceptional due to its workmanship, beauty and condition. At some time in the quilt’s history, the outer border was removed and presumably used in the creation of at least one pillow cover, which survives with the quilt. Although the ca. 1825 quilt is not signed by Amelia Lauck, it can be attributed to her. Both are configured in a famed center-medallion format with concentric borders of alternation stuffed-work quilting and pieced sawtooth and zigzag patterns with eight-pointed stars in the corners and use many of the same printed cottons.

Along with these pieces in the exhibition are other items that reflect the tastes and lives of Southern Americans. A sewing case with a thimble holder, made in America between 1805-1820 of fabrics from England and Europe made between 1760-8100, was made as a memento following Martha Washington’s death in 1802. People sought ways to remember the famous first lady, and several articles of her clothing were cut into pieces and used in making items that her grandchildren were known to hand out as souvenirs to visiting friends and relatives. This sewing case, a popular and useful souvenir, was made from pieces of gowns she wore during her husband’s presidency (1789-1797).

Another item displayed in Textiles of the Early South , featured Masonic symbolism, a familiar element in southern decorative arts in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. (Freemasonry, which emphasized belief in a higher power without specifying which god, and its democratic ideals appealed to many of the South’s prominent figures, including George Washington, Peyton Randolph, Chief Justice John Marshall, James Madison and James Monroe.) A Masonic Apron worn by Andrew Estave, made in Georgetown, District of Columbia, 1789-1793, is one such example. Andrew Estave (ca. 1740-1808) was an active member of early Masonic lodges in Georgetown and the District of Columbia, and was a significant participant in the Masonic ceremonies surrounding the laying of cornerstones of the President’s House (now know as the White House) and of the nation’s Capitol. In accordance with Masonic ritual, Estave would have worn this apron at those and other historic events in the capital city.

2-B Maine Antique Digest, August 2014

- FEATURE -

—Through August 15—New York City

Hirschl & Adler Galleries presents Our American Life, an exhibit of paintings, drawings, sculpture, and prints from the 19th century to the present that focuses on the landscape and culture of America as seen by the artists. Works by Eastman Johnson, William Glackens, Marsden Hartley, Fairfield Porter, and others are on view, as well as works by contempo-rary artists.

Hirschl & Adler is located in the Crown Building at the corner of 57th Street and Fifth Avenue in New York City. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. For more information, call (212) 535-8810 or visit (www.hirschlandadler.com).

—Through September 12—Keene, New Hampshire

The Historical Society of Cheshire County presents Canvassing the White Mountains: Icons of Place, showcasing works from the 19th and early 20th cen-tury of New Hampshire’s White Moun-tains and Mount Monadnock. The exhibit features paintings by Albert Bierstadt, Alfred Bricher, Asher Durand, Alvan Fisher, and others and shows “how the painting styles of these artists illustrate not only the evolution of American art, but also how they helped to shape the American view of and reaction to wilder-ness and nature.”

The historical society is located at 246 Main Street in Keene. Hours are Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and the first and third Saturday of the month, 9 a.m. to noon. Admission to the exhibit is $5 ($4 for members). For more information, call (603) 352-1895 or visit (www.hsccnh.org).

—Through September 28—Springfield, Massachusetts

At the Springfield Museums is a series of exhibitions focusing on the art genre known as steampunk. Steampunk Spring-field: Re-Imagining an Industrial City

—Through October 5—Montreal, Quebec, Canada

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) presents a collection of Fabergé from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Fabulous Fabergé, Jeweller to the Czars. A press release notes that “the exhibition comprises some 240 objects, including four of the 43 remaining famous Easter eggs commissioned by the Romanovs. It also features a wealth of documentation on the history and traditions of Orthodox Russia, the techniques of the House of Fabergé and those who forged its works, and the fall of the czarist regime, which brought about that of the jeweler.” A cat-alog of the Fabergé collection of the Vir-ginia Museum of Fine Arts is available.

The MMFA is located at 1380 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest in Montreal. Hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; on Wednesdays the museum is open until 9 p.m. Admission to the exhibition

—Through November 2—Bennington, Vermont

The Bennington Museum presents Alice Neel/Erastus Field: Painting the People. A press release notes that although por-trait painters Neel (1900-1984) and Field (1805-1900) were separated by 100 years, their works “have a remarkable resonance with one another.” The exhibit shows the similarities in the artists’ “cultural, politi-cal, and social milieus, as well as the sub-jects of their paintings.”

The museum is located at 75 Main Street in Bennington. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, July through October; and Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., November through June. Admis-sion is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and for students over 18, and free for youths 17 and under. For more information, call (802) 447-1571 or visit (www.benning tonmuseum.org).

—Through December 14—Williamstown, Massachusetts

The Williams College Museum of Art presents Material Friction: Americana and American Art–Highlights from the Jona-than and Karin Fielding Collection. In an interview published in the exhibit’s bro-chure, the Fieldings explained their focus: “The broadness of our collection has to do with our interest in history and the stories the objects tell. We did not want to confine ourselves to just furniture or just paintings because there is so much beauty in things such as a piece of needlework or a beau-tifully carved foot warmer. We do have a specific focus on New England from 1680 to 1850, although a few objects from New York and Pennsylvania have crept in.”

The museum is located at 15 Lawrence

—Through May 24, 2015—Williamsburg, Virginia

A Handsome Cupboard of Plate: Early American Silver from the Cahn Collection is currently on view at the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum at Colonial Wil-liamsburg. More than 50 pieces have been selected for the exhibit from the collec-tion of Paul and Elissa Cahn, including a circa 1690 brandywine bowl by Cornelius Vander Burch and a pair of sauceboats by Paul Revere. These are supplemented by 14 items from the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation’s collection.

The museum is located at 326 West Francis Street in Colonial Williamsburg. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Admis-sion is $12.95 for adults, $6.50 for youths six to 12, and free for children under six. For more information, call (888) 965-7254 or visit (www.colonialwilliamsburg.com).

—September 6 through March 29, 2015—Harvard, Massachusetts

Fruitlands Museum will present 100 Objects, 100 Stories, 100 Years at Fruit-lands Museum in celebration of the muse-um’s 100th anniversary. This exhibition will showcase select items, as chosen by the public, from the museum’s five col-lections: the land, the Shakers, the Tran-scendentalists and reformers, the Native Americans, and American art. A book by the same name will be available.

The museum is located at 102 Prospect Hill Road in Harvard. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for students with valid ID and seniors, $5 for youths five to 13, and free for children under five and for members. Hours through November 2 are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Fri-day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Saturday, Sunday, and holidays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For winter hours and more information, call (978) 456-3924 or visit (www.fruit lands.org).

Exhibitions

Maine Antique Digest includes, as space per-mits, brief announcements of exhibitions planned by galleries, museums, or other ven-ues. We need all press materials at least six weeks in advance of opening. We need to know the hours and dates of the exhibit, admission charges, and phone number and Web site for further information. All listings must include an image. Electronic images are preferred, but we can accept photographs or slides. The information may be e-mailed to <exhibi tions@maineantiquedigest.com> or mailed to Exhibitions, Maine Antique Digest, PO Box 1429, Waldoboro, ME 04572.

Edward Hopper (1882-1967), Farm House at Essex, 1929, watercolor on paper, 14" x 19 15/16".

Benjamin Champney (1817-1907), Peace and Harmony, 1865.

John Belli, Indian Low Front.

has exhibits in both the George Walter Vincent Smith (GWVS) Art Museum and the Lyman & Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History. According to a press release, the term steampunk “describes a fantasy world where steam-powered tech-nology of the Victorian era merges with elements of contemporary time. Steam- punk has...grown into an artistic and design subculture combining science fic-tion, history, fantasy and technology.” The GWVS Art Museum is hosting the pri-mary exhibit of the project, Humachines, with 12 large-scale pieces created by guest curator and visionary Bruce Rosen-baum and a group of artists that “trans-form legendary Victorian-era writers and inventors into the very creations they envisioned.” Other exhibits of Steam-punk Springfield consist of entries chosen during design competitions in the fall of 2013. Brassy Bridal: Steampunk Wedding features steampunk bridal gowns, brides-maid dresses, tuxedos, jewelry, and acces-sories and is on display at the GWVS Art Museum, while Fifty Firsts: Springfield Inventions Reinvented is on display at the Wood Museum of Springfield History.

The museums are located at 21 Edwards Street in Springfield. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and for college students with ID, $8 for children three to 17, and free for children two and under. Tickets include admission to all five of the museums in the complex. For more information on these and other steampunk events in the area, call (413) 263-6800 or visit (www.springfield museums.org).

Carl Fabergé, Henrik Wigström (workmas-ter), Imperial Czarevich Easter egg, 1912, six sections of lapis lazuli decorated with two-headed eagles, winged caryatids, hang-ing canopies, strap work, floral baskets, and sprays. A thin, flat tabular diamond covers the Cyrillic monogram “AF” (for Alexandra Feodorovna). Inside the egg is a two-sided portrait of the Czarevich Alexei at the age of eight painted on ivory, inlaid in a support in the shape of a two-headed eagle encrusted with diamonds, resting on a lapis lazuli pedestal. Bequest of Lillian Thomas Pratt. Photo by Katherine Wetzel, ©Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

and the museum is $20 for adults ages 31 and up, $12 for ages 13 to 30, and free for children 12 and under and for VIP members. Admission is $10 on Wednes-day evenings starting at 5 p.m. For more information, call (800) 899-6873 or (514) 285-2000, or visit (www.mbam.qc.ca).

Erastus Salisbury Field, Sarah Elizabeth Ball, circa 1838, oil on canvas, 35 1/8" x 29¼". Mount Holyoke College Art Museum, South Hadley, Massachusetts. Photo by Petegorsky/Gipe.

Maker unknown, Devotion family slant-front desk, 1700-40, maple with brass hard-ware. Collection of Jonathan and Karin Fielding. Photo by Tim Street-Porter.

Maker unknown, Henry David Thoreau’s desk, circa 1800. Photo by Erb Photography.

Bartholomew Schaats, tankard, silver, circa 1728. The Cahn Collection, image ©2011 David Ulmer.

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Hall Drive on the campus of Williams College. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, and until 8 p.m. on Thursday. Admission is free. For more information, call (413) 597-2429 or visit (http://wcma.williams.edu).

http://wydaily.com/2014/07/18/second-phase-underway-for-repair-of-water-damaged-jamestown-church-tower?cat=localnews/localnews/

Second Phase Underway for Repair of Water-Damaged Jamestown Church Tower

By Marie Albiges

July 18, 2014

The Jamestowne Church Tower (Historic Jamestowne photo)

Colonial Williamsburg staff are in the process of preserving and stabilizing the lower portion of the Jamestown Church Tower after experts discovered it was in critical condition last year. The 17th-century tower — the only remaining above-ground structure from the original Jamestown colony — has been exposed to centuries of harsh weather and faulty cement that resulted in water damage to the bricks and mortar.

In late 2012, Preservation Virginia asked Colonial Williamsburg staff to look into the damage on the tower, and Matt Webster, Colonial Williamsburg’s director of the Grainger Department of Historical Resources, discovered many of the original 17th-century bricks had shattered and rotted.

He called it a unique situation because water-damaged brick typically lies at the bottom of a structure but the cement inside the Jamestown Church Tower holding the bricks together trapped moisture, preventing the bricks from expanding and contracting.

Water damage was found along the entire tower, so the project to restore the historical icon began July 2013 with the top portion. In an effort to keep the tower looking and feeling as authentic as possible, Colonial Williamsburg staff made 5,000 bricks and 500 gallons of homemade mortar to match the tower’s structure. Although many of the original bricks had to be replaced, staff saved bricks that were still in good shape and placed them back in the wall in the same place they were pulled from — “like a giant puzzle,” said Andrew Zellers-Frederick, director of the Historic Jamestowne Fund.

http://wydaily.com/2014/07/18/second-phase-underway-for-repair-of-water-damaged-jamestown-church-tower?cat=localnews/localnews/

The first part of the tower preservation was completed in November, with workers placing a lead cap on the roof to protect the work done on what Webster called the tower’s “most vulnerable spots.” Zellers-Frederick said although the top portion of the tower looks newer right now, it will blend with age and with the impact of weather.

Phase two began in May and focuses on preserving the lower sections of the building. Similar to phase one, workers are taking out cement that has been added since its completion in the 1600s and replacing it with colonial bricks and mortar.

Webster said the damage to the lower portions is not as severe as at the top of the tower, and he expects the second phase to be finished in early September.

Phase three is in its preliminary stages and involves designing and installing an interior roof system to protect the completed restoration work inside the tower. Webster said he and his staff are exploring every option for materials to ensure the roof does not extend past the tower, and added they may potentially use heavy industrial glass as coverage. He hopes the project will be done off-site and be installed directly onto the top of the tower.

Zellers-Frederick said the goal of phase three is to maintain as much natural light as possible and preserve the view of the tower from the James River and surrounding area. The roof system will also deflect and remove all previous threatening and destructive storm water and will remain unseen to the tower’s visitors.

“It will hopefully not look any different than what people have seen for generations. That would be a goal,” Zellers-Frederick said.

All of the work being done on the tower has been executed in traditional colonial fashion by skilled masons, with rope pulleys, hand chisels and an original mortar recipe consisting of burned oyster shells, water, sand and brick dust that is hand-mixed.

Zellers-Frederick estimates between $50,000 and $100,000 will be needed for the roof covering.

The Virginia Senate Finance Committee approved a budget amendment in February 2013 to allocate $100,000 to the Department of Historic Resources, which is overseeing the restoration work. The rest of the project has been funded by donations from organizations and individuals. Some funds will also be kept in reserve for any maintenance or repairs and “to make sure this building survives as long as possible,” Webster said.

The original $150,000 price tag for the project rose to $215,000 in July 2013. Webster said a total of $200,000 has been used for the first two phases, and donors are being sought to finance the third phase.

Anyone interested in donating to the project can call 757-220-7466 or email Zellers-Frederick at azellers@cwf.org.

http://wydaily.com/2014/07/18/colonial-williamsburgs-taste-studio?cat=cw-for-locals/

Colonial Williamsburg’s Taste Studio

By Emily Ridjaneck

July 18, 2014

Discover. Learn. Taste.

Experience the true meaning of “garden to guest” with a Chef’s Garden Tour and Tasting, or learn to make your own truffles from American Heritage’s historic chocolate. Our creative, energetic chefs will inspire and delight you in our newest venue. The Taste Studio, a contemporary, full-service demonstration kitchen provides an intimate, fun setting to learn and share an unforgettable meal. For reservations, call (888) 965-7254.

http://wydaily.com/2014/07/19/new-york-institution-recognizes-colonial-williamsburg-presidents-commitment-service?cat=localnews/localnews/

New York Institution Recognizes Colonial Williamsburg President’s Commitment, Service

By WYDaily Staff

July 19, 2014

Colin Campbell (Photo courtesy Colonial Williamsburg Foundation)

Colonial Williamsburg Foundation President and CEO Colin Campbell was recognized on Tuesday for his contributions to the New York-based Chautauqua Institution, which awarded him its President’s Medal.

Campbell is the 29th recipient of theeducational institution’s award, which has been awarded since 1974 to such individuals as Pulitzer Prize winner David McCullough and former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. The award is given to individuals who promote the institution’s efforts through personal support and resources. Chautauqua Institution Board of Trustees Chairman James Pardo Jr. presented Campbell the award on behalf of the institution’s president, Tom Becker.

“As evidenced by the three major elements of his career — 21 years at Wesleyan, 12 years at Rockefeller Brothers, 14 years with Colonial Williamsburg — Colin Campbell plays the long game,” Becker said in a news release. “His work at these institutions was not about short-term, personal gratification but about long-term sustainability, and a devotion and sincere depth of understanding of their mission and values.”

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Becker went on to say he admires Campbell’s work with Colonial Williamsburg in particular.

“Colin has spent his career in the genuine pursuits of public service, and he has done so passionately, intelligently, soulfully, effectively,” Becker said.

Campbell visited Chautauqua in 2006 to give a presentation, which led to a partnership between the institution and Colonial Williamsburg. The two attractions share resources and alternate programs hosted at each location. Chautauqua last visited Williamsburg in February to launch the “Emerging Citizenship” series with “Turning Worlds Upside Down: Liberty and Democracy in Challenging Times.” “I knew of Chautauqua’s reputation, its educational mission and its commitment to public discourse from early in my Wesleyan years,” Campbell said. “But only after participating in one of its programs did I appreciate what a remarkable place it is and realize the potential for a promising collaboration with Colonial Williamsburg.”

Campbell visited Chautauqua on Tuesday to speak as part of “Emerging Citizenship: The Egyptian Experience.” It was during his visit that he was awarded the President’s Medal. “I am deeply grateful to Tom Becker and the entire Chautauqua community for this signal honor,” Campbell said. “I consider it a testament to the rich partnership fostered by our two institutions, which have so much in common, especially our shared commitment to seeking ‘a more perfect union.’”

Campbell in January announced his plan to retire. Campbell’s replacement, former College of William & Mary professor and vice provost Mitchell Reiss, was announced mid-June. On Oct. 6, Campbell will vacate his position at the helm of the foundation, culminating 25 years of involvement.

http://www.vagazette.com/news/va-vg-chocolate-colonial-williamsburg-0723-20140720,0,2973233.story

Historical flavor at Colonial Williamsburg includes chocolate American Heritage Chocolate takes you back to the 1700s

Colonial Williamsburg's pastry chef, Chef Rodney Diehl, leads a hands-on workshop about chocolate in the 1700s.

By Christine Sampson

July 20, 2014

WILLIAMSBURG – American Heritage Chocolate isn't your grandparents' chocolate. It's your great, great, great, great, great grandparents' chocolate.

And it's much more than the simple cocoa, milk and sugar that go into most types of modern processed chocolate. American Heritage Chocolate – a recipe created when Colonial Williamsburg teamed up with the Mars corporation after folks at Mars read a newspaper story about a Colonial Williamsburg

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researcher's chocolate discoveries – draws on the flavors of cinnamon, star anise, annatto, nutmeg, vanilla, orange peel, chili pepper, cocoa nibs, salt and raw sugar to replicate what chocolate tasted like centuries ago.

"When you think about the flavor profiles of today, it's very different from what chocolate would have been like," says Chef Rhys Lewis, executive chef at Colonial Williamsburg

On Saturday afternoons, at an event called "Hands-on with American Heritage Chocolate" at Colonial Williamsburg's Taste Studio, visitors get more than a demonstration. They get to touch, smell and taste it. Chef Rodney Diehl, Colonial Williamsburg's head pastry chef and a Williamsburg native, leads small groups in the creation of chocolate bark and chocolate truffles using the historic recipe combined with a modern twist: The addition of toppings such as shredded coconut, nuts, peppermint candy, M&M candies, powdered sugar and more.

Diehl offers an extensive history of chocolate, from its early cultivation to its widespread appreciation across the world. He says Thomas Jefferson had predicted that consumption of chocolate would surpass consumption of coffee or tea. According to Diehl, that prediction eventually held true.

At the July 19 workshop, he displayed a molinillo – a type of whisk – that was used to stir drinking chocolate, and pointed out that women in the 1700s weren't allowed to openly drink the chocolate, even though they were the ones expected to prepare it for their guests.

Following the workshop, guests ranging from teenagers to senior citizens raved about the experience as they chatted and snapped photos with chefs Lewis and Diehl.

"I had a lot of fun," Becka Zimmerman, visiting Williamsburg from Pennsylvania, told a Gazette reporter. "I'm all about the chance to eat chocolate, so I had a really good time with the hands-on chocolate experience. The best part was eating it."

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Pictures: Hands-on chocolate workshop draws visitors to Colonial Williamsburg By Christine Sampson July 23, 2014 Every Saturday afternoon, Colonial Williamsburg's head pastry chef, Chef Rodney Diehl, leads a hands-on workshop on the making of chocolate bark and chocolate truffles using a recipe based on the kinds of chocolate consumed during the 18th century. Colonial Williamsburg's master pastry chef, Chef Rodney Diehl, introdiuces American Heritage Chocolate

as a representation of the type of chocolate that would typically be consumed in the 18th century.

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Toppings used in Saturday's hands-on chocolate demonstration included powdered sugar, salt, crushed peppermint candy, dried bananas, nuts, M&M candies, raisins, shredded coconut and powdered drinking

chocolate.

A close-up of the cocoa nibs from the plants used in the process of making chocolate.

The ingredients of the American Heritage Chocolate recipe include (clockwise from top-center): star anise, kosher salt, chili pepper, orange peel, cinnamon, cocoa nibs, nutmeg, raw sugar; (center left)

annatto; and (center right) vanilla.

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Chef Rodney Diehl displays a molinillo, a type of whisk that was used in the early days of chocolate consumption to mix the ingredients together in preparing drinking chocolate.

Becka Zimmerman, visiting from Pennsylvania, uses a spatula to get every last bit of chocolate onto her parchment paper in preparation for making chocolate bark.

Participants add toppings such as raisins, coconut, and M&M candies to their chocolate bark creations.

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Participants add toppings such as raisins, coconut, and M&M candies to their chocolate bark creations.

A thicker chocolate mixture was prepared for use in making chocolate truffles

A participant molds chocolate into the round truffle shape

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Handmade chocolate truffles.

The staff takes a bow at the end of the demonstration. Left to right: Chef Rhys Lewis, Amanda Salmon, Chef Rodney Diehl, Michelle Brown and Jennifer Morin.

Join Colonial Williamsburg’s Edward Joyner every Friday at 4:15 pm for

Career Corner

Tune in to WMBG AM 740

http://www.wmbgradio.com/