Today in American history…President Benjamin Harrison was born in North Bend, Ohio, in 1833. Benjamin Harrison was the grandson of “Old Tippecanoe,” William Henry Harrison who was the ninth president of the United States. 

He would go on to become the 23rd President of the US when elected in 1888.

We had a wonderful visit to Meems Covered Bridge in Historic Mount Jackson, Virginia yesterday.

What have you done historic lately?

Betsy Ross was born on January 1, 1752 in Philadelphia and eventually become one of the most famous figures of the American Revolution. Did she make the very first US flag? There is still an ongoing debate as to whether she did (or didn’t) but we do know for a fact that she was a large part of Philadelphia society and had encountered many leaders of the American Revolution – especially General George Washington.

According to her grandson, Sometime in the Summer of 1776 or possibly 1777 Betsy Ross received a visit from General George Washington regarding the making of a flag for our new Nation.

Is Betsy Ross the one who finalized the design of our flag? Or was it another Philadelphia seamstress, perhaps Mary Pickersgill, who would sew the mammoth flag that was the inspiration for Francis Scott Key to write “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Some say it might have even have been a New Hampshire quilting bee that made the first flag.

Regardless, Betsy Ross was in the perfect time and setting in her life and it was a time in American History when we needed patriots and heroes. Who else better to be a patriot and hero but the quiet lady seamstress from Philadelphia who is credited with finalizing the design and sewing the first U.S. flag.

We have made some favorite historical recipes in honor of the upcoming Christmas holiday. We have on display this week at the bakery Martha Washington’s Great Cake and also Mary Todd Lincoln’s White Almond Cake. These cakes were made by the Washington and Lincoln families during the Christmas holidays 🎄☃️❄️

We made Mary Todd Lincoln’s cake today at the bakery.  It’s a very simple recipe to make (compared to something like Martha Washigton’s Great Cake!) and our customers really enjoy it. It’s so neat to be able to “taste history” and especially taste something that Abraham Lincoln enjoyed eating.

Here is the recipe:

Mary Todd Lincoln’s White Cake
(Recipe from Lincoln’s Table by Donna D. McCreary was adapted by Janice Cooke Newman)

1 cup blanched almonds, chopped in a food processor until they resemble a coarse flour
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
6 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
confectionary sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a Bundt cake pan.

Cream butter and sugar. Sift flour and baking powder 3 times. Add to creamed butter and sugar, alternating with milk. Stir in almonds and beat well.

Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into the batter. Stir in vanilla extract.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Turn out on a wire rack and cool. When cool, sift confectionary sugar over top

A basic white frosting sprinkled with almonds was also popular.

Recipe and more information can be found here

Today in American history…John F. Kennedy marries Jacqueline Bouvier on September 12, 1953 in Newport, RI #JFK #JBK #POTUS #FLOTUS #TodayInHistory

Having a wonderful time visiting Colonial Williamsburg. What a great way to celebrate our Nations independence 🇺🇸

Had a wonderful time in Gettysburg this weekend. My husband and I visit a few times a year and truly enjoy our visits every single time.  Each visit, we like to pay homage to the battlefield areas and pay our respects to those so bravely fought (and died) so so many years ago.  Today we spent a lot of time at Little Round Top (which has a spectacular view of the valley and Devils Den). Of course, it’s quite peaceful now with tourists clamoring for pictures and taking selfies and it’s almost hard to conceive that so much death occurred right under our feet and on the rocks we pose next to and sit on.  Such a hollowed place and it’s always nice to come back and remember those who had fallen in those first few days of July 1863.

After our Little Round Top visit, it was wonderful seeing Erik Dorr today at The Gettysburg Museum Of History. Really enjoyed our visit to his museum! Every time we visit we oooh and ahhhh over hid amazing collection. Truly the best museum in all of #gettysburg. If you ever get a chance to visit Gettysburg please stop by and see Erik at The Gettysburg Museum of History.