Tavern food

Today our travels took the kids and I to Williamsburg (for more about our virtual vacation from home, check out our family blog at http://360.yahoo.com/lisamikeplus3). On the way home I drove the kids through Colonial Williamsburg and past Christiana Campbell's Tavern.

While I haven't been there in more than a decade, I doubt the menu has changed much. After all, it is a colonial tavern. In fact, I think the last time I was there was with my parents before Mike and I met. But I still remember enjoying the food so much that my mom and I asked for the recipe for their sweet potato muffins. They obliged, giving us each a handout with the muffin recipe, and recipes for several other dishes as well.

Christiana Campbell's Tavern Sweet Potato Muffins
1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup canned sweet potatoes, mashed
1 1/2 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup milk
1/2 cup nuts, chopped (optional)
1/2 cup raisins, chopped (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray 1 1/2-inch muffin tins with baking spray. Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Blend in sweet potatoes. Sift together dry ingredients and add alternately with milk. Be careful not to overmix. Fold in nuts and raising, if using. Fill muffin tins two-thirds full and bake until cooked through, about 25 minutes. Muffins can be frozen and reheated.


Christiana Campbell's Tavern Spoon Bread
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups corn meal
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
3 Tablespoons butter
5 eggs
1 Tablespoon baking powder
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a large, shallow baking dish. Combine water and milk and heat to simmer. Add cornmeal, salt, sugar and butter and stir over medium heat until mixture is thickened, about five minutes. Remove from heat. Beat eggs with baking powder until very light and fluffy. Add to the cornmeal mixture and mix well. Pour into prepared dish and bake at 350 F. for 45 to 50 minutes. Serve hot, spooned out of pan and topped with additional butter if desired.

Hampton Crab Imperial
1/2 Tablespoon pimento, drained and chopped
1/2 Tablespoon green pepper, chopped
1 Tablespoon butter
1 lb. backfin crabmeat, picked through to remove any shells
1 cup mayo, divided
1 egg yolk
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1 rounded tsp. capers, drained
Salt and white pepper to taste
Paprika, for serving
Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease six individual shallow casseroles or cleaned crab shells. Melt butter and saute pimento and green pepper until soft. Gently stir together crabmeat and mayo. Add pimentos and peppers and the rest of the ingredients. Spoon into prepared pans and bake until gold brown, about 30 to 35 minutes. Sprinkle with paprika and top with heavy cream sauce (recipe follows).

Heavy Cream Sauce
4 Tablespoons butter
4 Tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
salt to taste
Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and wisk to remove lumps. Add milk, continuing to wisk, and cook until thickened.

For a few more recipes straight from Christiana Campbell's tavern, go here:
http://www.history.org/visit/diningExperience/christianaCampbells/images/campbellsrecipes.pdf
And for recipes from some of Colonial Williamsburg's other taverns, check out this site:
http://www.history.org/Almanack/life/food/foodhdr.cfm