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Dining with Blennerhassetts event Saturday

PARKERSBURG — A special Dining with the Blennerhassetts will be held at 2:30 p.m. Saturday on Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park.

The cost for the all the program events, boat ride, dinner and entertainment is $75 per person. Reservations must be made by calling the Blennerhassett Museum of Regional History at 304-420-4800.

The event features a three-course historically themed dinner with a menu prepared from selected recipes of that time period. Dining with the Blennerhassetts has limited seating and will be held regardless of the weather.

Registration begins at 2:15 p.m. at the museum, which will include a real-foods demo about preparing and garnishing historical foods. Visitors will learn about “Dressing Up Your Dinner Table” in the 1800s manner from Martha and Dick Hartley, authors of the West Virginia cookbook, “Serving Up History.” They can also view a special exhibit of little-seen food-related artifacts from the Blennerhassett Museum collection.

Participants will then take a sternwheeler journey on the Island Belle for the late afternoon and evening parts of the program on island. A special dinner-guest “Foodways Tour” of the mansion will be led by the Hartleys to learn the role food played in the daily lives of the Blennerhassetts at every stop throughout the mansion. Diners will also become acquainted with proper dining procedures and etiquette of the early 1800s.

The candle-lighted dinner will be held in the original Putnam-Houser House called Maple Shade where Margaret, as a friend and neighbor, danced in the ballroom. The menu includes an Appetizer First Course Sampler, followed by a Second Course including a choice of pork or poultry entree along with accompanying vegetables, sides, and bread. A Sweets & Dessert Course will conclude the meal.

The meal is being prepared by Chef Yancy’s Five Star Catering. After dining, visitors will return via the Island Belle to Parkersburg arriving about 8 p.m.

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