“Man may work from sun to sun, but a woman’s work is never done.” The phrase is old, arguably still relevant and perhaps never more apt than in Colonial times. At 6:30 p.m. Sept. 13, renowned food historian and Maine resident Sandy Oliver will speak at the Tate House Museum in Portland about the centrality of the kitchen to the Colonial household.

“The economy, health, and hospitality of the early American household depended largely upon the capabilities and energy of the woman or women who ran the operations centered in the kitchen,” a press release about the talk says. Among the jobs that began (and never ended) in the kitchen were cooking, preserving, child care, health care and keeping the family dressed.

Oliver is the author of “Saltwater Foodways: New Englanders and Their Food, at Sea and Ashore, in the Nineteenth Century,” among other books.

The lecture costs $12 ($10 for museum members). The Tate House kitchen, part of the talk, is small, so space is limited to 25. Reserve by calling 774-6177 or emailing info@tatehouse.org. The museum is at 1270 Westbrook St.


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