Welcome to part 1 of my 3 part series that takes us into the Officer's Kitchen at historic Old Fort Erie! Nestled at the place where Lake Erie meets the mouth of the Niagara River; Fort Erie was built as a British outpost in direct response to Pontiac's War in the 1760's. During the War of 1812, the Fort was a stronghold for both British and their Haudenosaunee allied forces, and stands to this day as a testament to the history of the allied relationship between the Haudenosaunee and the Crown. In this video, I had the pleasure of meeting historic interpreter Adam, who gives us a valuable insight to the food expectations of a British officer and soldier. Mohawk warriors were often highly anticipated trade partners for wild game, fish and more when British soldiers were on the search for more than the very limited daily ration of beef and bread! In this episode, I had the pleasure of getting into the Officer's Kitchen to prepare a rabbit to roast over the soldier's pit. Join me inside!

Chef Tawnya Brant heads to Mohawk Seedkeepers Garden & Earthship and shares both fire-side and stove-top techniques for preparing traditional Haudenosaunee cornbread and corn dumplings. www.cheftawnyabrant.com Instagram: @ChefTawnyaBrant

Chef Tawnya Brant shares several varieties of corn masa, flour & meal you will find in her pantry along with some of their uses! Chef Tawnya Brant is a member of the Mohawk Nation turtle clan from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory near Toronto, Canada. Visit her website for more content on revitalizing Indigenous North American cuisine at www.cheftawnyabrant.com

This week I am continuing with the popcorn theme! Reading a 1901 publication by A.C.Parker explaining a simple style of "popcorn pudding" inspired me to advance the meal with some modern tools, and some farm fresh eggs from my own chickens!

Chef Tawnya shares how to make your own simple homemade stovetop popcorn (give the microwave a break tonight!) and brightens it up with a sweet and salty Maple & Lavender Lava Salt drizzle. Your wallet will thank-you for this gourmet upgrade to your at-home snack routine!

Succotash is a staple dish common among ancestral cooking techniques for Indigenous peoples of the northeastern United States & Canada, including the Haudenosaunee. Pairing it with turkey, another ancestral staple, Chef Tawnya Brant dives into a pre-contact version of a succotash while using a Swedish-style "Hasselback" cooking technique for stuffing her turkey breast. She has some lovely in-season (we filmed this in early spring) fiddleheads for her side dish, enjoy!