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Hoecakes & Hospitality: Cooking with Martha Washington
George and Martha Washington welcomed thousands of guests to Mount Vernon in the more than forty years they lived here. How did Martha manage to feed so many in a world without refrigerators, microwaves or running water?
Experience a behind-the-scenes look at the Washingtons’ kitchen through the new exhibition, Hoecakes & Hospitality: Cooking with Martha Washington. On display inside the Donald W. Reynolds Museum, this temporary exhibition explores how foods were prepared and presented at 18th-century Mount Vernon. Before appearing in dining rooms, crispy hoecakes, smoked hams, frozen ice creams, and other foods required the work of gardeners, housekeepers, enslaved cooks, butlers and waiters – all under Martha Washington’s careful supervision.
Following food from the Estate’s field to kitchen to table, visitors will see recipes and cookbooks that Martha treasured, pots that simmered in her kitchen, and fine tablewares that made Mount Vernon’s dining room fit for a president. For the first time ever, visitors to the Museum will experience scents as they explore the exhibition - smelling cinnamon, coffee, and warm bread. Open through August 11, 2013.
Entrance to the Donald W. Reynolds Museum is included in regular Estate admission.
Recite “Washington’s Prayer for His Country” and the Pledge of Allegiance as part of this tribute, offered daily at the tomb of George and Martha Washington.
This 45-minute guided walking tour examines Washington's brilliant design for the grounds around Mount Vernon. Visit the gardens he created, see some of the original trees, and learn how he merged areas for work and leisure to create a master plan for his beloved home.
Mount Vernon’s popular “National Treasure Tour” returns beginning March 1. The tour is dedicated to the behind-the-scenes filming of the blockbuster movie National Treasure: Book of Secrets at Mount Vernon. The National Treasure Tour combines Hollywood and history, giving visitors stories about the filming and also information on how the locations were used during George Washington's time. Included in this approximately hour-long walking tour is the Mansion's basement and cornerstone, the setting for a pivotal scene. Fans of the movie will recognize the space as the location where Nicolas Cage's character kidnaps the president.