The National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center is having two days of displays, demonstrations and programs about traditional local foods, from historic times to the present day. Its Oregon Bounty Harvest Days on October 10-11 includes cooking demonstrations and samples of locally grown and harvested ingredients from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. each day.
The event is part of the statewide Oregon Bounty effort to highlight the abundance of locally and regionally grown food. All ingredients displayed and utilized in cooking demonstrations are from Oregon, and most were acquired within 90 miles of Baker City. Dutch oven cooking demonstrations will have a dual approach, with one campfire cooking historic recipes and techniques from the 1800s, and another cooking up modern day recipes. Planned recipes include elk stew, salmon stew, and lamb stew, biscuits, apple pie and cobblers. Interpretive programs include Original Meals on Wheels - Food on the Oregon Trail and Supplier to the Mines.
Interpreters will have displays showing then and now comparisons such as hard tack versus saltine crackers and parched corn versus corn nuts, a look at wildlife and hunting traditions in eastern Oregon, and mountain man traditions.
The National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, operated by the Bureau of Land Management, is located five miles east of Baker City, on Highway 86. Take Exit 302 from I-84. The Center is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
Click here for more information about the Center, or call 541.523.1843 for updates on programs and events.