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The holiday season continues, with the annual Christmas event at the Bouman-Stickney Museum in Readington Township, New Jersey. The 18th century farmhouse is decorated, and there's another of their open hearth cooking demonstrations. Come, let's go inside and have a look.
A deep window sill in the stone house, decorated with fruit and greenery and candle,
in the bedroom where father and mother have their bed, and baby in a craddle.
A handsome desk in the living room, a clock, some greenery and bright red berries
amid the china teapot, cup and saucer, brass candlesticks, and glass bottles.
Down the steep and twisting stairs to the kitchen with its cupboard. and beautiful dishes.
The poffertjes, plump little pancakes made half and half with buckwheat and wheat flour were finished just before I got here. Now it is gehaktballen, meatballs. They are something gezelligheid an untranslateable Dutch word that refers to cosy fun and time spent with loved ones, togetherness that gives a warm feeling.
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And what could be cozier on a cold winter day than the kitchen
with good red coals for cooking in its walk-in fireplace.
There's no fire in the upstairs hearth in the family room across from the parents bedroom. But their wooden shoes are neatly lined up, each with some carrots for good St. Nicholas' white horse.
And for us, a table full of cookies: Dutch koekjes, banketstaaf, kerstkransjes, snickerdoodles, and more. Delicious. And especially thoughtful - recipes to take home for some gezelligheid with our own families.
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