Authentic open camp fire cooking class offered April 5 at Apple River Fort

ELIZABETH - You probably won't find this program on the Food Channel. An authentic 1830s open camp fire cooking class will be held Saturday, April 5 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Apple River Fort State Historic Site in Elizabeth, Illinois. Participants must pre-register by calling (815) 858-2028 or by email at susang@appleriverfort.org. There is a $45 participation fee and the class size is limited to ten participants, who will be registered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Instructor Susan Odom will teach participants how to start a fire, basic mid-19th century open fire cooking techniques, using correct period cooking equipment, and a few practical recipes. All participants will cook during this hands-on class, and since cooking will take place in a reconstructed log cabin and at an outdoor fire pit, those taking part should dress for the weather and expect to get dirty. Plenty of food will be cooked and eaten, and copies of recipes will be provided.

The Apple River Fort State Historic Site, administered by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, is a reconstruction of the 1830s civilian fort that was the site of a battle between Black Hawk's Sauk warriors and Apple River settlers during the Black Hawk War. It is located along U.S. Route 20 in Elizabeth, Illinois, and is open Wednesday through Sunday for free public tours.