Hearth to Table: Dinner in 1648
A taste of history
New! Savour 17th-century gourmet dishes by candlelight right on the grounds of historic Sainte-Marie. Hearth to Table invites guests to gather around a harvest table inside the chapel of the reconstructed Jesuit mission and enjoy a delicious, multi-course French meal featuring historic seasonal ingredients carefully prepared using methods from the 1600s.
Start each course with an introduction from a costumed interpreter specializing in 17th-century cooking. Learn to appreciate the many challenges and intricacies – from basic technology to limited vegetable options – of preparing an epicurean French-style meal in this era, before enjoying your taste of history.
Menu for Saturday, June 28
Pottage: Salt meat with peas served on fresh crusty bread
Entrée: Tender loin of pork prepared in a sauce Robert
Second course: Sage-roasted carrots and vegetable-stuffed mushrooms
Entremet: Feuillantine of crispy, caramelized layers of baked crêpes, broken into small, delicate flakes
Select non-alcoholic beverages included. Wine and beer pairings available at an additional cost.
Note that Sainte-Marie cannot accommodate dietary restrictions and requests for this specialized, historical menu.
Dates and times:
- Saturdays June 28, July 26, August 16 and September 20 – four nights only!
- Guests are asked to arrive by 6 p.m. with the meal starting at 6:30 p.m.
- This historic dining experience is approximately 2 hours from start to finish
With just four dates and a maximum capacity of 50 people, we recommend you book early to avoid disappointment.
Tickets:
- All sales are final
- Cost is $56.24 per person plus taxes and EventBrite fees – no tips
- Reservations required through EventBrite and must be made at least 24hrs before each dinner.
- This experience is for people ages 13 +
- Sainte-Marie’s free admission programs (for Indigenous Peoples, Military staff and Ontario teachers) do not apply to this specialized experience
- Season passes are not eligible for this small-group event
Experience overview:
- Check-in at the Sainte-Marie’s visitor centre where you’ll be greeted by a costumed historical interpreter and then escorted to North Court on the grounds of Sainte-Marie.
- Spend a few minutes learning about buildings that would have been instrumental in preparing meals here in the 1600s: the cookhouse, stables, gardens, and chicken coop.
- Walk into the picturesque chapel and sit down at a carefully set harvest table bathed in candlelight, just as French Jesuits of the 17th century might have done after a long day’s labour.
- Pick from an assortment of beverages and get to know your fellow guests. Wine and beer pairings will be available at an added cost.
- Enjoy an introduction on each course from a knowledgeable historian specializing in 17th-century cooking. Learn about historic ingredients and culinary techniques for each dish and ask questions.
- Our friendly serving team will bring you each course over an interval of two hours, offering you plenty of opportunity to savour the meal, the atmosphere, and the experience.
- After the last plate has been removed, your historical interpreter will walk you back to the visitors centre to say goodbye.
Pets
Please be advised that with the exception of service animals, pets are not allowed on the historic site for this event.
Image gallery:
Please click each image below to see a larger version.
Please be advised that with the exception of service animals, pets are not allowed on the historic site for this event.
- The historic chapel at Sainte-Marie is not heated, nor is it air conditioned. We recommend you dress accordingly.
- Please note that guests will have to make their way to the historic chapel through paths that may be muddy. We recommend appropriate footwear.
- Sainte-Marie among the Hurons is a mask-friendly environment. Read our COVID-19 policy.
- Smoking or vaping (including marijuana) is not permitted on the property.
- This experience is for people ages 13 and up and is not recommended for children.
16164 Highway 12 East, Midland, ON, L4R 4K8
Parking Info
There is ample parking for visitors including those with RVs and buses. Please park in the parking lot provided and make your way to the admissions entrance. We also have bike racks available for cyclists coming from the Tay Trail.
Need more info?
Please contact us at hhp@ontario.ca or (705) 526-7838 if you have any questions.
Ontario’s first European community, Sainte-Marie among the Hurons was the headquarters for the French Jesuit Mission to the Huron-Wendat people. In 1639, the Jesuits, along with French lay workers, began construction of a fenced community that included barracks, a church, workshops, residences, and a sheltered area for Indigenous visitors. This community was abandoned and burned down in 1649.
After extensive archaeological and historical research, Sainte-Marie among the Hurons is now recreated on its original site, where the mission’s compelling story is brought to life with costumed historical interpreters, demonstrations and hands-on activities.
Located near Midland, on the Wye River, this world-renowned reconstruction offers visitors a unique opportunity to see the earliest Canadian pioneer life through self-guided visits, group tours, interactive education programs, and special events. Complete your experience by exploring our interpretive museum and themed gift shop.
