Hearth to Table: Dinner in 1648
A taste of history
New! Savour 17th-century inspired 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 meal featuring historic seasonal ingredients.
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. Then enjoy your taste of history!
Hearth to Table Dinner Menus – 2026
Elevated Tavern Fare
A tavern-style menu inspired by early colonial cooking and dishes served in roadside inns – elevated and beautifully-presented with fresh seasonal ingredients.
Vegetable Pottage with Crusty Bread:
A hearty, slow-simmered vegetable pottage brimming with seasonal garden vegetables and rustic herbs, served alongside freshly baked crusty bread perfect for soaking up every comforting spoonful.
Roasted Stuffed Mushrooms:
Tender roasted mushrooms generously filled with a savoury blend of seasoned vegetables, herbs, and aromatics, delivering rich flavour and a satisfying, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Traditional 17th-Century Tourtière:
A beloved French-Canadian classic featuring richly seasoned ground meat encased in golden, flaky pastry, baked to perfection and inspired by the culinary traditions of early settlers of early New France.
Teurgoule with Calvados:
A traditional Normandy rice pudding slow-baked until luxuriously creamy, infused with sweet milk, warm spices, and a delicate splash of Calvados for a comforting and elegant finish.
Wine and beer pairings available at an additional cost.
Note that Sainte-Marie cannot accommodate dietary restrictions and requests for this specialized, historical menu.
Royal Court
A menu inspired by historical royal kitchens, highlighting refined dishes once served to nobility
Queen’s Pottage:
A smooth, seasoned pottage prepared in a style associated with early royal households.
Salmagundi:
A 17th‑century composed dish featuring an arranged platter of meats, eggs, vegetables, nuts, and pickled elements. A presentation reflecting the elaborate service of royal dining tables.
Red Wine and Lager-Braised Beef Ribs:
Beef ribs braised slowly in red wine and Longhouse lager, producing tender meat with a rich, well‑developed sauce.
Crème Brûlée:
A classic custard dessert finished with a caramelized sugar crust.
Wine and beer pairings available at an additional cost.
Note that Sainte-Marie cannot accommodate dietary restrictions and requests for this specialized, historical menu.
Hunting & Foraging
A menu shaped by early autumn harvests and traditional hunting dishes, reflecting the flavours of the changing season.
Onion Pottage:
A gently simmered onion pottage prepared with slow‑cooked aromatics
Tourte de l’Herbe:
A rustic herb‑based pie featuring tender greens and fresh herbs baked in a delicate pastry, inspired by historic countryside preparations.
Rabbit in Wine:
Rabbit braised in wine with aromatics until tender, offering a rich and deeply flavoured course rooted in traditional hunting cuisine
Pears in Wine:
Pears poached in wine until soft and lightly spiced, served with their reduced cooking syrup for a smooth, understated finish.
Wine and beer pairings available at an additional cost.
Note that Sainte-Marie cannot accommodate dietary restrictions and requests for this specialized, historical menu.
Thanksgiving
Celebrate the harvest in Historic Style
Join us for an indulgent celebration of the harvest season! Guests will be treated to a beautifully plated, five-course, 17th-century feast —featuring sumptuous renditions of turkey with stuffing and cranberry chutney, warm mushroom pottage, and custard pumpkin pots.
The chapel will be transformed with heirloom gourds and lush seasonal foliage, creating a warm, immersive setting that evokes the spirit of a historic harvest celebration. As a special keepsake, each guest will receive a beautifully crafted recipe booklet, allowing them to recreate these timeless dishes at home.
Pottage: A warm mushroom pottage prepared with a blend of autumn mushrooms and aromatics, offering a rich and comforting start to the meal.
Buttered Carrots with Herbs: Tender carrots finished with butter and a selection of fresh herbs, highlighting seasonal produce with refined presentation.
Three Sisters Squash Fritters: Crisp squash fritters inspired by the Three Sisters tradition, made with squash, corn, and beans to showcase their complementary flavours.
Turkey with Stuffing and Cranberry Chutney: Roasted turkey served with classic stuffing and a tangy cranberry chutney,
Pumpkin Pots: Individual pumpkin custards baked until smooth and lightly spiced, offering a warm and seasonal finish to the meal.
Wine and beer pairings available at an additional cost via EventBrite.
Note that Sainte-Marie cannot accommodate dietary restrictions and requests for this specialized, historical menu.
Dates and times:
- Saturdays July 25, August 22 (sold out), September 19 and October 10
- Guests are asked to arrive at 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 for the summer dining experience is $95.40 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 1.5 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.
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.
