As part of our 30th anniversary celebrations, CHC is delighted to announce a unique event for CHC members and friends at Dundurn Castle in Hamilton, Ontario! From 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 25, we’re hosting a visit that includes hands-on cooking in a historic kitchen and a tour of a breathtaking kitchen garden.

Dundurn Castle is a 40-room villa built in the 1830s as a home for the family of railway magnate, lawyer and Premier of the United Canadas Sir Allan Napier MacNab. Today it is recognized as a National Historic Site. It’s located at 610 York Boulevard. (Fun fact: holders of a seniors’ Presto pass can travel door-to-door between Toronto and Hamilton for just $6.06 each way!)

Assisted by Dundurn’s Cook Demonstrators, participants will work together to prepare a traditional recipe in the historic kitchen. Recipes will be seasonal options that can come from the garden; some common recipes have been salads, tarts, turnovers, fritters, and rissoles. Everyone will receive a recipe booklet to keep that they will use to follow and cook from.

Following the workshop and after a short break, participants will explore the lovingly restored Historic Kitchen Garden (pictured below),where costumed staff grow over 200 heirloom varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers for use in the historic kitchen.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to explore with costumed staff over 40 rooms and discover the history of the MacNab family and the servants who lived and worked below stairs.

Admission: $89.27 (general). $76.07 (Culinary Tourism Alliance members). $68.57 (CHC members). Tickets are available on Eventbrite.