Thank you for subscribing to the Historic Valentown Newsletter!
~A Note From Kathryn White~

Welcome to the 2nd edition of our new Newsletter everyone!

Historic Valentown is closed for the season but we are still 
busy. This is when we get to work on plans for next year and 
review how this year went. This month we are excited to tell you 
about changes to our Membership support. Be sure to read about 
them below in the "News and Events" section! If you are not 
already a member please consider supporting Historic Valentown 
and all the work we do here. By the way, Saturday, November 25, 
is "Small Business Saturday", so get out and support your 
neighbors and hometown businesses in your community.

Oh, and we're still looking for those old recipe's passed down 
through your family. Currently we only have two categories 
(potato's and cabbage), but that's because we don't have any 
recipe's to start a new category yet! If you would like to see 
your family recipe on our web site, submit it to us online here: 
Recipe Form at SurveyMonkey, 
<https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FW32QK9>; or email it to: 
webmaster at historicvalentownmuseum.org 
<mailto:webmaster at historicvalentownmuseum.org>

And don't forget, we're also open to hearing /your /ideas for 
expanding Valentown's networks and opportunities! If you have 
some good ideas, contact us at info at historicvalentownmuseum.org 
<mailto:info at historicvalentownmuseum.org>

We would like to thank all the people and volunteers who either 
helped us or visited us this season and hope you will continue to 
have an interest in this great old landmark. Volunteers are our 
life line and we would not be here if it were not for all of you 
who have contributed over the years. Have a wonderful 
Thanksgiving, be safe, and may the holiday bring the best of 
health and happiness to you and all of yours!

Kathryn White, President

News and Events
NEW! HOME TOWN BUSINESS MEMBERSHIPS

We now have a new membership type called "Home Town Business 
Members", and they come with lots of perks! So if you or 
someone you know has a business in the Victor / Fishers / 
Bushnell's Basin area or beyond, please check out our new "Home 
Town Business Membership" and consider supporting your hometown 
business history by joining! (On the web site it is under "About 
Us / Types of Memberships / Hometown Business Memberships and 
Ledger") or just click on this link: /HometownBusinessMemberships 
<http://historicvalentownmuseum.org/page.php?page=hometownbusiness>! 

CHANGES TO OUR REGULAR MEMBERSHIP

The name of our regular Membership is now "Community 
Membership". The membership levels have been consolidated a bit, 
and going forward these memberships will be primarily for 
non-business members. We've added a nice perk for new members, 
too! They can take advantage of a one time free private tour for 
their self and 5 guests. And if you're an existing member you can 
take advantage of this one-time perk, too, on your next renewal! 
Just email me at next season 
president at historicvalentownmuseum.org 
<mailto:president at historicvalentownmuseum.org> to schedule your 
tour. Yay!

Also as a Community Member, when you join (or renew), you can 
choose to "opt in" to proudly display your name under your 
membership level on the new Community Members page (Displayed on 
the web site under "About Us / Types of Memberships / Community 
Memberships, Gratitudes and Application", or just click on this 
link: /CommunityMemberships 
<http://historicvalentownmuseum.org/page.php/communitymemberships>.

If you are /already/ a member and would like to "opt in" right 
away, send an email to webmaster at historicvalentownmuseum.org 
<mailto:webmaster at historicvalentownmuseum.org> - tell her who you 
are and state specifically that you want your membership 
displayed under your membership level on our Community Members 
web page. /We will get it done!/

Please be sure to check us out at 
http://HistoricValentownMuseum.org !

Find Us on Facebook! 
<https://www.facebook.com/Historic-Valentown-157101550971895/>;

Recipes
See our collection of recipes at
http://historicvalentownmuseum.org/forum/index.php?cat=2

A great one dish meal that is especially appreciated after
all those leftovers that follow the Thanksgiving Day feast!

SHEPARD'S PIE
~~~Submitted by Amy Codding. Amy is an open hearth cook and a 
reenactor in an historical military group./

Stew Ingredients:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 pounds lean boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 pound turnips, peeled and diced
1/2 pound carrots, peeled and diced
3 celery stalks. trimmed and sliced
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups beef stock or water
1/3 cup tomato paste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Potato Topping Ingredients:

2 pounds white or red boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 
1-inch cubes
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon salt. or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper, or to taste.

Instructions:

1.To make the stew, melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large 
saucepan over medium high heat. Add the lamb and brown on all 
sides, making sure not to crowd the pan. This may have to be done 
in batches. Remove the lamb from the pan with a slotted spoon, 
and set aside.

2.Add the turnips, carrots, celery and onion to the pan, and 
saute for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the onions are 
translucent.

Return the lamb to the pan along with the thyme, and sprinkle the 
flour over the lamb and vegetables. Cook over low heat for 3 
minutes, stirring frequently, to cook the flour.

Add the cold stock or water, raise the heat to medium high, and 
bring to a boil. Stir in the tomato paste, and season with salt 
and pepper. Cook the lamb mixture covered over low heat for 40 to 
55 minutes, or until the lamb is tender.

3.While the lamb is braising, place the potatoes in salted cold 
water and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil the potatoes until 
tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, and then mash the potatoes using 
a potato masher or hand-held electric mixer with the butter, egg, 
yolk, salt and pepper. Place the mixture in a pastry bag fitted 
with a large star tip.

4.To serve, preheat an oven broiler. Place the lamb into a large 
baking dish or individual dishes, and pipe the potatoes into a 
latticework pattern on the top. Place 6 inches from the broiler 
element, and brown the potatoes. Serve immediately.

Note:The lamb and potatoes can be prepared up to a day in 
advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Reheat the lamb over 
low heat before piping the potatoes and the final broiling.

Levi's "What is it?" Department

Our last "What is it" contest was too easy!!! Thanks to everyone 
who participated in guessing that the tools were "dibbles" used 
as gardening tools for making holes to plant seeds in. It took 
less than 24 hours for one person to come in and guess the 
correct name, though we had several correct guesses as to the usage.

So for this round of "What is it?", we have a print from an old 
wood cutting that mystifies us. We aren't certain what period of 
history it's from, and we sure as heck can't figure out what this 
woman is doing!?!?! It looks like she's milking some kind of 
strange plant.

    <https://www.facebook.com/157101550971895/photos/pb.157101550971895.-2207520000.1510877870./1910673055614727/?type=3&theater>;

Think you can help us figure that out? Feel free to pass this along
 for others to research, too. We really want an answer, we
seriously want to know what she's up to. Join a discussion
with us about it in the pictures comment section on our
Facebook page:
Valentown's Facebook "What is it?"
 <https://www.facebook.com/157101550971895/photos/a.708518075830237.1073741826.157101550971895/1912890852059614/?type=3&theater>;