Hearth to Table Special Edition: Historic Harvest Dining Experience

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 ragout, velvety pumpkin pottage, and a spiced apple tourte.

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.

Savour 17th-century gourmet dishes by candlelight right on the grounds of historic Sainte-Marie. This dining series 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.

• Pottage: Creamy pumpkin simmered with clove-studded onion, fresh butter, and a whisper of pepper, finished with warm milk and a golden egg drizzle.

• Asparagus in Herbed Pea Velouté: Tender asparagus spears nestled in a velvety green pea and herb purée, garnished with buttery spring greens and sautéed baby peas.
• Glazed Parsnips in Nutmeg Butter: Sweet parsnips gently simmered and glazed in a rich butter sauce with hints of nutmeg and a touch of bouillon.
• Ragout of Young Turkey: Delicately dressed and pan-seared young turkey, slow-simmered in a savory bouillon reduction with aromatic herbs.
• Apple Tourte with Currants: A golden pastry filled with spiced apples, currants, and pine nuts, kissed with lemon zest and cinnamon, then baked to a caramelized finish.

Historically-flavoured water included. Wine and beer pairings available at an additional cost via EventBrite.

Note due to the unique ingredients, recipes, and presentation for this 17th-century menu, Sainte-Marie cannot accommodate dietary restrictions and requests.

For questions about booking or the experience, contact aGhwIHwgb250YXJpbyAhIGNh or 705-526-7838. For questions about ingredients or food preparation, contact cmVzdGF1cmFudHNhaW50ZW1hcmllIHwgZ21haWwgISBjb20= or 705-321-2912

Info: Guests who arrive at 5:30 p.m. (not mandatory) will have access to the indoor museum and to Sainte-Marie's introductory film - approximately 15 minutes in length - before being invited onto the historic site at 6 p.m.

Info: At 6 p.m. you'll be escorted by a costumed historical interpreter to the 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.

Info: 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.

Enjoy flavoured water or wine pairings (if purchased) and get to know your fellow guests.

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.

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