It will be a busy week ahead at the Hormel Historic Home as we prepare for the sixth annual Foodie Throwdown on Saturday, Feb. 18.

Our biggest fundraiser of the year, the Foodie Throwdown has become crucial to the preservation of the HHH and to our mission, and it’s just plain tasty fun.

The 2017 Culinary Teams include:

Just Neighbors: Leah and Levi Erickson and Tom and Kim Schulte

The Spamifying Culinary Duo: Terri Bergstrom and Darin Grimm

Austin Country Club: Philip Ryks and Denise Sutter

Bacon, Booze and Butter Team: Amy and Ricky Riley

Hy-Vee’s Culinary Crafters: Kristine Wolner and Marissa Ide

WK-The Wicked Kitchen: Wade Kolander

I can’t tell you what the chefs are making, but I will share a couple recipes from a cookbook that belonged to Lillian Hormel’s sister-in-law. The book, “The Everyday Cookbook, Encyclopedia of Practical Recipes,” was published in 1892. Mrs. Hormel made marks by what I assume were her favorite recipes.

Baked Beans

“Pick one quart of beans free from stones and dirt. Wash and soak in cold water overnight. In the morning pour off the water. Cover with hot water, put two pounds of corned beef with them, and boil until they begin to split open (the time depends upon the age of the beans, but it will be from thirty to sixty minutes). Turn them into the colander and pour over them two or three quarts of cold water. Put about half of the beans in a deep earthen pot, then put in the beef and finally the remainder of the beans. Mix one teaspoonful of mustard and one tablespoonful of molasses with a little water. Pour this over the beans, and then add boiling water to just cover. Bake slowly ten hours. Add a little water occasionally.”

Lemon Toast

“Take the yolks of six eggs; beat them well and add three cups of sweet milk. Take baker’s bread not too stale and cut into slices. Dip them into the milk and lay the slices into a spider with sufficient melted butter, hot, to fry a nice delicate brown. Take the whites of six eggs, and beat them to a froth, adding a large cup of white sugar. Add the juice of two lemons, heating well, and adding two cups boiling water. Serve over the toast as a sauce, and you will find it a very delicious dish.” If you are wondering, like I was, what a spider is, the internet calls it an iron frying pan with legs to raise it off the ground. It was used in the days when people cooked on an open hearth and burned coals under the pan.

Join us on Feb.18 to find out what our fabulous teams are creating just for you. Live music will be provided by Andrew Weber and Reminisce. Creative live and silent auction items to fight for will add to the competitive event. Tickets are $35 and are available at www.hormelhistorichome.org/events.

History Happy Hour — For the Love of Old Books

5:30 p.m. Social; 6 p.m. Presentation, Monday, Feb. 13

Presented by Jay Nelson, Antique Bookseller and John Haymond, Director of the Mower County Historical Society. Learn the history of bookmaking, how to find and care for rare books and how valuable they may be. Feel free to bring one from your own collection for the presenters to evaluate. Free for members of the HHH, Friends of the Library, and the Mower County Historical Society. $5 for non-members.

Hearth & Home Series — Life and Music of Ian Shapinsky

10 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 21

Enjoy a panorama of piano styles performed by accomplished pianist Ian Shapinsky. A professional performer since the age of nine, Ian’s flawless performance and interesting stories will entertain and inspire. This free program will take place in the Historic Home Living Room. Snack included.