A trip to the heyday of elegant rail travel
On Saturday, May 11, the Manor House at Planting Fields was transformed for the evening into an intimate dinner party to celebrate the age of railway dining cars and its cuisine. This was a special event to highlight the exhibition open now through Sept. 2: All Aboard! A Railway Fortune at Planting Fields.
Author of Dining By Rail James D. Porterfield spoke about the age of rail travel and dining cars, when top chefs were trained and recruited to showcase their best recipes for discerning passengers. Accompanying the lecture was a gourmet dinner, which featured dishes such as Pennsylvania Railroad Deviled Slice of Roast Beef with Mustard; New Haven Railroad Carrots with Mint Sauce; and Fred Harvey Hot Strawberry Sundaes for dessert. Attendees for this special meal dined as passengers would have on a rail trip of yore, at the same time learning about the culinary history of famous passenger trains. It was a festive evening, complete with book signing by Porterfield.
All Aboard! is open to the public
all summer, daily from 11:30 a.m. – 3.30 p.m. On June 2, from 4 – 5:30 p.m. at the Manor House, children’s book author Heather Worthington will read Miles of Smiles: The Story of Roxey the Long Island Rail Road Dog, and have a book signing and postcard activity for children.
