Indigo House History Dinners 2026
Here at Indigo House, my guests learn while savoring, as I believe one of the most exciting and fulfilling ways to learn about our world is through food. At my table, the discussion ranges widely, shared with returning guests and new ones. On my rural farmstead, my shelves of cookery and history books, my gardens, the barn, the pantry, and my kitchen serve as my research base for understanding and sharing how food and the people who grow, prepare, preserve, and serve it play such a vital role in our culture. This series of history dinners is held in the countryside, where, if you take a stroll through my garden, you will hear the rush of the river. You eat great food in good company! Remember to BYOB!
A Tamale Feast
Saturday, Aug 15, 7 pm
Celebrate the foods of Mesoamerica, dishes the Aztecs created that are still enjoyed around the world. Our pre-Columbian-inspired meal takes us on an excursion of the floating permanent marketplaces of the city of Tenochtitlan. There were turkeys for richly sauced Mole. There were vast heaps of multi-colored dried and fresh chilies. Market sellers, poling their reed boats along Lake Texcoco’s shores, offered tomatoes and dry beans cooked in beautifully painted clay pots. Daily, across the continent, women ground corn into meal or nixtamalized it to prepare masa, tortillas, and tamales. The most iconic of Aztec foods – CHOCOLATE – was reserved as a drink for the elite of Aztec society and we will enjoy it as our dessert.
3 Centuries of Southern Women Chefs
Saturday, September 12, 7 pm
Our table conversation will introduce you to an amazing group of women cooks: Old Ebba, Malinda, Abby, and Atholene, among others. Along with those women, I find my guests often have stories to share of cooks and traditions in their own families. We end our meal with a dessert in celebration of the great American Chef Edna Lewis, whose expertise has been recently documented in ‘Finding Edna Lewis’ by PBS.
The Global Dining Table: A Dish of Curry
Saturday, October 17, 6 pm
Black cooks were the creative mainstay of workers in Mary Randolph’s 1800s Richmond kitchen. They daily created meals telling the story of provisions bought on voyages to Africa, the Spice Islands of SE Asia, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and even China. From those exotic imported ingredients, the skilled cooks made and stored complex spice mixes and sauces for use year-round.
Fee $170 per guest
Guests are free to bring the beer, wine, or cider of their choice– Indigo House will offer coffee or tea.
CANCELLATIONS: If you cancel up to 3 days (72 hours) before your dinner, a refund will be issued or you can reschedule to another open dinner. Within 72 hours before your dinner, I CANNOT ISSUE REFUNDS under any circumstances, as I have minimal space available and will have already purchased supplies. I require advanced reservations for all dinners.
4692 Browns Gap Turnpike, Crozet 22932 434-823-1004
12 miles west of C’ville on Barracks Rd./Garth Rd. to White Hall; 4 miles north; Doyle’s River on right
