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Nothing says Christmas like a gingerbread house with all its sweet icing and delightfully cheerful decorations. Whether you’re an expert or a novice, you can have some fun by trying your hand at creating your own edible holiday-themed structure. The North Salem Historical Society has joined forces with the Ruth Keeler Memorial Library to present a Gingerbread House Making event on December 7 at 7:00p.m in the main room of the Library.
“It's that time of year to be thinking about gingerbread houses. This is the first time we’re having this event so we’re excited,” says Cynthia Curtis, NSHS past president and membership secretary. “Everyone works together – it’s instructional and fun,” she added.
Participants will use a pre-made kit and be instructed by the well-known artisan gingerbread house maker, John Lovitch, a former executive chef turned self-taught gingerbread baker and owner of GingerBread Lane. The house will be a version of Lobdell Store and Post Office (now the North Salem Building Department). The event is limited to 20 teams, each with four members, including at least one adult/teenager per team. Each kit is $20.00. The kits are limited to Keeler Library card holders or Historical Society members. The event is first-come, first-served so hurry and sign up to reserve your spot.
Lobdell Store and Post Office has a very interesting history. The two-story Greek revival building with a temple front and four columns dates to @1848 and was built by Clark Stevens. The original building was moved to the north side of Titicus Road, and up until the 1950s the store and post office were run by Lobdells. After that, other businesses rented it out. The town acquired it in the 1980s and in 1995, it was moved to its present location and was remodeled a few times but still retains its historical significance.
At the gingerbread house event, participants will appreciate the design expertise of Lovitch, a four-time Guinness World Records holder for creating the largest, entirely edible gingerbread village. He drafts, designs, bakes, plans, builds, and decorates for an entire year to annually unveil his seasonal gingerbread village displays in cities across the U.S., including Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Boston, Baltimore, Hartford, CT, New York City, Southern Virginia, Orlando, and more. His houses have also been displayed at Rockefeller Center and the Smithsonian Museum in New York City and he's been featured on the Today Show and Good Morning America, ABC and CBS News, and in numerous magazines including the New York Times, Food and Wine, Conde Nast Traveler, Martha Stewart Living, and Smithsonian Magazine.
“We’re such a small town so we love having community-oriented events. Gingerbread building and contests have always been associated with the Historical Society,” said Curtis, noting the Society held a gingerbread contest last year and has hosted many in the past. “People are ready to get out and do something for the holiday.”
To purchase a kit, visit: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sh/OPXFtF3
Photos provided by Cynthia Curtis and Susie Thompson, North Salem town historian.
