Living History Farms interpreters use historic recipes, equipment and methods to prepare authentic meals. (Photo: Living History Farms) By Libby Nichols Dinner reservations usually start with one decision: where to go. At Living History Farms, the first decision is more like when to go. The museu m’s annual historical dinners invite guests to trade a traditional restaurant reservation for a more unusual, immersive experience. “We like to tell people it’s dinner and a show,” said Elizabeth Keest Sedrel, the farms’ director of marketing and communications. “It’s not just the food. It’s an experience.” When I was growing up, Living History Farms was one of those places that always felt a little magical. I spent summers attending camp there, and walking through the grounds felt like stepping into another era. Visiting as an adult, I found that same feeling returned, transported with a warm meal, a wood-burning stove and stories shared around the table. Rather than one single dining experience, guests can choose from several evenings that showcase different chapters of Iowa history. At the 1900 Farm, guests gather around the table for a family-style meal under one kerosene lamp. Weather permitting, the evening begins with a horse-drawn wagon ride before visitors enjoy a meal inspired by recipes from the early 1900s. After dinner, guests explore the farmhouse and barn by lantern light. “It’s like a Sunday afternoon at your grandparents’ house,” Sedrel said. “The chores are done, people who know each other well are sitting around the table together, passing things around. It’s comforting.” At the Tangen House Christmas Dinners, guests step into a typical middle-class home from 1876. The evening combines dinner with entertainment, including Victorian parlor games that bring guests into the social traditions of the era. The Flynn Mansion dinners offer a glimpse into a more elegant Victorian-era evening. The historic home, which the Flynn family built on site, sets the stage for a refined multicourse meal where each course comes with stories about the food, etiquette lessons and customs of the time. “The Flynns were ‘new money,’” Sedrel said. “They were Irish immigrants, Roman Catholic, and they were trying to show not only that they had the money, but that they knew what to do with it.” Every meal results from extensive research by Historic Foodways Coordinator Meg Anderson, who studies period cookbooks and handwritten “receipt books” to recreate dishes while adapting them for modern kitchens. Many historic recipes assumed cooks already understood the basics, leaving instructions like “a lump of butter the size of an egg” or “bake until done.” Anderson transforms those recipes into versions today’s cooks can follow, and guests leave with copies to try at home. The meals also offer a glimpse into the challenges of cooking before modern appliances. Many dishes are prepared using historically accurate tools, like wood-burning stoves that require more know-how than simply setting a temperature. The weather, humidity and even the direction of the wind can influence the fire, making cooking a skill built on experience and intuition. “The stove does not work for you. You work with the stove,” said Mike Witmer, who leads agricultural interpreting at the farms. “It’s more art than science.” What stood out most during my visit wasn’t just the food. It was the people behind the experience. Many of the interpreters have spent decades at Living History Farms, and their passion is what makes the evening feel authentic. Guests aren’t only watching history from a distance. They’re welcomed into it. Anderson began her work at Living History Farms as an intern before returning years later to help lead the historic foodways program. Witmer has spent more than four decades at the museum. Their dedication makes each dinner feel like you’re really stepping into someone’s home. Maybe that’s why Living History Farms has always held a special place in my family’s story. My grandmother was the schoolteacher there, and neighbors would sometimes spot her driving home still dressed in her period clothing after a day on the grounds. Decades later, the museum still has the ability to transport visitors to another time. The only difference? Now, that journey comes with dinner. Make a reservation Most historic dinners at Living History Farms take place in the winter, when the grounds are closed during regular hours, but tickets went on sale just this week. The options include 1900 Farm Dinners, superstitious Triskaideka Dinners at the Tangen House, and Flynn Mansion dinners returning in March. High teas take place year-round at the Flynn Mansion, too. And if you just can’t wait, the Cast Iron Cook-Off, a cooking competition between the historical sites, is Saturday. Libby Nichols is the creator and founder of Meet DSM, an Instagram account and brand dedicated to showcasing Des Moines. She also writes about local businesses and events for dsm magazine. ...read more read less