A Taste of History: Demonstrations
 |
We are able to set up a small encampment portraying a hunter or a trapper covering the period from 14th up to the 19th century and demonstrate the art of preserving and smoking meat, fish, cheeses etc. We talk to members of the public about the techniques used by our ancestors to preserve and store food and we also do practical displays as well. We can also demonstrate how to salt food , make sausages, skin and butcher an animal and render the fat into tallow. The methods we use have changed little in thousands of years.
The demonstration of meat and fish smoking starts with myself in appropriate costume that matches the period the event is portraying. I begin by butchering a piece of beef or a haunch of venison and also salting fish prior to smoking. Once its been sliced ready its then marinated and left for one hour. We only use what preserving agents were available at the time in all our displays. I will then use a traditional flint and steel to get the fire burning ready for the smoking.
Once the fire is alight I will take questions from the audience, after I have answered any questions the crowd may have they can disperse for an hour until the marinating is finished and the fire is ready, I will then hang the meat and fish and start the smoking process, throughout the day people are welcome to come over and check the progress of the meat and fish. We are also able to demonstrate how to skin, and butcher a rabbit before cooking it over an open fire or in a traditional pottage.
I will also do flint and steel demos on the hour throughout the day and let people try it for themselves, we have spare flint and steel kits
for people to try a hands on approach if they feel they want to try it themselves.
We have done our displays at various food festivals, historical re-enactments, music festivals and it has always attracted a crowd, many people
like to show their children what food was like before supermarkets and corner shops
were available and things had to be stored to be eaten over the winter period, here are just a couple of testimonials from people who have booked
us in the past.
"I was very impressed with the talks and demonstrations that Martin and Suzie did throughout the weekend, the stall they set up looked marvellous and was a real draw for the public and I will definitely be booking them for all the shows I do next year!”
P.A.S.T.E Pike and Shot Tour & Event Company
"I highly recommend Martin and Suzie from Martin’s Jerked Meat. They have attended two of our Food and Drink Events and have been excellent.
Our Colchester Food and Drink Festival attracts 20,000 people. Martin and his team worked tirelessly creating smoked food, demonstrating lots of different techniques
associated with smoking food and really engaging an audience. They were all skilled professionals and brilliant to watch.
Apart from being thoroughly entertaining for our customers Suzie and Martin were great company for the organisers during our evening ‘wind down’ sessions.
What more can you ask for."
Snake in the Grass Ltd
To book us for your show or event please feel free to email us at: martinsjerkedmeat@hotmail.com
Or call us on: 07507 071350