Ever wonder what the Pilgrims ate as they planned their journey to the New World? Or what the American colonists dined on while discussing the revolution? Or the supper served in on Iowa farm at the turn of the 20th century? Today, you don't have to travel back in time to sample dishes from those and other bygone eras. A growing number of living-history operations are offering modern-day visitors a taste of authentically recreated food within their historical context. Here are six living-history establishments that serve up a history lesson along with a meal.

Lords and ladies

With a castle, 100 costumed medieval characters, Andalusian horses, a king and queen, and valiant knights, Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament recreates an 11th-century tournament for its guests. "We have six different knights and the guests sit in colored sections and cheer that knight to victory while feasting on a four-course dinner," says Donna Turner, marketing manager for Medieval Times in Kissimmee, Florida. "The knights perform in tournament games, followed by jousting and sword fighting until five of the knights 'die' and one is named the champion." Imported from Spain, the first U.S. Medieval Times opened in Kissimmee 17 years ago; currently seven Medieval Times castles have been built in North America.

Although knights, lords and ladies were not a part of U.S. history, Turner says Medieval Times attempts to be as true to the time period as possible with the food, staff and tournaments. The Kissimee location also has a Medieval Life village that depicts life during the Middle Ages.

"A lot of people have been surprised at how good our food is and have even asked us for the recipes," says Turner. The meal — consisting of garlic bread, fresh vegetable soup, roasted chicken and spare ribs, herb-basted potatoes, and pastries — makes a few concessions to modern tastes, such as offering two vegetarian options, but comes sans silverware. "Back in the 11th century, people were not concerned about eating things with their hands, but we only serve foods that can be easily eaten with your hands," says Turner, who adds that the majority of the guests enjoy the novelty of eating with their fingers instead of utensils.

Pilgrim's progress

Visitors to Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, Massachusetts can view the New World through the eyes of the Pilgrims who arrived on the Mayflower in 1620. In addition to stopping by Pilgrim homes, a crafts center and Native homesite, guests also can have a 17th Century Out of the Ordinarie or 1620 English Tavern Dinner dining experience at the Plimoth Plantation Visitor Center.

Plimoth Plantation began offering living-history meals 12 years ago. "It's been an amazingly successful food program, because we get to talk about the history of the food and put it into context for the guests," says Kathleen Curtin, Plimoth Plantation's food historian.

From May through November, guests can partake of the Out of the Ordinarie dining experience at Plimoth Plantation. "We put the food front and center, and use the same foods that visitors see cooking in our exhibits," says Curtin. Out of the Ordinarie utilizes 17th-century recipes served by third-person interpreters, whose job is to make a bridge between the past and present, and to answer questions about that period in history for guests. Visitors sign up for the luncheon when they purchase admission tickets. A catering company cooks the meals, which blends Wampanoag Indian food such as "Sobaheg" stew and English dishes, like "Fricassee of Fish" (cooked fish stirred with leeks and served with scraped ginger on top).

"Our most popular [meal] is the English Tavern Dinner, which takes place prior to the Pilgrims leaving England," she says. "We have interpreters talk about the difficulties and opportunities in the New World, [serve] English food, entertain guests with a musical group — we have a little more license to have fun." English Tavern Dinners take place in the fall and guests dine on dishes such as roast beef with a mustard sauce and rice pudding.

"For all of our dining experiences, we do authentic table settings, character interpreters, [and] food from 17th-century cookbooks, but serve it in our modern visitor's center," says Curtin. "People are always amazed at how unbland the food is — 17th-century food is extremely flavorful."

Revolutionary fare

Modern-day visitors to Colonial Williamsburg can enjoy meals similar to that of the colonists who frequented the King's Arms, Shields, Christiana Campbell's and Josiah Chowning's taverns in late 1700s Virginia. Colonial Williamsburg has operated authentic dining facilities in its historic town for 50 years. From the decor to the menus to the waitstaff uniforms, the four taverns — which are housed in reproductions of original buildings — recreate the dining experiences of the late 18th century.

"We have tried to make the taverns a unique dining experience and to continue the education portion of Colonial Williamsburg," says John Askew, corporate food-and-beverage director for Colonial Williamsburg Company Hospitality Group, based in Williamsburg, Virginia. "Instead of offering up a plate of spinach, we're offering up fun."

The taverns serve 18th-century fare such as "Peanut Soup," "Corn Bread-Stuffed Quail and Wild Boar Sausage," "Bubble and Squeak," which is puffs of whipped potatoes and cabbage fried crisp with browned flour gravy, and "Syllabub With Fresh Berries," a favorite colonial Virginia dessert featuring wine-laced cream whipped to a froth, seasoned with lemon zest and garnished with seasonal berries.

"We attempt to appeal to today's audience by using terminology out of the 18th century to match with a dish of today," says Askew, adding that the taverns serve food that is representative of the 1700s. "We are true to 18th-century fare and serve a colonial sampler appetizer in every tavern that offers a collection of authentic 18th-century dishes, like ragout — a thick, well-seasoned stew of meat, poultry or fish — and pickled items."

Moravian meals

Visitors to Old Salem — a Moravian community in Winston-Salem, North Carolina — can learn about the Moravian religious sect while dining at the Old Salem Tavern Restaurant, housed in a restored 1844 building adjacent to the original 1784 tavern. The Moravians were a Prostentant sect founded in Saxony by followers of John Huss from Moravia, circa 1722.

"We've always been very attentive to authenticity and have recreated the era as accurately as possible," says Bill Cissna, director of marketing for Old Salem. "Salem was built to be a craft town in 1766, and its residents did a lot of pottery, wood and metal work, as well as operate the only decent tavern in the area."

Since 1965, costumed staff at the Old Salem Tavern Restaurant have been serving up traditional Moravian dishes as well as more modern fare. "The Moravians were extremely good record-keepers, so it's easy for us to know what was happening in the village, how they cooked, etc.," says Cissna. Popular Moravian dishes, which make up about half the menu, include "Moravian Chicken Pie," "Moravian Meatloaf" and "Sauerkraut Stew." "We give attention to the modern diner and children as well, but our menu has many items that are Moravian in style, similar to what you would have had in 1844," says Cissna.

Dining en route

Mid-19th-century stagecoach travelers on their way from Detroit to Chicago often stopped by the Eagle Tavern in Clinton, Michigan, for food, spirits and a bed. Travelers can still find refreshment at that same tavern while touring the Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan. After purchasing the tavern in 1927, Henry Ford moved the establishment and reconstructed it in Greenfield Village, where it became a school and a cafeteria before being reopened as a tavern.

"We portray the year 1850 in Michigan with servers dressed in 19th-century attire and costumed interpreters talking about that era," says Pat Ellis, who has managed the Eagle Tavern since its reincarnation in 1982. Guests sit at long wooden tables set with 19th-century reproduction table settings and dine on authentic recipes from that period. The seasonal lunch menu offers two or more kinds of meat, such as pork and fried trout with lemon-butter sauce, hot and cold vegetables, a variety of fresh breads, pickled beets and tomatoes, "dressed" cucumbers (cucumbers with onions in vinegar and water), and strawberry shortcake. The tavern's beverages have also been researched for authenticity and include an effervescing cold drink — which comes in cherry, strawberry and orange flavors and is served with a macaroni sucker (a piece of pasta used like a straw) — and ales produced by a local microbrewery.

"We get our recipes from a variety of different cookbooks published in 1850 or earlier," says Ellis. "We don't change the basic ingredients but sometimes have to use different cooking methods [because of food-safety issues]."

Down at the farm

Guests hankering for taste of farm-fresh cooking stop by the Living History Farms in Urbandale, Iowa, for a 1900 Farm Traditional Dinner, offered annually from November to March since 1985. Upon arrival, visitors are transported via horse-drawn wagon to a century-old farmhouse where warm cider and fresh-baked bread awaits, along with a costumed interpreter guide, who talks about the house's history. At the family-style dinner, guests have a choice of ham, roast beef or roast chicken prepared in a wood-burning stove, mashed potatoes and gravy, hominy, and yeast rolls with jams, jellies and homemade butter. Following dinner, guests can tour the barn by lantern light before partaking of fruit pie and "Fancy Cake" for dessert.

"The buildings are all authentic to the turn of the 20th century, and the meals we serve are considered Sunday dinner — an Iowa farm family in 1900 would not have eaten this way every day," says Miriam Rinehart, 1900 Farm Traditional Dinner supervisor and cook with Living History Farms. The farm dinners can accommodate up to 12 people per night. "We do third-person interpretation so we can go between the past and the present to explain things," she says.

Recipes for the farm dinners are taken from period cookbooks, such as Mrs. Gillette's Cookbook (1899) and the Boston Cooking School Cookbook (1896). "We have a modern kitchen in the basement to meet health codes, where we cut the vegetables and cook the meat in a modern oven, but once [the vegetables] are in the pans, I cook upstairs on the 1887 Acorn utility-model stove," says Rinehart. "It's easier to cook for a large number of people on that stove, because the whole surface gets hot and you can just move pots around to warm and cook the food."

Back to the future

These living-history restaurants have captured the imagination and patronage of both local and out-of-town customers by presenting a slice of history with their authentic dishes. "People want to be immersed in the 18th century when they come to Colonial Williamsburg and that includes the time they spend in the taverns," says Askew.

Plimoth Plantation's Curtin adds, "The more distance we get from food preparation ourselves — with more people eating out today — the more we're interested in its preparation and how people prepared food in the past."

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