Cider Press With the rise of local cideries on PEI, we thought we would revisit the traditional roots of a certain sweet beverage in the region. The French are considered the first to bring hard apple cider to the East Coast in the early 17th century. Cider was a staple in early settlements and was often used while trading for…
Rotary Knife Cleaner Back in the day, before the invention of stainless steel knives and mechanical dishwashers, knives had to be cleaned and polished on a daily basis to prevent rust or dullness from forming. This tool is known as a rotary knife cleaner. It was patented in 1844 and used until 1912 when stainless steel came about. Knives would…
Olympia ice cream Dreaming of summertime? A friendly reminder from the collection that warmer weather is on the way, with one of our favourite summer treats: Olympia Ice Cream. The Olympia Ice Cream Parlour was opened in Summerside by Henry Gaudet in 1911. Although the packaging has changed since then, you can still buy Olympia ice cream today. The Olympia…
January 1, 2020
PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation Cod Liver Oil For those who grew up starting their day with a spoonful of pungent cod liver oil, this month’s artifact will surely bring back memories (perhaps more unpleasant than not). The nutrient-rich oil is extracted from the livers of Atlantic cod. Medicinal value of the oil was backed up by scientific proof once…
PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation G.H. Simmons During a hot summer day on Prince Edward Island, nothing could hit the spot like a beverage from G.H. Simmons. A company passed down from father to son for three generations, it provided Islanders a sweet way to cool down and quench their thirst for nearly a century. The first Simmons factory was…
November 1, 2019
PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation Cake Breaker Although it looks somewhat like a large hair comb, this artifact is actually meant for serving dessert. In the mid-1900s, cake breakers were ideal for light and delicate desserts, like popular chiffon and angel food cakes. Instead of squishing the slice like a regular knife or cake cutter might do, the comb doesn’t…
October 1, 2019
PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation – Davis and Fraser Davis and Fraser Pork Packers and Provision Merchants was a meat packing and processing plant in Charlottetown. It was first located on Kent Street, but later moved to Grafton Street. The original plant was in operation as early as 1895, although the business was only incorporated in 1905. It all began…
September 1, 2019
PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation : J. H. Myrick and Co. For almost a century, the Myrick family played a large role in Tignish’s economy, offering jobs for community members and creating spaces for locals to purchase goods. J.H. Myrick (James Howe) was born in 1824 in Newcastle, Maine. He married his wife Mary Converse Merrill in 1854, and the…
August 1, 2019
Acadie Authentique hopes to spark a conversation about Acadian culture around the dinner table When I walked into Marc Bastarache’s kitchen for our interview I could see his ‘tools of the trade’ laid out on the counter: pots, pans, pickles, potatoes, and a history book. The book, dog-eared and erupting with sticky notes, is historian John Mack Faragher’s A Great…
August 1, 2019
PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation – H. Benoit Lunch Counter The temperance movement was a social and political campaign at the forefront of many Canadian minds during the 19th and early 20th century. Those in favour of temperance were advocates for the moderation of, or total abstention from, alcohol. During the late 1800’s, unlicensed rum sellers on Prince Edward Island…