Hello there! My name is Sarah Bousfield, I am a graduate of the University of Central Florida getting ready to pursue my next step in my History career, a MA in Public History! I have been involved in Living History and historic baking for over seven years. As a historical interpreter at Old Cowtown Museum in Wichita, Kansas and now as the Education Manager at Osceola History in Kissimmee, Florida I use historical recipes to recreate and demonstrate the techniques that go into processing and consumption of different foods from the near and distant past. Learning to cook on a wood burning stove, made me fall in love with the cooking technologies of history. Standing next to a fire, covered in flour, explaining to guests exactly what I was doing and how the cooking process was different from their modern kitchen oven impressed the importance of the public being involved in their own history through something they can help make, sample, or try in their own home. In 2019, I started recording different topics I was having fun exploring and sharing photos of different dishes I had recreated from antique cookbooks. I started an Instagram called @bakingthepast and through it managed to find a wonderful community of like-minded food history lovers. I hope to continue my Instagram and expand into sharing video recipes of historical food along with how people at home can try and recreate ancient technologies and foodways with materials in their own backyard and grocery store.

I am a firm believer in the universal nature of food. It is truly the one thing that unites all of humanity, and it is through the differences in the way that we and our ancestors have prepared and eaten food that grants us a tangible glimpse into history, one that we can touch and interact with. Through this interaction with food history not only do we learn and understand more about the past, we also have the opportunity to rediscover and preserve different methods of preparing foods that would otherwise be lost to time.

Through my internship this summer, I hope to use the Study Abroad experience I am currently on to learn more about archaeological theory, methodology, and different techniques of interpretation. The summer excavations at the Taino site Palmetto Junction, located in the Turks and Caicos Islands, have unearthed a rich collection of evidence of unique food systems and I am so excited to be a part of this incredible laboratory for studying human adaptability. As a museum professional I am excited to understand exactly how artifacts are uncovered and how they make it into exhibits. This ‘behind the scenes’ process is something that seems so separated from the reality of history in the temperature controlled, well-lit museums I am more familiar with.

Throughout the summer I will be explaining the different steps to setting up an archaeological site, excavating, and preserving the findings we uncover. In addition to the archaeological side of this experience, I will also be using my knowledge of historical foodways and research skills to recreate some of the historic foodways we are uncovering at Palmetto Junction.