Holiday Stories, Treats, and History from America’s Golden Era
| Dates: | November 16, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Meets: | Su from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM |
| Location: | Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion |
| Cost: | $39.00 |
There are still openings remaining at this time.
It was during the Gilded Age that many of the holiday traditions still celebrated in America today began to become mainstream. The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook provides a colorful glimpse into the era, featuring the fascinating history behind each confection, its ingredients and baking methods. In this class based on the book, author Becky Libourel Diamond will touch on holiday lore of the time, with backstories of now-ubiquitous Christmas customs such as Santa Claus, the Christmas tree and Christmas cards, interspersed with tales of Gilded Age Hanukkah and New Year’s celebrations, holiday debutante parties, teas, and grand balls. Students will be able to get a taste of the Gilded Age, including samples such as plum pudding and sugar plums. Attendees are encourage to stay after the class for the Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion's special event- a reception and book signing of The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook. The Gilded Age Cookbook (Becky’s earlier book) also will be available for purchase. (Students who pre-order the newest book receives a $5 discount off of the $34.99 cover price)
Notes:
There is a $5 materials fee for samplings and take home treats. Students who pre-order the newest book receives a signed copy, plus a $5 discount off of the $34.99 cover price)
| Fee: | $39.00 |
|---|
Fee Breakdown
| Category | Description | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Course Fee (Basic) | Course Fee | $ 34.00 |
| Optional Fee | Book | $ 30.00 |
| Mandatory Fee | Materials Fee | $ 5.00 |
Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion
200 W Tulpehocken St, Philadelphia, PA 19144Becky Libourel Diamond
is a food writer, librarian, and research historian. Her most recent book, The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook, blends Gilded Age details and celebrity stories with historic holiday menus and recipes updated for modern kitchens. She is also the author of The Gilded Age Cookbook, The Thousand Dollar Dinner and Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America’s First Cooking School. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Rider University and a master’s of library service degree from Rutgers University. She has worked as a business librarian at Rutgers–New Brunswick since 2020. Her current project is a history of Philadelphia's famous City Tavern restaurant. She lives in Yardley, Pennsylvania.
215-843-6333