adam petersen memorial fund
Dutch Oven Cook-OffThe Dutch oven is believed to date back to the early 1700s in Holland. How and when it came to the U.S. is unknown but supposedly Paul Revere created the flanged lid and the final design of the oven. Some reports indicate that George Washington used Dutch ovens to feed his troops during the Revolutionary war.
As Americans moved west and expanded into the new world, the Dutch oven became a valuable commodity being a popular trade item with mountain men and Native Americans. As the United States expanded, this tool was taken along. When pioneers, homesteaders, miners, and ranchers moved west, the Dutch oven was one of their most valuable items especially since entire meals could be cooked in them. Records show that Lewis and Clark cooked wild game as well as dog and horse during their trek to the west coast. Another common use was during cattle drives, drive cooks fed the famous beans and stew to the cowboys during the long cattle drives. The famous 49ers in California commonly used the Dutch oven to make sourdough bread. Likewise soldiers used it for cooking during the Civil War. In 1896 Joseph Lodge built a cast iron foundry in Tennessee. The best known product from this foundry was the Dutch oven. Lodge still produces this well known product today and is currently the leading producer of the cast iron Dutch ovens. Another place the Dutch oven appeared is in the work camps following World War I. However, the popularity of the product waned. A renewed interest began in the 70s and 80s with a cook off contest. In fact, the Dutch oven became popular enough that the International Dutch Oven Society formed in 1984 and Utah made the Dutch oven the cook pot of the state in 1997. |