Author of Gilded Age Cookbook To Lecture At Ventfort Hall

11:03AM / Wednesday, November 06, 2024Print Story | Email Story

LENOX, Mass. — Culinary historian Becky Libourel Diamond, author of "The Gilded Age Cookbook" will give a lecture and food presentation on Saturday, November 9, from 2 – 4 pm at Ventfort Hall.

According to a press release:

From delicate tea sandwiches to the sweet delight of sugar plums and jumbles, Becky will showcase how these treats were crafted to dazzle the most discerning of palates. Afterward, enjoy a tasting of these recreated delicacies along with an elegant tea, making this a truly immersive experience of Gilded Age gastronomy.

Becky Libourel Diamond is a food writer, librarian, and research historian. Her latest book, "The Gilded Age Cookbook," blends Gilded Age details and celebrity stories with historic menus and recipes updated for modern kitchens. She is also the author of "The Thousand Dollar Dinner" and "Mrs. Goodfellow: The Story of America's First Cooking School." Her current project is "The Gilded Age Christmas Cookbook," slated for a fall 2025 release. She lives in Yardley, Penn.

Tickets are $45. The ticket price includes access to Ventfort Hall from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on the day of the event. Reservations are highly encouraged as seating is limited, with walk-ins accommodated as space allows. For reservations, visit https://gildedage.org/pages/calendar or call (413) 637-3206. All tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable.

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Puppeteer Carl Sprague to Present 'Hansel & Gretel' at Ventfort Hall

10:41AM / Monday, February 16, 2026

LENOX, Mass. — The popular puppeteer Carl Sprague will return to Ventfort Hall Gilded Age Mansion and Museum in Lenox with "Hansel & Gretel" for two school vacation week marionette performances.

The dates and times are Thursday, Feb. 19 and Friday, Feb. 20, both at 3:30 pm. The audiences will have the opportunity to meet Sprague, who knows how to pull strings.

"Hansel & Gretel" is a classic German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm about two siblings abandoned in the woods who find a house made of sweets, owned by a witch intending to eat them. The clever children outsmart her by pushing her into her own oven, and escape with her treasures to find their way home. This fairy tale symbolizes themes of cleverness, survival, and greed vs. kindness, stated a press release.

Sprague, who has appeared annually at Ventfort Hall with his "behind the scenery" mastery, has been a puppeteer since childhood. He inherited a collection of 60 antique Czech marionettes, each about eight inches tall, that were assembled by his great-grandfather, Julius Hybler. Hybler's legacy also includes two marionette theaters.

Also, Sprague has been a set designer for such motion pictures as "The Royal Tenenbaums" and Scorcese's "The Age of Innocence," as well as for theater productions including those of Shakespeare & Company.

Admission to the show is $20 per person; $10 for children 4-17 and free for age 3 and under. Children must be accompanied by adults.

Reservations are required as seating is limited and can be made on line at https://gildedage.org/pages/calendar or by calling (413) 637-3206. Walk-ins will be accommodated as space allows. The historical mansion is located at 104 Walker Street in Lenox.

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