BIG POOL, Md.-
Danny Clopper will be cooking for 5,000 on Memorial Day weekend.
Clopper will be making his country ham-and-bean soup over an open fire at the log-walled Tavern on the Potowmack as part of the 250th anniversary celebration of Fort Frederick.
The massive stone fort played an important role during the French and Indian War, the pre-Revolutionary conflict that often gets short shrift in U.S. history classes–especially in states near the Mason-Dixon line.
"There are things that went on before the Civil War," Clopper said.
Fort Frederick, erected in 1756 about 90 miles west of Baltimore, was a key element in Britain's defense of English settlers from the French and their Indian allies during the fight for control of North America. Its 17-foot walls–built of sturdy sandstone instead wood like many other Colonial forts–were never attacked but stood as a deterrent while troops gathered there to resupply for missions farther west.
The highlight of the 250th anniversary celebration will be a groundbreaking May 27 inside the fort for the officer's quarters, or Governor's House. There will also be music played on 18th-century instruments, fireworks, living history programs, and food–including Clopper's soup.
Details at .
