Traffic was slow going as we drove north on I-64 last week, so we took a one-hour stop to walk around the lovely Colonial Williamsburg. It’s been many years since I’ve paid a legitimate visit to Williamsburg, and this brief sojourn had me itching to stay for a full day or two. While walking down Duke of Gloucester Street (the main drag) we saw a cute roadside stand where Josiah Chowning’s Tavern was selling drinks and snacks. I figured there would be nothing in all of Colonial Williamsburg priced at $1, but lo and behold — ginger cakes!
Not typically a cake fan, I was expecting dry and crumbly and not very sweet, but this little treat won me over! The ginger flavor was intense, but still very sweet, and the cake was moist and dense. The only improvement I would’ve requested was cream cheese frosting, but I’m pretty sure there was no such thing in the 18th century.
We spent the rest of our time wandering through the beautiful back yards of the historic homes and shops. My parents love to analyze the usually unnoticed elements, like brick walks and fences, which they then incorporate into their own home. I never knew there were so many ways to position brick in a walkway.
And, of course, we did the obligatory pose in the stocks. We followed the instructions the lady ahead of us gave to her kids — “don’t look happy.”
