New Amsterdam Kitchen
Domestic Life in New Nethlerland
The Fat Kitchen, by 17th-century Dutch painter Jan Steen (1650)
Much of the food that early settlers in New Amsterdam consumed came from gardens, fields and forests around them, but at least initially, the implements they used to prepare and eat food were brought with them or imported. Because the Dutch engaged in abundant trade with many countries, seventeenth-century settlers on the southern tip of Manhattan had access to a diverse assortment of household goods.
Excavations of lots once inhabited by the first settlers revealed the shards of cookware, tableware, bottles and drinking vessels displayed in this exhibit. All were in common use during this early period, and have been sourced using historical records, seventeenth-century Dutch paintings, and scientific analysis.
Exhibit Credits:
Based on "New Amsterdam Kitchen," an exhibit of artifacts by the New York State Museum on display at the New Netherland Research Center in the New York State Library.
Online production by Steve McErleane.
Photography by Dietrich Gehring.
About the New Netherland Institute
For over three decades, NNI has helped cast light on America's Dutch roots. In 2010, it partnered with the New York State Office of Cultural Education to establish the New Netherland Research Center, with matching funds from the State of the Netherlands. NNI is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. More
The New Netherland Research Center
Housed in the New York State Library, the NNRC offers students, educators, scholars and researchers a vast collection of early documents and reference works on America's Dutch era. More
Subscribe Now
Subscribe to NNI's e-Marcurius and DAGNN-L to receive information about New Netherland-related events, activities, conferences, and research.
Support NNI
By supporting NNI you help increase awareness of the 17th century Dutch colony of New Netherland and its legacy in America.