Pickled Walnuts?

Like the idea of an inexpensive, environmentally safe, all-purpose household product?

Look to the past.

, 100 West King Street in Pottstown, will host, "Vinegar: When Good Alcohol Goes Bad."

The lecture and demonstration will be held at Pottsgrove Manor -- built in 1752 for Pottstown's founder John Potts -- in the estate's reconstructed colonial kitchen.

Pottsgrove Manor Historic Site Supervisor Laura Daugherty will lead the event and discuss various types of 18th century vinegars, how they were produced and used in households. 

"In the colonial period, vinegar was used in a lot of ways,"  Daugherty said of the acidic liquid folks used as a cleaning agent and medication.

Vinegar was also used to preserve foods, she said.

"They pickled just about everything," Daugherty said of fish, seafood, fruits, vegetables and walnuts. 

The program will be held in conjunction with Pottsgrove Manor’s new exhibit, “Spirituous Liquors and Healthful Distillations: Alcohol in Colonial America.”

A guided tour of the exhibit will be offered after the presentation. 

The free event begins at 1 p.m. June 12. A $2 donation will be accepted.

Guided tours of the exhibit are available during regular museum hours: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tues. - Sat. and 1 to 4 p.m. Sun. Tours are given on the hour and the last tour of the day starts at 3 p.m. Groups of 10 or more should pre-register at 610-326-4014. 

Pottsgrove Manor is operated by Montgomery County's Parks and Heritage Services Department.