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It's not every day we can celebrate something that's 246 years old, but likely next weekend that's what millions of us will be doing. Backyard barbecues, parades and fireworks will be taking place all over our country. Thinking of that made me wonder how the Founding Fathers might have celebrated this special day after they had finally signed the Constitution.

They certainly didn't gather around a grill in someone's backyard adding mustard to a hot dog.

Though we have some idea of how they celebrated, history is a little fuzzy on what they actually ate, though we know what they imbibed, plenty.

You can bet that they went to a tavern since those were central to their way of life. Historic City Tavern in Philadelphia probably saw as much work done on the Constitution as did Constitution Hall. One account has it that 55 members of the Constitutional Convention celebrated the signing with an epic party resulting in one of history's greatest bar tabs: 55 bottles of Madeira, 60 of claret, eight of whiskey, 22 of porter, eight of hard cider and many bottles of beer. Rumor has it Washington picked up the tab, something it is said he did often.

But what did they eat? In general what was around, if it was there you ate it. This would include legumes, ample amounts of fruit and produce, and anything that could be foraged. Seafood was especially popular and those who could afford it feasted on lobster, crawfish and shellfish, oysters being a favorite.

Deer, squirrels and rabbits often found their way into the pot or over the fire as did beef and pork. Not as popular today, but they also enjoyed pigeon and beef tongue. Ben Franklin was so fond of turkey he lobbied hard to make it our national symbol. (He lost.)

Since these men all came from and lived in different parts of the East Coast that meant their food was varied, made up mostly of regional favorites. Remember too that for many the cooking was left to their slaves. They, in fact, were responsible and get credit for popularizing many of the Founders favorite foods.

As individuals these men all had their own likes and dislikes. Here are just a few:

George Washington was especially fond of seafood and operated three fisheries along the Potomac. Because he had such bad teeth, he was limited to soft foods like soups, puddings, casseroles mousses. Like the others he was fond of beverages, especially wines and beer. In fact he experimented with brewing his own, using a recipe still available from his estate. On the second anniversary of the signing he ordered a double portion of rum, a favorite, for American soldiers to celebrate with.

A true gourmand, Thomas Jefferson preferred French cuisine and likely had the most refined taste of them all, having spent time in France. He even took one of his cooks to Paris to train alongside some of the best French chefs. Rich sauces, creamy entrees and oysters were just a few of his favorites. Jefferson also oversaw a large vegetable garden with more than 300 varieties, and introduced new crops like tomatoes and soybeans. Green beans were a favorite. Like Washington, he also brewed beer and owned a collection of French and Italian wines numbering in the hundreds. He also introduced French fries (frites), champagne and ice cream, something we can thank him for.

Of the Founders, likely John Adams had the most simple tastes, preferring a boiled beef dinner to fancier cuisine. However to celebrate the signing he and wife Abigail feasted on turtle soup, salmon in egg sauce, fresh peas and boiled potatoes. Dessert was her famous apple pandowdy, a pie-cobbler creation she popularized using apples from their orchards.

Of the Founder's wives, Dolley Madison was especially involved in what went on in the kitchen. She made up the menus and often supervised dishes like Virginia Ham and Hoppin' John. While James was more of an introvert she loved to entertain and did so often in the White House. Dolley was especially known for her creative cakes, one of them being the Dolley Madison cake, a multi-layer creation that is still baked today.

It's interesting that alcohol was such a large part of their daily diets, actually some accounts say most drank all day. Beer, cider, rum and whiskey the most popular. Ben Franklin was vocal about his "love of the cups," Madison drank a pint of whiskey a day, and Jefferson quantities of wine. However it's important to remember that the water was not safe to drink. It was full of diseases including smallpox and lockjaw and this was a way to stay hydrated. Actually they believed alcohol was good for your health and physicians often prescribed it. It was definitely a large part of colonial life in the late 1700s and early 1800s. As years went on, consumption became more moderate.

An interesting aside is that both Jefferson and Adams passed away on July 4, 1826, as did Monroe a few years later in 1831.

A popular colonial dessert, a cross between pie and cobbler, was made famous by Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams, our second president, and mother to John Quincy Adams, our sixth president.

1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

In a food processor pulse flour, sugar and salt until mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized pieces remaining. Drizzle 3 tablespoons water over mixture and pulse several times to combine. Add more water, 1 tablespoon, at a time, until mixture holds together when pinched. Shape dough into an 8-inch square and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.

On a lightly floured surface roll out dough1/4-inch thick. Cut dough into about 20 squares, about 1-1/2 inches each. Place on parchment-lined cookie sheet and refrigerate while making the filling.

3-1/2 lbs. tart, firm apples like Granny Smith or Northern Spy

2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

Preheat oven to 425. Peel, quarter and core apples, then cut into 1/2-inch wedges. In a bowl toss together the apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, flour and spices and put in a greased 2-quart baking dish. Drizzle with 4 tablespoons melted butter. Arrange the dough squares in a patchwork design over the apples, overlapping to cover apples almost completely. Brush the rest of the melted butter over the apples, sprinkle with the sugar and put in oven. Bake until beginning to brown around the edges, about 30 minutes, then lower heat to 350. Continue baking another 40 minutes or until crust is nicely browned and juices are bubbling in the center. Remove from oven and with the back of a spatula press crust squares down until partially covered by apples. Cool at least 30 minutes. Serve with ice cream.

Editors note: The Blueberry basil cream pie recipe from Amy Caucutt that ran two weeks ago was split to look like two separate recipes. Here is the recipe in its entirety.

Mix the milk, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt into a medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly until thick. Add butter and vanilla. Pour the filling into a pre-baked pie crust. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours.

6 large basil leaves, tied in a cheesecloth bag

In a large pan, mix the mashed blueberries, sugar, water and cornstarch over medium heat. Stir constantly until thick and boiling. Add the basil bag, then take pan off the heat. Remove basil leaves. Add lime juice and orange zest. Refrigerate for 3 hours. In a large bowl mix glaze with the 4 cups fresh blueberries. Pour over the ceam pie filling. Garnish with fresh basil leaves. Keep refrigerated. (In her notes, Caucutt writes this makes a large pie.)

Post Bulletin food writer Holly Ebel knows what’s cookin’. Send comments or story tips to life@postbulletin.com .