Tomorrow At Monticello

  • 69° Mostly Cloudy
  • Sat 69° / 45°
  • Sun 71° / 48°
  • Mem 76° / 53°
  • Tue 80° / 59°

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Today’s Hours

Gates open from 8:30 am to 6 pm

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Revolving Bookstand: Jefferson and Wine

Thomas Jefferson claimed, in 1818, that “in nothing have the habits of the palate more decisive influence than in our relish of wines.” His own habits had been formed over thirty years before—at the tables of Parisian philosophes and in the vineyards of Burgundy and Bordeaux. 

Gabriele Rausse, Monticello’s Director of Gardens and Grounds and a Virginia vintner worked to restore Jefferson’s vineyard at Monticello. Here are his recommendations for Jefferson and wine books:

Heritage Harvest Festival on Monticello's West Lawn

Celebrate the legacy of revolutionary gardener Thomas Jefferson during the 7th annual Heritage Harvest Festival at Monticello. Thomas Jefferson, America’s “First foodie,” championed vegetable cuisine, plant experimentation and sustainable agriculture.

Taste a bounty of heirloom fruits and vegetables and learn about organic gardening and seed-saving during this fun, affordable, family-friendly festival—unlike any other—held on the breathtaking West Lawn of Jefferson’s Monticello.

Monticello's Cobalt Blue Ruffled Pitcher featured in House Beautiful

Monticello’s Cobalt Blue Ruffled Pitcher is featured in the April 2013 House Beautiful feature "The Best," showcasing American-made products that speak to traditional style with a modern beauty. 

Recipe: To Dress Salad

Salad made from greens grown at Monticello awaits dressingA classic viniagrette seems a likely staple at Monticello's table.  From Dining at Monticello, edited by Damon Lee Fowler.

Serves 6

"Every apple has its tasting moment" - 2012 Apple Tasting

And the results are in.  This year's favorite was . . . 

A selection of the apples sampled at the 2012 Monticello Apple Tasting

Spring Crop Harvest

On June 8, 2012, Smithsonian Gardens staff harvested beets, cabbage and turnips to be displayed as part of The Jefferson Table and Gillette Family Garden public program presented by the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) at the USDA Farmer’s Market. The program featured culinary historian Leni Sorensen, Ph.D., who captivated audiences with a cooking demonstration. The harvest was replaced with summer plants started in the Smithsonian Gardens greenhouse and seeds from Monticello.

New to the HHF! Starr Hill Craft Beer Garden

What could make the Heritage Harvest Festival even more special?  Locally brewed craft beers!

Marian Burros speaks to Dave DeWitt in "Thomas Jefferson, 'Founding Foodie'"

“All the stuff Jefferson was doing at Monticello is just having a rebirth now,” said David DeWitt, a food historian and the author of Founding Foodies: How Washington, Jefferson and Franklin Revolutionized American Food.