Paula Marcoux, Maritime Artisan, Plymouth, Massachusetts

Paula Marcoux brings the 17th century alive for visitors to Plimoth Plantation as one of the dedicated staff who painstakingly maintain the Mayflower II, a full-size replica constructed in England in 1957 to reenact the original 1620 voyage across the Atlantic. Last year, to commemorate the ship’s 50th anniversary, Paula worked with the brewers of Samuel Adams to develop a pale ale similar to the kind the Pilgrims carried aboard nearly 400 years ago. Re-creating historic cuisine gives visitors a literal taste of American history, Paula says: “Buildings and landscapes may still exist, but they’ve often been altered. Whereas, if you follow a recipe closely, you can actually taste what they tasted.” Mayflower II, docked at the Plymouth waterfront.Plimoth Plantation,137 Warren Ave. Colonial and Wampanoag dishes are served at the Patuxet Cafe. 508-746-1622.