What to do.... what to do....

A busy end of the week prevented any cyber activity until this (Sunday) morning (while waiting for kickoffs), so some catching up…

Thursday was taken by a regular morning meeting, a visit to my friendly local dermatologist to have something scraped, and an afternoon review of the “flutter course” I’m developing for the Flight Test University on base. Then Friday morning I attended an “off site” for one of the community organizations I belong to, followed by another smaller meeting. Retirement, what retirement?

Anyway, so it was with some relief that yesterday MFO and I attended the annual “Bruncheon” hosted by the Friends of the Library (book sale people) down at St. Georges Episcopal Church in Valley Lee.

It’s a pretty little church with a pleasing cemetery (kind of an oxymoron, but it is peaceful).

The brunch is held in the church hall, and the food is cooked by what I usually report as “church ladies”, but in this case it turns out that it was mostly the "church gentleman". It's in a classic chruch hall, smaller than some, but seven or so tables were set while along the back wall was the table waiting for the food:

People generally milled around and chatted for a while since of course everybody knows everybody, but eventually we were seated. Welcoming remarks were followed by a blessing of the food and day by the Priest. After this the “chef/church gentleman" was introduced, and he thanked all for coming, and then described dish by dish what would be served on the table. Pride in your work. While this was going on, the food table was populated.

There were a couple of eggish casseroles, veggie casseroles, steamed potatoes, some stewed apples, and meat which consisted of roast pork

And, as far as I was concerned the Pièce de résistance, the forcemeats

Reader quiz one: what is the meat on the left?; Reader quiz two: what is obvious about the meat on the right? If you answered “scrapple” and “handmade” you get an A. It is rare that you get a chance to have scrapple anymore (Linda’s in the Park serves it), and handmade sausage patties you don’t see very often. Not just an offload from the Sysco truck. They take the time to make the stuff by hand. So after an initial trip down the food line you might end up with a plate like this:

As we consumed the food, of course there was table talk, and I was pleased to learn two of the people at ours had children attending Johnson and Wales University. A positive sign. Anyway, we finally finished the dishes (sausage was good, and I’m still developing Scrapple appreciation), and were served a house (or in this case, church) made dessert:

After most everybody had reached their capacity, the program was started. We were treated to a talk by Christina Allen, a talented nationally known artist, who is also a resident of the County. She recently wrote a children’s book called “A Micro Chip on my Shoulder” a true story of how she raised a little (Heritage Breed) turkey poult from infancy to adult. The little bird suffered an injury when just born, and she raised it by hand. The book is illustrated with her wonderful paintings.

The book recounts how she did that, but also carries messages for adults. The book has won national honors. Christina is a fascinating woman, with boundless energy and a passion for self sustaining living and preservation of the environment. Her homestead (not a farm, she points out), is pretty much completely sustainable for them. Between the turkeys, gardens, and a small herd of sheep, she makes almost everything they eat and use. Fabrics, soaps, foodstuffs, you name it. She is a real local treasure (in the land of nothing to do and nobody to know).

So it was a great couple of hours, sustained by great, non-mass produced food, friends willing to work to raise money for our local libraries, and hearing from one of our great citizens. By the way, the Friends of the Library are always looking for volunteers. Get involved if you have nothing to do!! And, although it was Saturday mid day, we did take care to

DFB

Quick foodie postscript: One of the ladies we see at most of these events cornered me during the meeting, and said, “you’re a food person, I have a question for you”. Okay, shoot. “Where can you get real cheese around here?” I had no good answer for her. I have heard that one of the local farmers makes goat cheese, but don’t know much more. Sigh.. internet, trips up the road, occasionally in one of the local gourmet shops, but now that Woodburn’s has left, nothing regular.. it's a shame. Morbier, Humbolt Fog, sigh....