Feeding the Servants

Our daughter Catherine is President of Lutheran Campus Ministries at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in Charleston.  A couple of weeks ago, she was part of a group of about 22 that took part in a Servant Weekend in Aiken.  They put a whole new roof on a house, and worked in a food pantry, among other things. They left to go back to the Holy City on Sunday morning, and had to pass within a couple of miles of our house, so we invited them over for a lunch. Now these are young adults from The Citadel and the College of Charleston, and when we feed such college kids we generally try not to provide food they'd get in the cafeteria or the local pizza joint. This is the second year we've done this so we kinda-sorta had good idea of what they'd like. This is the menu we offered:

Pork Chops

Rice & Mushroom Gravy

Deviled Eggs

Grilled Squash

Kale Casserole

Brocolli Salad
Weaver D's Sweet Potatoes
Green Beans

Lime Jello-Pineapple Salad

 Slow Roasted Roma Tomatoes with Feta & Olives

Sour Cream Dinner Rolls

Chocoalte Layer Cake with Ganache Filling and White Chocolate Butter Cream Icing

Appalachain Stack Cake

Do-it-Yourself Trifle with Pound Cake, Boiled Custard and Blueberry-Blackberry Filling

Most of these were tried and true recipes, but the kale casserole originally used spinach.  It turned out very well, getting rave reviews, especially from some of the Cadets (along with  the Stack Cake and the Lime-Jello Salad!).  One really cool part was that pretty much all of the veggies and (the blackberries!) were from South Carolina! W. P Rawl's here in Lexington, Beechwood Farms in Greenville county, Callaham's Orchard in Williamston,  and a roadside stand in Marion County.

They got here about 20 minutes earlier than we had planned, but we still got things together pretty much on time.  It was great and they were a fantastic group of young adults!  We really enjoy groups like this. With these guys and gals as our future leaders,  folks, things are gonna be just fine!

Locavore Lutherans and St. Peter's Picnic Plate

Over a year ago I saw a post by Bill Smith about Crook's Corner Picnic Plate.  Bill serves his up to folks in the heat of summer. It's all cold, and it's not uncommon for him to sell out every plate available.  I thought it one of the smartest things I've seen in the food & beverage bidness, and ever since then, I've wanted to try it for a Youth Fund Raiser at St. Peter's.  Well, Sunday I got my chance.

For the last 4 years, we've pretty much averaged right at 100 plates served for fundraiser meals served right after church.  We also have a meal before the Wednesday service that's usually about 30-40 people. My plan was to cook enough for 150.  We'd feed about 100 folks and have enough leftovers for Wednesday night.  I also wanted the kids to do a lot of the cooking themselves, since they really seem to love doing it, (and we have a blast with them in the kitchen!) This past Saturday we had about 20 of the Youth in the kitchen preparing the food. They did a great job.  It's always fun teaching them how to make biscuits or slice a watermelon.  They have such enthusiasm! We're very proud of them.

I'm also very proud that most of the menu featured local items, so please forgive me for possibly being the first one to coin the phrase:  Locavore Lutherans!

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders

(Columbia Farms, Saluda County Hickory Hill Buttermilk, Adluh Flour)

Country Ham on Buttermilk Biscuits

(Saluda County Hickory Hill Buttermilk, Adluh Flour, Clifty Farms Ham from Tennessee)

Deviled Eggs

(Kershaw County Eggs, Dukes Mayo, Lexington County Chives)

Hallelujah Potato Salad

(Bell Peppers & Purple Onions from Gilbert SC, Jalapeños from Tommy Stone in Lexington, Kershaw County Eggs)

Home-made Green Tomato Pickles

(The Youth made these a couple of weeks ago with tomatoes from the slopes of Mt. Pisgah, near Waynesville, NC.)

Sliced Tomatoes
(SC State Farmers Market)

Watermelon Wedges

(Barnwell Country)

Chocalate Eclairs

(Kershaw County Eggs, Adluh flour)

Alice made the éclairs in stages throughout last week, and finished them off Saturday morning.  I wrap cooked the hams on Thursday, so all we had to there was slice them up. The only thing we did on Sunday morning was put the biscuits together and plate everything up. The service was over a little before noon.  By 12:25, we were sold out:  153 plates for over $1100.  Whooo Boy!!! The Youth were great! The congregation showed great support, as always!  Thanks folks!!!