Last Sunday the churches I serve celebrated All Saints Day. In our tradition we recognize that all believers should be considered among the saints. We mark the occasion by remembering those who have passed away within the last year and those who have influenced our lives.
With Veterans Day soon approaching, we also wanted to honor and thank those who have served their country. One church came up with a unique way to honor both veterans and the saints. They held a free Veterans Banquet for those who either served or those who appreciate what a veteran has done. The dinner replicated a meal that the church used to prepare and serve on a regular basis. The recipes and notes were on faded yellow paper and recorded by “The Ancients” (not my term).
The menu, which was followed to a T, consisted of Swiss Steak coated with flour and browned in rendered suet. They also made fermented kraut coleslaw (which was incredibly good), mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans with bacon, pickled beets, and a dinner roll. The only thing the deviated from was the homemade pies for dessert. They made fresh apple crisp, which was not a bad substitute.
I will have to admit however, I was not a big fan of how the the Swiss Steak turned out. They browned it and cooked it in a roaster with just a couple of cups of beef broth. I am used to it being cooked in more of a sauce. I thought it was dry and over cooked, but everyone else raved about it. I don’t think the suet made much of a difference either way.
Our featured speaker was a man in our congregation who was a crew chief for the SR-71 spy plane. He had a lot of stories to tell (and in some cases retell). All in all it was a good evening. I didn’t have to do much (other than some set up and clean up). I learned a long time ago never get in the way of church ladies on a mission!
I will try and post some pictures a little later.