CHURCH SUPPERS : AN AMERICAN TRADITION

By Mary Emma Allen

As I sat midst friends and new acquaintances dining on chicken at a church supper in South Dakota recently, I was drawn back in memory to those events of my childhood. I recall most vividly the turkey suppers in November. The ladies of our community church pooled their talents and time to prepare this meal to raise funds.

Even though I grew up in a small farming community in the Hudson River Valley of New York State, the church supper on the South Dakota prairie seemed so similar. The ladies bustled around the church kitchen, where they had worked all afternoon, preparing chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, whole wheat and white rolls, and cranberry relish.

As we made our way along the buffet line, men and ladies spooned food onto our plates. More church members made sure we had juice, coffee, or water while we enjoyed our food and visited with others at our table.

Old friends stopped by the table, and we chatted with new ones who happened to be our tablemates. The lady beside me shared quilting news about her group of friends who made quilts as a church project. The men talked about crops, and then the old house a young couple was restoring.

Pie – the Dessert of Favor

It seems that the dessert of favor at country community dinners consists of a selection of pies. The ladies of the church contributed their favorites…."I made apple crumb. Mine was crustless coconut cream. I used my mother's recipe for cherry pie. My pumpkin pie was made from one grown in our garden. I tried a new recipe for peach pie."

The table was laden as we chose the pie to complete our meal. We also were offered a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped topping.

Community Spirit

Whether they are harvest festivals, church socials, turkey or chicken dinners, ham and bean suppers or spaghetti dinners, these meals prepared by church groups or community organizations reflect an age-old tradition in our country and contribute to our heritage.

They provide an occasion for members of the town to gather, share ideas, catch up with one another's' lives, forget misunderstandings, and forge a sense of community.

A spirit develops that characterizes a region and makes it truly unique.

Suppers Throughout the USA

As one travels around our country, they'll see signs in front of churches and town halls, announcing the Community Suppers…"Ham & Bean Supper," "Annual Chicken Dinner," "Community Turkey Dinner," etc.

Also, when looking at community calendars of events (often found in local newspapers or tourist hand-outs), you may find notices about these suppers where visitors as well as church and local residents are welcome.

Church and Community Cookbooks

From these events also have evolved cookbooks with recipes from the community members who organize the suppers. Often these cookbooks are developed as fund raisers, sold to earn money for a church or community project.

I have a cookbook from the church in the community where I grew up, as well as one my mother-in-law contributed to at her church. As I read through the recipes and the names of the contributors, memories of days ago and church suppers come forth.

Some travelers like to collect these community cookbooks, whether church groups, quilting guilds or other organizations publish them. They give a flavor of the region and often contain recipes reminding you of the enjoyable time you spent at a community meal, whether in your hometown or one you visited in your travels.

©2005 Mary Emma Allen

(Mary Emma Allen writes from her multigenerational home in NH, where she records her culinary memories in fiction and non-fiction. She also writes about quilting memories of the Trails End Quilters and has published several books. Web site: http://homepage.fcgnetworks.net/jetent/mea . E-mail: me.allen@juno.com )