All Aboard Smorgasbord
Friday evening was our annual church Christmas banquet at Mt. Zion Community Church, Acme, Pennsylvania and what a feast it was. I don’t believe I have ever seen the serving tables so filled with such a wide variety of delicacies. It was remarkable. Approximately 60 people attended, each family brought a favorite tasty food item. I don’t know if the menu would impress a gourmand, but the flavors were delicious ranging from appetizers to an impressive array of desserts: pies, cakes, and cookies.
There was so much food that two extra tables were needed to hold the meats and many other dishes. A huge ham, baked chicken, turkey with stuffing, scalloped potatoes, sweet potatoes, pigs in the blankets, and macaroni salads covered much of the space. The gaps were filled with many other vegetable dishes set out buffet style. Bowls of sweet corn, green beans and potatoes, cranberry salad, lasagna, and fresh rolls found room on the tables. There was such a selection that just taking a teaspoon sized sample overfilled the plates. It was necessary to edit my appetite. I limited my tour of the dessert table, only choosing a few fresh pear slices. That was more than enough. I was stuffed.
Saturday afternoon was our annual Christmas dinner for the Chestnut Ridge Historical Society. It was a catered affair held in the old Stahlstown Elementary School cafeteria. Since most of our members are over 50 it was suggested that we gather early instead of at a restaurant later in the evening. Driving after sunset on dark and twisting roads can be difficult for those with diminishing eyesight.
The caterer prepared an excellent meal of fried chicken, roast beef au jus, mashed potatoes, thick beefy gravy, mixed vegetables, rigatoni in tomato sauce, mixed green salad, and fresh dinner rolls. It was another meal where I had to confine my selections to a small serving of several items. The dessert was a large chocolate marble cake decorated with white icing and large red icing poinsettias. I avoided the icing clad cake.
A silent auction for multiple baskets filled with beauty supplies, car care items, food stuffs, wine and cheese, handmade wooden items, and crocheted afghans. There were over twenty baskets from which to choose. Each person could deposit their tickets into numbered bags that corresponded to the basket that they hoped to win. Numbers were drawn and winners were announced. Each table centerpiece was a red poinsettia. They were given away as door prizes as well. I had too much to eat in the past two days, I should waddle.