Ideal Spring Meal

Forget those pesky taxes for a minute and have some dinner. (Cooked for me and presented by Tim and JoAnne who live in the city.) Start with a glass of champagne. The meal centers on lamb roasted to rare perfection. And then whole new potatoes boiled in their jackets, with butter and parsley. And spinach salad with pecans and dried cherries in a lemony vinaigrette. And (partially hidden) the finest Greek Shrimp ever: plump juicy perfectly-cooked shrimp with chopped fresh tomatoes, chopped fresh oregano, and feta. Then a "sardo"  (Missouri pronunciation) roll with crisp crust. Slather plenty of butter on that. In fact, there's a basket of 'em on the table so you can have two. Then new peas with pearl onions. To drink: Wine, of course. Dessert? From a Mexican bakery, Tres Leches (three-milk) cake with whipped-cream frosting. Coffee for those done drinking wine. And then chocolate truffles. One of the finest meals on earth. Celebrate life.

The Middle West

Fall is Church Supper Time in rugged rural Missouri; praise the Lord for ham, potato salad, slaw, green beans, white beans (savory not sweet, just as I would make them; my friend Ace ate two plates full); best homemade applesauce ever, coffee, iced tea and homemade desserts, served by the friendliest Midwesterners. Ace asked the dessert table people special permission to eat two desserts (lemon pie; pumpkin pie sans Reddi-wip). Cost of meal $9 for adults; I bought. Some churches charge only a "free will offering." Note "The Middle East" biblical-era and modern maps tacked up behind the people; obviously Bible-study material. The most important part of any church is its basement. Rather go there than any restaurant.

Do you ever attend church suppers in your area? People were so glad to see us strangers they showed us photos of their grandchildren. This particular church is far out of the way, in the remains of a tiny town alongside the train tracks. In fall the Catholic church raffles off a live pig; I never buy a chance because I'm afraid I'll win. Another church has a whole-pig roast, and yet another church an awesome pork sausage dinner; that's the one they pour you a glass of milk at table. In spring, fried fish at Lenten church suppers is so good it just about converts me.