Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008A word to the wise, show up early to this shindig!
I knew something was up from the number of cars on the road. After purchasing my ticket for a ridiculously low $7.50, I realized I had a bit of a wait ahead of me, so I wandered down the road for some 'classic' seaside shots:
I returned to the hall, only to realize what I thought was #98, was actually #86! Still, a little more waiting, time to try some people shots indoors:
Before too long, it was time to take the leaning staircase up to the top floor, which is pretty tiny, as you can see:
Not long after I seated myself, I got my plate of....everything:
I'm not entirely sure which casserole I was eating, but they were all delicious. I'm glad I turned up when I did, a couple dishes were already 'sold out':
I had a 'foster granny' sitting beside me, who made sure I got some of each salad on the table. There were 4 or 5 salads, including an incredible coleslaw with fresh, chunky green cabbage in it, amazing!Other folks at our table were comparing this supper to the previous weekend's blueberry supper in Parkdale/Maplewood. The overwhelming conclusion was that this supper was the better value, and tastier. While I can't argue the first point, I'd say it was a tie on the flavour comparison.I found room for carrot cake (apparently I took the last piece, victory was mine!), there was no room in the inn for the delectable looking Washington Pie sitting right in front of me. Vanilla pound cake, jam in the middle, topped with whipped cream. I wonder why they're called Washington Pies?
The delicious cakes
Washington Pie in foregroundAfter all was said and done, I turned around to take a picture of the next round of supper eaters filing in to the hall:
Next time you see a supper advertised for Lahave Islands, check it out!
Breakfasts
Saturday, Sept. 13
Hebbs Cross Fire Hall
7-11 am
All you can eat
Adults - $5.50
Children 5-12 - $3
Under 5 - free
Suppers
Saturday, Sept. 13
Variety Supper
Lahave Islands Community Hall
Bell's Islands (end of Crescent Beach)
4-6:30
This is my pick for the weekend, lovely spot, water is all packed in (up, to the second floor) by HAND! So, thank the old timers for all their hard work!
Sunday, Sept. 14
Strawberry Shortcake Supper
Italy Cross, Middlewood and District Fire Hall
3-6 pm
Ham, baked beans, potato salad, scalloped potatoes, rolls, brown bread, cakes, strawberry shortcake.
Adults: $8
Children (5-12): $4
I'm starting to ponder why these pavement taggers are so obsessed with their fellow male's sexual orientation...hmmmm, I wonder....
I'm guessing some of these were made by a bike, but regardless, a healthy 'patch' of brake burns nestled deep within the Bridgewater Industrial Park:
I eagerly await this supper each year. Maybe it's the delicious sauerkraut salad, maybe it's the smeltz potatoes, or maybe it's the warm 'n' fuzzy community feel you get from this event. At any rate, the annual Parkdale/Maplewood Heritage Blueberry supper was a resounding success!
After the initial confusion (where do we get tickets, again?) we made the rounds of the nearby museum as we waited for our numbers to be called. I spotted this interesting 'specimen', wonder if there's anything inside? Adrenalin inhalant, it's good for what ails you!
After a nice catch chat with an old aquaintance, we made our way to the hall.
Danny Penney greeted us at the door:
"you been here before?" "yup" "know how it works?" "yup" "eat until you're full"We approached the food table, our stomachs growling in anticipation. We need a 'wanted word' for the type of hunger you get before a supper like this. A word that describes the hunger you get, when you haven't eaten much all day, leaving lots of room for the community supper.
Help me out, wordsmiths!
Sauerkraut salad in foregroundPlates full, bellies empty, we tucked in to our meals. What a spread! Lemme recap: hodge podge (not 'orthodox', basically peas, beans, onions and blend mixed in with mashed potatoes), smeltz potatoes (pork scraps, onions, blend and apples mixed with mashed potatoes...it was AMAZING), sauerkraut, lunenburg sausage and pudding, sauerkraut salad and solomon gundy. Not for the faint of heart, or vegetarians for that matter....I look forward to the sauerkraut salad every year, though this year the smeltz potatoes gave it a run for its money. Here's a glimpse:
front--left=>right: sauerkraut salad, lun. sausage, sauerkraut. back--left=>right: homemade brown bread, hodge podge, lun. pudding, smeltz potatoesBy this point, I had a sweaty upper lip, the air was 'right close', as the locals would say...Dessert was a choice of blueberry grunt or blueberry pie. I chose the grunt, of course! Blueberries were supplied by my old employer, Randy Naugler and his Nogwild brand blueberries. The grunt was excellent, I even used some of the vanilla ice cream to sweeten my tea. Grunt is basically stewed (and usually sweetened) blueberries, served on top of a dumpling and in this case, with ice cream as well.
What a meal! Needless to say, belly was full....spent the remainder of my time there snapping some candids:
Warden Jack Wentzell serving up tea.
One of Ginny Wentzell's many products...I'm so glad this shot turned out!Stay tuned for some killer burnout pics tomorrow!
