Shoestring Gourmet: Do Over!

by Alan Gore

Our October Shoestring, at the home of Theron and Lyn Jackson, carried the theme of Oktoberfest to a level far beyond beer and pretzels. As we arrived, Theron was grilling four kinds of German sausage: beef and pork, spicier and less spicy. This time we dived right in with the accompaniments Glenn Case brought for the sausage: sauerbraten and pumpernickel. This went perfectly with Ursula Gore’s sweet red cabbage and Esther Shaw’s hot potato salad with bacon, onion and paprika. To the accompaniment of authentic beer hall music, we quaffed Beck and Shiner beer, the latter from the German settlement in Texas, and some fine German wines.

Our desserts were just as sumptuous as our entrees. Ursula started us off with plum torte and two kinds of apple strudel, one with raisins and rum and one without. John Nangle sliced a German-style chocolate cake.

Remember Mama’s pasta – or at least the great dishes Mother used to try to make? Our November Shoestring will be dedicated to the foods of our fondest memories. Now if the best thing your mother made for dinner was reservations, that’s okay too: if the family went out to a favorite little place where you could order something you loved, that’s a memory you might be able to recreate for us this time. There is, of course, no need to limit this to childhood. There might be a dish that goes with – or made by -your first date. Because we’ll be traveling some distance for this one, let’s try for dishes that, if not to be served at room temperature, can be reheated easily on arrival.

We’ll meet at the southerly home of Esther Shaw in Sun Lakes at 6 pm on Saturday, November 9. Please call Esther at 480-895-1114 by Thursday, 11/6 to coordinate the dishes. It’s the homecoming season, so let’s refresh those memories, folks!