By Marilyn Miller
If you want to pack the house for the biggest event of the year, what is considered a must?? For the Dorcheat Historical Museum it was entertainment and food, food, food!
“This was our most important event of the year,” said Jessica Stewart Gorman, executive director. “All proceeds support the operation of the museum in the coming year.”
To serve the crowd, in this case, nearly 100 hungry folks, the board members and supporters decided to shake things up a bit. Appetizers, salads, entrees and desserts were prepared from recipes found in the Museum’s many cookbooks. Many hands prepared the various dishes.
APPETIZERS: Melissa Brown and Lola Kidd prepared “Creamy Dreamy Spinach, Onion and Bacon Dip,” from Taste of Yesterday, Volume 3, “Home Plate,” page 9. Tortilla Roll-ups were provided by Charlotte Martin, who took her recipe from Taste of Yesterday, Volume 3, “Home Plate,” page 23. And Sarah Haynes found her recipe for “Jalapeno Cheese Squares” from Taste of Yesterday, Volume 4, “A Walk Down Main Street,” page 24.
SALADS: “Five Cup Fruit Salad” (with modifications) was a team effort. Lucy Adkins, Kay Elzin, Mary Ann Hamilton, Janet LaBruyere, and Ki Williams used the recipe from Taste of Yesterday, Volume 4, “A Walk Down Main Street,” page 48. Schelley Francis took her “Easy Taco Salad” recipe from Taste of Yesterday, Volume 3, “Home Plate,” page 34.
ENTREES: A trio of Minden business owners joined up and provided the entrees for the evening’s meal. Claudine Adams, co-owner of Under Dawgs, found her recipe for “Hot Chicken Salad” in the Apron Cookbook, page 90. Buddy Myles, owner of Seafood Empire, took his “Shrimp & Grits” recipe from Taste of Yesterday, Volume 4, “A Walk Down Mainstreet,” page 149. Andy Pendergrass, owner of Meriwether Financial, baked up “Ma Baugh’s Boarding House Roast” from Taste of Yesterday, Volume 4, “A Walk Down Main Street,” page 137. Cindy Madden used one of her favorite recipes for “Mac & Cheese.”
DESSERTS: Jodie Martin, owner of Geaux Fresh Bistro, coordinated the buffet’s different offerings and provided several desserts, including “Brothers Black Bottom Pie” from Taste of Yesterday, Volume 4, “A Walk Down Main Street,” page 197 and “Paulette’s Coconut Cake” taken from Taste of Yesterday, Volume 3, “Home Plate,” page 249. Jodie prepared another cake for the “Cake and Dessert Auction” that sold for over $500!
Altogether, the evening raised nearly half of the Museum’s annual budget of $47,000 for the upcoming year. “Thank you to everyone who helped make the gala a success,” said Mrs. Gorman, “And thank you to everyone who attended and/or sent donations! It was a great night. With your help, we were able to raise over $22,000. We thank you so much for your support.”
