By Celine Klosterman
GEORGETOWN — From threshers’ dinners to ice cream socials to wedding showers, food has played a lead role in gatherings throughout St. Patrick Parish’s history.
In homage to that history, the parish compiled the cookbook “Recipes, Traditions, Remembrances,” which contains 770 recipes from 180 contributors. Guests can buy the book for $17.50 at St. Patrick’s God’s Portion Day Weekend Sept. 1-2.
Heirloom recipes passed down through generations include angel biscuits, which Sandra Anderson shared in memory of Mary Coady Hayworth. “Perfect for Sunday breakfast,” Anderson wrote. “Mom always let them rise while we were at Mass!”
In memory of Villa Toigo, the parish submitted a recipe for cinnamon rolls deluxe. “Villa Toigo (and her brother Clarence) made homemade buns (as many as 600-700) for our God’s Portion Day for many years — what an effort! We also enjoyed these cinnamon rolls deluxe on some special occasions,” the heirloom recipe notes.
“Our special Heirloom Recipes represent recipes currently being passed along in a family,” the cookbook committee wrote. “Grandmothers are sharing with granddaughters (or grandsons). In that way we honor history in the making. Other recipes were handed along many years ago and remain in the family cookbooks and mementos. In these recipes we pay tribute to those who cooked many a meal and have now gone to eternal life before us.”
Committee members acknowledged parishioners’ Irish ancestors who brought culinary creations like Irish soda bread, Irish cream cake and Dublin potatoes to Georgetown. The cookbook also includes heirloom recipes with Croatian, Italian, Polish, German and English influences.
Since pioneer homesteaders had to live off the land, most early recipes called for ingredients like berries, greens, grain, honey and wild game. Women tended to cook and bake from memory. So their recipes often weren’t written until years later, and listed approximate measurements and addition of ingredients “to taste,” the committee wrote.
For the cookbook, Nancy Bakker shared an heirloom recipe for hot fudge sauce in memory of her Aunt Florence Graham. “Aunt Florence’s restaurant didn’t have a name, but in the window was a small neon sign that said “EAT,” Bakker wrote. “She would spend up to 13 hours a day in the kitchen making everything from ‘scratch,’ her soups, pies, and specials of the day. As a child, I would see the HOT FUDGE POT in the kitchen and was thrilled when she would let me dip into it.”
For recipe contributor Abbey DeMoss, three-layer Keebler bars bring back memories of Rose Lahart. “Rose was my prayer pal for many years, and we shared some wonderful visits and always with treats,” DeMoss wrote.
“Our heritage of good food has been passed down through several generations and across many miles,” the cookbook committee wrote.
God’s Portion Day Weekend
Cookbooks will be available during St. Patrick Parish’s annual celebration, homecoming and fundraiser Sept. 1-2 in Georgetown. Festivities include:
Saturday: Sept. 1:
Third annual Georgetown Open Golf Tournament
9 a.m.: Check-in at Albia Country Club
10 a.m.: Shotgun Start
Sunday, Sept. 2:
9:45 a.m.: Honoring of graduates and/or their representatives. Returning for their class anniversaries will be the graduates of 1922, 1932, 1942 and 1952 from Georgetown High School, and Georgetown natives in the classes of 1962, 1972, 1982, 1992 and 2002 from Albia Community High School.
10 a.m.: Mass in the historic church.
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Country homegrown dinner with roast beef and fried chicken. Cost is $8 for people 12 and older and $3 for children. Order carryouts by 5 p.m. Sept. 1 by calling Mary Ann Crall at (641) 932-5961 or Tiffany DeMoss at (641) 932-2139.
11:30 a.m.: Country store, kids’ games
Noon to 4 p.m.: Silent auction under the tent
1:30 p.m.: Live auction on south lawn. Items include two sets of pocket doors and a wooden colonnade from the former parish rectory and several items made from rectory woodwork.
4 p.m.: Lawn social (sandwiches and beverages served)
There will be souvenirs of Irish and religious items. A raffle will offer various prizes including a grand prize of accommodations for up to six people for a week at a resort. Buy tickets from any parishioner for $2.
