Smorgasboard

My state is awash with orange this time of year. And it is not just the trees providing bursts of color. It is hunting season for our state bird, the pheasant. Hunters from near and far don bright orange safety vests, jackets and caps as they gear up for another season. Men, women, dogs and children of age tromp around in fields hoping to flush out a cackling bird or two or three. Gone are the days of an abundance of pheasants but the zeal of hunters has not diminished. There is a festive atmosphere as towns across the state set out the welcome mats and embrace one and all for the tradition of pheasant hunting.

A tradition that is seared into my memory is the annual Dutch Smorgasboard held shortly after the arrival of hunters in my hometown. My high school, steeped in Dutch traditions, hosted the smorgasbord as a fundraising event. Our saintly mothers did most of the heavy lifting by preparing massive amounts of food for the meal. My mom's specialty was Pigs in the Blanket (Saucijzebroodjes). The recipe was a far cry from the current day process of wrapping a wienie in a square of crescent dough. Mom made the dough from scratch, lard most likely involved. The filling was usually a mixture of hamburger, sausage, bread crumbs and egg. The dough was rolled out and cut into squares. A dollop of filling was wrapped up in a little dough blankie and baked until golden. Amazingly delicious and amazingly time consuming. I never heard my mom complain about the huge undertaking each year as she made dozens of piggies for the event and kept seven kids fed at the same time. I, on the other hand, whimpered my way through the 12 dozen pecan tassies I was required to make for my daughter's school fundraiser years later. I am weak.

Students were also required to participate in the smorgasboard. The guys and gals dressed up in Dutch costumes, sans the wooden shoes. Our task was to take marching orders from our mothers. We helped people with their trays, cleaned up spills and and kept the tables tidy. It was always crazy busy with swarms of folks queued up for their meal. A gymnasium filled with people and tables of steaming food made for a very long and warm evening.

The best part was getting to eat after your shift was completed. I was not a fan of all the Dutch offerings. I easily passed on the Snert (pea soup). I am sure it was good but it always seemed a little grainy to me, never mind the subsequent gastrointestinal issues. I also passed on the fruit soup (krentjebrij). My memory of the concoction is hazy but I do remember chunks of prunes, raisins and other dried fruits globbed together in a bowl. Seemed sketchy to me. My food radar was zoned in on the tried and true favorites. Hutspot, a mashed potatoes and carrots mixture was always on my plate as well as the meatballs swimming in gravy (gehaktballen). Pigs in a blanket were also on my go-to list, if there were any left by the time I went through the line. And for a little color and kick, I added cooked red cabbage (rode kool). For dessert, I gobbled up the little fried donut balls (vet bollen) covered in sugar. Our urge to go back for more was always met with a cautionary glance from the mothers, reminding us that the supply of food was not infinite.

As the years marched onward, the Dutch Smorgasboard tradition finally came to an end. I don't know the exact reason but I suspect it had to do with a decrease in the number of school supporters available to make the labor intensive foods. And, as with all traditions, there often comes a time for a change. I am sure many folks still miss it but I doubt very many want to crank out dozens of pigs in the blanket any more.

Here is my highly technical recipe for hutspot (mashed potatoes and carrots).

Boil potatoes and carrots until tender. Add salt, pepper and milk/cream. Cream is best, of course. Add copious amounts of butter. Mash until desired consistency is attained. Then add more butter.