Serendipitous Cookery

Each year in this area, and coming up soon, there is the most wonderful musical gathering near here called  ‘The Fiddler’s Gathering.’  Bluegrass and folk musicians come from around the world to perform in an outdoor arena.  Most of the year, it is a memorial park called the Battle Ground Memorial in Battle Ground, Indiana.  It was established in 1908 to  commemorate those lives lost in the  Battle of Tippecanoe, which took place on November 7, 1811.  This battle served as a catalyst for the War of 1812.

But, once a year, on the park grounds, volunteers erect a temporary stage and benches and food and craft vendors come from across the nation to set up for a delightful 3 days of concerts and workshops in folk and bluegrass music and guitar, fiddle, mandolin and banjo picking.

At night, when I open my windows, the music wafts in on the breeze.  Talk about relaxing.

Folks and families are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs and picnics and settle in for hours to enjoy the music.  What a delight!  

Some now famous musicians, I am told, got their start here in this humble venue.  Some years, the musicians have been exemplary and the audience was reluctant to leave, it was so enjoyable.  Some of the musicians have even played on Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion.

One group I enjoyed hearing was called “Uncle Earl” consisting of 5 or 6 young women, who, since several of them had not been to their high school prom, dressed in prom dresses for their performances.  Other groups were  ‘Le Vent du Nord’ and ‘Hot Club of Detroit’, who have been seen on several TV shows and Prairie Home Companion.  Each year is a surprise of new and old groups and performers and some not necessarily bluegrassish ;-).

My favorite food vendor has always been the Greek food tent where I buy the Greek salad or gyros                                              and of course, an Indiana favorite, the elephant ear booth.   If you haven’t had one of these delicious Indiana concoctions, they are easy to make at home, consisting of sweet yeast dough, spread out and fried in hot oil, brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.        Of course, I only partake once a year, as they are definitely loaded with calories 😉 and it’s awfully hard to share – we usually end up getting one per person!

And to top it off, a lemon shake up is the best refresher to accompany this summer’s evening meal.

At the end of the evening, everyone picks up their blanket and folds up their chairs and walks home knowing it was an evening most enjoyably well spent.