A celebration of belonging plus theater...

[yellerpup]

My husband is throwing me a huge party next Saturday. I'm too penny-pinching to let him cater it and I thought to share the menu with you. The party is to celebrate my first year of membership in the Cherokee tribe and will include entertainment. I'm reading an excerpt from my novel, "Weep." The excerpt will be published in an anthology by the Cherokee Arts & Humanities Council titled: "Cherokee Writers from the Flint Hills of Oklahoma: An Anthology," which is both honor and delight. "The Outlaw Play" is my new work for the stage and I have a wonderful cast of three pros and three talented high school students. Between the two entertainment segments, we will have a Native foods buffet. I kept it very simple because I'm going to be busy otherwise. I've been crazy busy for months and can only drop by C&B to blow you all kisses now and then. Next Saturday night will be the end and the beginning. Here's the menu. We are expecting around 50.


September 24, 2011

Pork Ribs
Chicken
Buffalo, Elk, Venison & Beef Jerky
Corn Pudding
Sweet Potatoes/Apples/Maple Syrup
Beans
Corn Bread

Apples, Pears

Water

[elleng]

1. Congrats! Sounds great.

:hi:

[yellerpup]

2. Thanks, elleng!

Just laid in the shopping today. Our guests will be so surprised that we are offering only water. Why only water? Water is authentic to the time. It's a rustic menu, but it will be hearty. Hehehe!

:hi:

[elleng]

3. Water is ALL I drink!

[yellerpup]

4. Me too, mostly.

I drink pomegranite juice every day and sometimes cranberry mixed with water. I never drink soda but I love coffee and green tea. But water is 85% of my daily volume of fluids. Nothing quenches thirst better and no one is allergic to it. We need to protect our water; it's a matter of life or death.

[elleng]

5. Oh, forgot, do drink coffee, decaf, small cup most days,

used to drink juices w seltzer/club soda; occasionaly a glass of wine. Yes, water's a matter of life or death.

[kestrel91316]

6. Mmmmm, venison jerky........be sure to mail me the leftovers!

[yellerpup]

9. I didn't make it myself.

I ordered it from a guy in Climax, CO, at a cost of over $50 for 14.5 oz! I doubt there will be leftovers, but I'm going to remember how much you like it just in case we do.

[Lucinda]

7. Two of my favorite things.

Great food and theatre. My background is in stage direction but I haven't done anything in quite a while. Hope it's a wonderful day!

[yellerpup]

8. Thanks, Lucinda.

I can't wait, really. We had a read through last week and it went well. In front of the tray with ribs, there will be a place card that spells out "hog meat" in the Cherokee Syllabary symbols, then the spelling of the word, then the English translation. I'm lucky my hubby is a talented artist and designer. They are gorgeous. Wish you could be with us. You'd make a great addition to the party.
:hi:

[Lucinda]

14. Aww thank you!

I would have loved it. I don't have Cherokee background (Apache and Blackfoot) but I live in Eastern Tennessee and am fascinated with the Cherokee history in this area. Hope it was a great event!

[yellerpup]

16. My people came from the extreme southeast corner

of Tennessee. The indian on the Nashville flag is my progenitor, Aganastata. I didn't realize that you were NA! I'll try to post some photos of the party next week. :hug:

[Lucinda]

18. I'm a mixed bag of goodies. Irish, Gypsy, and Apache on my dads side

which have never been fully explored (the trails go dead) And Blackfoot on my mother's side with long roots back in colonial America, and uncertain European ancestry (I haven't verified the European stuff yet.) My great great grandmother was born on a reservation in Oklahoma, but I don't have any practical ties to the NA community at the moment. Just a lot of love.

I'm living in Gatlinburg now, which has a lot of Cherokee history. I'd love to see the photos!

[yellerpup]

20. The more I study genealogy the easier it is to see how

closely we are all related. Gypsy-Apache-Irish! I'd love to the see the love stories that go with that lovely mix! I'll post the party photos in a day or two.

[Lucinda]

21. Yep. We are all connected.

Too bad so many don't live that.
Looking forward to the pics! :)

[pengillian101]

10. You are one lucky gal!

Sounds like a great time - enjoy! Your menu sounds divine. What--no fry bread? That's some good stuff!

I hope you have a wonderful time and my best wishes for a happy birthday to YOU, yellerpup!

Please tell us all about how it went. Post pics if available.

:hi:

[yellerpup]

11. Thanks, a good time is planned!

It's actually my one-year anniversary in the tribe. No fry bread. I'd need to cook during the whole party if I had to make fry bread for 60 all by myself! I will make the cornbread just before I go pick up one of the actors coming up from NYC on the train. I will post photos or a link to a slideshow (if Mr. Pup remembers to take the camera out of his pocket.) It is going to be fun! I made the ribs today and they are really good. Thanks for your good wishes! Wish you could join us! :hi:

[grasswire]

12. oops wrong spot n/t

[grasswire]

13. I am so proud of you! n/t

[yellerpup]

15. Thanks, grasswire!

I just finished up the last of the cooking this morning with six dozen corn muffins. Among our friends I think this will be a most memorable party if for nothing else but the fact that the only beverage we are serving is water! The beans are perfectly creamy, the corn pudding is totally yummy, the Western Hemisphere dry rub worked beautifully with the pork and the chicken legs are juicy and crispy. I had to work on the sweet potato/apple casserole yesterday, but it is now up to standard. I should have carmelized the potatoes first, but they are all good now. I have a grand mix of professional actors and talented teens for the reading, and the first edition of my novel, "Weep" to sell. I did not do any dessert baking for this and am offering fresh apples and pears.

After five years of research and two years of waiting for my application to be approved, I finally belong to the tribe. I always knew I qualified, but getting in just feels so good. Wish you could be here to help us celebrate. This is going to be a great party! :hug:

[cbayer]

17. This is so cool!!!!

Congratulations. The menu and entertainment both look incredible.

Have a wonderful, wonderful time tonight.

:pals:

[yellerpup]

19. Thanks, cbayer!

The party was swell! I'll have a post of photos of it in a day or two. Everyone really enjoyed the evening. :hug: