Party for PEEC

Schedule

4:00-4:45 Social time, cash bar
4:45-6:00 Meal
6:00-6:15 Recognition of the Founders
6:15-6:30 "Earthwords"
6:30-7:00 Auction for services

Menu

Appetizers

• Smoked Trout with Goat Cheese and Sweet Peppers
• Blue Cornmeal and Sunflower Hotcakes
• Quick-pickles of Butternut Squash, Jicama, Apples and Mushrooms

Stews

• Pinon Chile Beans with Bison
• Turkey with Wild Rice and Green Chile
• Hazruquive (Hominy, Bean Sprouts and Corncobs) (vegetarian)
• Mesa Squash Calabacitas (vegetarian)

Salads

• Mixed Greens with Tomatoes and Sunflower-Jalapeno Dressing
• Melon and Berries with Mint

Desserts

• Pueblo-Shaped Birthday Cake
• Hot Chocolate with Chili and Pumpkin Puree
• Baked Apples with White Sage and Feast Day Cookies

History

The three sisters of Native cooking are here: corn is part of several items, squash is part of several items, and beans will be in at least two items. Chile is present but won't be killer-hot.

Liberties are taken with the pickled items (the method, not the items). Pickled veggies and fruits as appetizers sharpen the appetite, unlike most appetizers in restaurants, which are carb and fat loaded and kill it.

Some liberties are relatively minor (apparently the Natives had crab apples, not the big ones, and apparently it was the Natives in the North who ate mushrooms, not those in the Southwest so much). I'm more interested in serving a nice meal than in being an historical purist. I do want to acknowledge those liberties, though, out of respect.

For the stews, all but the turkey stew comes from a traditional recipe from Lois Ellen Frank (Native American who published 2 cookbooks on Native American cooking).

The salads are similar to her recipes as well. The two desserts (other than the cake) are traditional too.

Allergens

Everything but the trout, turkey and bison dishes is vegetarian.

Everything except the cookies, cake and hotcakes is gluten-free.

Nuts would only be used as a garnish, which people can add themselves.

Non-dairy items are dominant, but dairy is in the hotcakes, turkey, calabacitas and all the desserts.