Cooking For a Crowd

by Donna Swagerty Shreve

I had my first experience cooking for a large crowd my junior year in high school. As the oldest of four children I helped Mom cook nightly for six people. My challenge of cooking for a large crowd was an extension of early training cooking for a large family..

Opportunity arose November 1961 when I  spent Thanksgiving vacation with my advanced biology class at Dillon Beach in Marin County near Tomales, California. University of the Pacific had a research marine biology center located here. The regular occupants took the week off for Thanksgiving vacation so our high school class took advantage of the rare opportunity to use the facility.

Howie Reunion, our excellent, enthusiastic, biology teacher, had made all of the arrangements with the university. All we had to do was bring our sleeping bags, suitcases and food. Someone in the class had to be in charge of the cooking. For whatever reason, I don’t remember, I volunteered. I was given a budget that every student had paid into. With this money I was to plan all of the meals and go shopping for all of the ingredients. I needed to find a mentor who was well organized and could create great meals on a tight budget. My mother was the obvious choice. Along with organizing the meals, students rotated jobs cooking, setting up and cleaning-up.

I do remember shopping and needing several grocery carts. Also a vivid memory was getting the large gas stove to work properly. I thought I had figured it out until it blew me across the small space of that kitchen. I came through without an injury if you don’t count singed hair and eye brows.

One of the dinners involved fried chicken. The student cooking crew was starting its duties and a fellow student, Bill O’Donnell was quite unimpressed with my flouring techniques for the chicken. He quickly found a paper bag and gave me a lesson on properly flouring chicken.

A permanent resident at the Dillon Beach Marine center was a Dr. Hedgpeth. He was well known in science circles and had become a bit of a recluse since he had had an accident that disfigured his face. I received quite a compliment when he emerged after a day or so and joined for us for dinners. I did not do so well in the science lab that week but I had success in the kitchen.

My most recent cooking adventure was hosting Thanksgiving for my extended family. I held the sit down dinner in our community clubhouse and forty nine said they would attend. Uncle Clem had approached me at a previous family gathering in 2008 asking me to host the next Thanksgiving. Stockton is centrally located and the clubhouse had been used before for Thanksgiving. With Uncle Clem asking, I couldn’t refuse. The fifteen remaining cousins had quite a long history of Thanksgivings spent together. I was excited at getting a bunch of us together again.

My sister Jane and her two girls volunteered to arrive early and help me prepare the meal. I decided the whole experience should be dedicated to my dear grandmother, Pearl, who hosted all those years ago and to my mother who continued the tradition for a few years. 

On Thanksgiving week of 2009, I went shopping Monday for most of the ingredients I needed. Also on Monday I made the zucchini tortas and picked up Jen, who flew in that day. I had Jen choose her apron for the work ahead. I had bought four aprons for all of us as  momentos and a reminder of Grandma who spent so much time wearing an apron. As I worked out the logistics of the entire meal, I realized there was no way Grandma could have cooked all the turkeys necessary in one day. Jane gave me the biggest clue when she challenged me on how I would have room for all of the turkeys to be carved.

As a child I remembered the large turkey being presented by Grandma to Grandpa to carve just like in the iconic Norman Rockwell painting. Then by some miracle that one turkey fed forty plus people. Therefore, on Tuesday I cooked the first two turkeys, which John carved and I set aside for warming up Thanksgiving Day. I also cooked a cornbread dressing and a sausage dressing to be warmed up later on Thursday.

With help from Jen and now Wendy and Jane, cranberries, apples and walnuts were chopped for the jello offering. During my childhood, Aunt Nilma usually brought the jello salad in styrofoam cups. Tuesday was also the day I gathered up hot trays, serving dishes and decorations. I remember Linda Gray offering up so many items plus her large family home to Brian and his huge family.

Wednesday began with the cooking of another turkey. Then the girls and I had ten pies to make. We made the traditional apple and pumpkin pies. I added several pumpkin cheesecakes to make sure there was enough. I received the keys to the clubhouse and we set up and decorated. I needed to borrow tables and folding chairs from neighbors to have room for all.

Thursday had arrived and one more turkey needed to be done. Cousin Bill volunteered to do the ceremonial turkey and he arrived with the cooked turkey in hand. Jen peeled endless amounts of potatoes for mashed potatoes. A sweet potato dish was done at the last minute plus someone was on gravy duty. I put brother Brian in charge of the limited guest parking slots. Drinks were put out and several ice chests were filled. A large container of ice tea was available plus coffee and wine were choices.

Forty-one family members actually arrived out of the forty nine who planned on coming. It turned out Uncle Clem was too ill to make the trip. Most of his family stayed with him. Clem’s son Allen arrived to represent the family and to take back pictures and memories. Clem ended up passing away less than a month later.

Uncle Jack was the oldest family member attending. I asked Jack to say grace before dinner. Jack made a point of remembering those who had left us and it made the grace very special. Jack was the youngest sibling and being the elder was a long time coming. His wife Kay came prepared and handed him tissue as he remembered loved ones now gone. Jack started the water works and several in the room needed tissues.

Needless to say, I had done a cooking marathon and was so totally exhausted. When it was over, I had a new appreciation for both my mother and grandmother for what they were able to accomplish for Thanksgiving over the years. I knew at the time that the reunion for a traditional Swagerty Thanksgiving was probably our last and unfortunately I was correct.

Fortunately for me, my brother Brian has picked up the mantle and has continued hosting a large crowd for Thanksgiving. This year will be relatively small with only 27 of us.  A few years ago another cousin joined us with her family and it felt like my childhood Thanksgivings. My hope is that this Swagerty tradition continues on for many more generations to come.

1228 words

11/21/21 

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