Lunch on the SS Provenance

It’s that time of year for another Archives’ potluck based on an exhibit. Our first ever exhibit potluck, Convalescent’s Banquet, while a learning experience, was pretty tasteless, and last year, Alaska Lunch, provided some interesting Alaskan based dishes. But this year, we decided to do things a little differently.

We based the potluck on our current exhibit “Steamship Menus,” so instead of having recipes provided for us, we had to choose whichever menu item appealed to us and find a current recipe. I mean, who doesn’t want to know what it was like to eat on a steamship in the early 1940s? So we turned the Archives into a steamship (sort of), and called it the SS Provenance.

This year, we had many more participants, and by all accounts, it was, by far, the best. We had everything from warm biscuits, to poached salmon, and a beautiful apricot tart. As one attendee said, “If this is what they ate on those steamships, they were eating pretty well.”

Since everything looked and tasted so good, I’ve decided to put photos of everything into this post. But first up, is the menu.

Starters:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Main Course:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dessert:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For a beverage, there was Sparkling Cider.

We made sure everyone wrote on a  small placard what their dish was, just in case someone decided to make one of the numerous calves brain dishes on the menus (which, sadly, did not appeal to anyone). But everyone did seem to enjoy themselves, and the food.

I think it is safe to say that lunch on the SS Provenance was pretty delicious. And people are already looking forward to next year when we plan to do military menus. There is a rumor someone may bring MREs.