Family Recipe Friday - The Gathering Fraud

This post won't actually include a recipe, mainly because I can't remember it!

This story takes place well over thirty years ago, when I was living in Germany and was a US military wife. Once a month the Company Commander's wife would hold a meeting of the NCO Wives from the company. This would usually be in the form of a tea, and occasionally was enjoyed with a Bunco game.

On this particular occasion it was tea. Each wife from the group was to bring an appetizer, and the commander's wife would supply a variety of tea's for us to try.

Money was extremely tight for us, and I simply didn't have anything to take. But I didn't want to be the odd man, er...odd woman, out. So I tried to think of something that I could take from what was already in my pantry.

I found a box of English soda crackers. Okay... so what could I make to put on crackers?

Then this brain storm hit me. I took two cans of potted meat, added some spices [for the life of me I can't remember all of them, I know mustard and dill were among them, as well as parsley]. I then added a little cornstarch, thinking it would thicken the whole thing. And it did. I tasted it, and didn't think it was too bad.

I put the concoction in a pretty bowl, covered it with plastic wrap and took it and the box of crackers to the event.

Was I ever wowed! The commander's wife took me aside and whispered in my ear, "Cyndi, goose pate is way too expensive! Next time go for something a little less expensive. However, if you should ever invite me over for dinner... I'd love some more!"

Over the years we have come to call this the great "gathering fraud", and have laughed many, many times over the time that I made potted meat take the place of goose pate'!