In an age of drive-throughs, mobile banking and rapid-fire tweets, our attention is captured when someone slows the pace down, investing time and talents in going the extra mile. So it was at the Terra Firma Garden Club’s gathering April 20 at Annunciation Catholic Church in Columbus. Following a tour of the oldest Catholic church in northeast Mississippi, club members were treated to an elegant spring luncheon in the atrium.
Club members Nancy Campassi, who prepared the food, and Dr. Carol Reed, who decorated the tables, went above and beyond to create a memorable experience.
“I really felt that I was having high tea in London,” said Terra Firma member Wortley Cole. “The church was such a lovely setting, and the hostesses provided such a delicious and beautifully presented luncheon.”
Thoughtful planning
Campassi put plenty of thought into designing the menu. She had to factor in the lack of an oven on-site; and since she would be preparing all the dishes herself at home, she needed to incorporate some foods that could be made in advance in order to space the work out. The overall color combination of the finished foods was important, too.
The final menu included layered cauliflower salad, prosciutto or ham-wrapped asparagus, chicken salad croissants, layered fruit salad, ribbon sandwiches, a homemade cheese ball, New York-style cheesecake and Campassi’s own signature strawberry cake.
“I had to do a lot of planning because I knew I couldn’t do it all at the last minute,” explained Campassi, whose daughter helped transport the prepared food to the church. “I selected things I could do early; for example, the strawberry cake freezes well. The cheese ball can be done ahead and the cheesecake.”
One of her go-to recipe sources is a personal cookbook she’s compiled over many years.
“I have a huge cookbook,” said Campassi. “Some of the recipes I brought with me from Missouri.” That was in 1956, when she moved to Columbus as a bride. She’d grown up in a family with serious culinary credentials back in the small town of New Madrid.
“I come from a cooking family. My grandmother had a restaurant on one side; my mom and dad had one on the other side, and my aunt and her husband owned the one and only hotel, and my aunt was in charge of the dining room. … I’m not a novice,” Campassi chuckled.
The luncheon menu included dishes Campassi has made often in the past, so she doesn’t consider any of them especially difficult.
Asked which might be the most challenging, she noted the richly moist strawberry cake, made with fresh strawberries (never frozen), coconut and chopped pecans. It’s a recipe she has customized over time.
“It’s lengthy and may scare people off, but it isn’t difficult; you just need to get all the ingredients together,” she said.
Creating a setting
With the assistance of Lucy Phillips April 20, Campassi presented all the dishes on tables impressively decorated by Reed. Crystal, silver, fine china, linens and candelabra set the tone for the occasion. Floral arrangements and green plants combined with patterned parasols complemented the decor. As with the food, it all required transporting back and forth between home and church.
“That’s just the way I do it. If I’m going to do it, I do it all the way,” said Reed, who grew up in Amory. Her mother was an avid bridge player and enjoyed entertaining. It wasn’t lost on her daughter. Neither were the prolific garden parties so prevalent on the Gulf Coast, where Reed lived for some time.
She was also influenced by a wedding gift and the advice of a neighbor long ago. Presented with pillowcases decorated with the neighbor’s needlework, Reed’s inclination may have been the same many would have — to store the pillowcases away, “saving” them for guests or special occasions.
“But my neighbor told me, ‘I want you to use them; they’re too beautiful not to use.’ … I just took that philosophy and have gone with it,” Reed said. “I want to enjoy the things I have. I enjoy using them.”
Terra Firma’s April gathering didn’t end with the elegant luncheon and table settings. Members were treated to gift bags and door prizes, too. Campassi and Reed also discussed some of the pieces used and helpful hints for several food dishes. Both hostesses were happy to share with others.
“Some of the members would say, ‘I can’t believe you went to all this trouble to make us feel so special,'” Reed said. “Well, you are special, and I love to do it. It’s not a lot of trouble because I love it.”
STRAWBERRY CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FILLING
Solid vegetable shortening, for greasing pans
Flour, for dusting
2 packages white or yellow cake mix (18.25 ounces each)
2 packages strawberry gelatin (3 ounces each)
2 cups sour cream
1 cup fresh mashed strawberries with juice (1 1/2 cups whole berries)
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
6 large eggs
1 cup frozen unsweetened grated coconut, thawed
1 cup chopped pecans
FOR THE FROSTING
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature
2 sticks butter, room temperature
4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 cup fresh ripe strawberries, rinsed, capped and mashed to make 1/2 cup; drain well
1 cup frozen unsweetened grated coconut, thawed
1 cup chopped pecans
(Place this cake, uncovered, in the refrigerator until frosting sets, 20 minutes. Cover cake with waxed paper and store in refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or freeze it, wrapped in aluminum foil, for up to 6 months. Thaw cake overnight in the refrigerator before serving.)
(Source: Nancy Campassi, Columbus)
PROSCIUTTO OR HAM-WRAPPED ASPARAGUS
24 asparagus spears (1-1 1/4 pounds), trimmed to 6-inch lengths
24 thin slices provolone cheese (12-14 ounces)
12 very thin slices prosciutto or ham (8-10 ounces), halved lengthwise
Cracked black pepper
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
(Source: Nancy Campassi, Columbus)
LAYERED CAULIFLOWER SALAD
Serves 6
1 head cauliflower, broken into flowerets
1 head iceberg lettuce, coarsely broken
1 cup diced onion
1 12 ounce package of bacon, crisply fried
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese
1 cup Miracle Whip
(Source: Nancy Campassi, Columbus)
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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