Joyful hospitality served curbside at Notre Dame

Writing about food is a good gig, and sometimes the gigs just fall into my lap. I was invited to try Notre Dame's "Sunday dinner during the week."

And so, at 4:30 p.m., I arrived at the Notre Dame Regional High School just outside of Cape Girardeau on Highway K, at 265 Notre Dame Drive. I walked in through the front door as instructed and was instantly taken under the wing of Sarah Strohmeyer, a 20-year veteran teacher of theology. She told me that this food service was a part of Activity Week, an important fundraising time for Notre Dame. Every day of the week, a different class and their parents were responsible for running the Sunday dinner. She led me into a huge auditorium that had many tables pushed aside with the chairs turned upside down upon them. On the far end of the room, more tables were set up and laden with food, and teachers and parents were filling plastic foam containers.

And there, in the middle of floor, shining and bright, was a single round table set up with a white tablecloth, red and white gingham overlay, and a lovely glass vase filled with cheery sunflowers. It was charming and thoughtful and set just for me. I told you this job was a good gig. Sarah graciously brought out my meal and drink. She was very kind.

I spoke with Kelly Patterson, who came out from the kitchen for a moment. She has a freshman at Notre Dame now, but this isn't her first rodeo: her older child graduated last year, and she has worked Sunday dinners before. She had all the numbers I was interested in. She told me that they served about 1,500 meals every night, Monday through Thursday, so 6,000-plus meals in four days! There are 16 people actively cooking in the kitchen, plus extras who make the cooking possible by keeping the trash cleared and the dishes caught up. On Monday, they were cooking kettle beef and would go through between 500 to 600 pounds of meat. Kelly told me, "This is all freshman families tonight, so it's our first time. Everyone just comes together and makes it work." They had some extra challenges to overcome. This was the first year that Notre Dame had ever done curbside service. It was a serious operation.

And at the same time, it was a truly joyful operation, and the energy was addictive. There were smiling eyes above masks, lots of chatter and quick feet. As I ate slowly, I watched them start serving people 10 minutes early with an eager cheer. Freshman filed in the side door, loaded up with containers, and headed out the front. It was a well ordered hive of working bees, and they made it look easy.

Ben Edwards, Spanish teacher at Notre Dame Regional High School, stacks up Sunday Dinner orders for freshman to deliver curbside.Submitted by Rebecca LaClair

So what about the food? I would challenge anybody to deny that churches have some of the best home cooking in the world, and we certainly love our church dinners in this area. This food was no exception: tender, peppery beef covered in a thick meaty gravy, spread on well-seasoned potatoes and served with green beans, corn and a roll. The brownie was right on the edge of cooked just enough, which is how I love my brownies: battery and soft, with little chocolate chips scattered inside. This all amounted to a Sunday dinner on a Monday, and I didn't even have to cook it. Amazing.

I went through the car line when I was done to grab some more meals for my family. I also wanted the full experience. The lanes were well directed and easy to follow, and the kids were amazing. The girls who took my tickets actually ran back to the building to get my order. When they returned, I told them, "That was quick," and one of them cheekily replied with a hidden grin, "We aim to please!" The other one giggled, and I drove off with a genuine smile.

The only chance you will have to visit this event if you didn't already know about it is today, Thursday. The junior class will be serving pork steaks, and I sincerely hope that you make them run their legs off. Notre Dame's linen-tablecloth-with-flowers hospitality absolutely extends all the way to your car. Just pull up Notre Dame Drive between 5 to 7 p.m., pay $10, and let someone else cook you Sunday dinner on a Thursday. I don't doubt that they will serve you with joy in their hearts and a spring in their step.