Lobster Rolls and Laughs at the Community Cafe Finale
Thank you to Clem, Martha, Kathy, and Mike for making our final Cafe of the season the most successful to date!
They say all records were meant to be broken. While it might not exactly be Cal Ripkin breaking Gehrig's consecutive game streak, the record setting crowd of about 150 diners at Thursday's Community Cafe was nonetheless impressive! A massive group of diners from all over MDI and beyond turned out for the season finale of this popular bi-monthly offering.
It was all hands on deck filling more than 100 rolls with meat from Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound
Since the final Cafe luncheon of the season is always a special event, an equally special menu was in order. Thanks to the generosity and efforts of the Dwyer and James families, we were able to deliver. The large spread included lobster rolls, shrimp chowder, hot dogs, pasta salad, caesar salad, chips, pickles, and desserts including homemade cookies along with strawberry shortcake. Thank you Clem, Martha, Kathy, and Mike!
If you're going to spend the morning in the kitchen helping whip up lobster rolls and more, appropriate attire is a must.
Just after the doors opened at 11:30, the line stretched out of the Great Hall and nearly outside!
We continue to be thrilled and amazed that this program which started on a whim several years ago has turned into a twice monthly event that so many look forward to. Not only does it provide a hearty lunch, but more importantly it offers a chance to get out, socialize, share some laughs, and continue to fill The Neighborhood House's mission of building community spirit!
One of the best aspects of the Cafe is the way it draws a diverse group of folks from across our island community helping form new connections.
Of course, running MDI's "most successful winter lunch spot" requires a lot of help. Luck for us, we enjoy that support in spades. The names are far to long to list, but we appreciate all of the individuals who help take care of everything from setting up our "dining room," to staffing the kitchen, baking desserts, crafting decorations, and making sure every dish gets done. Additionally, we enjoy the generous support of a tremendous group of community minded businesses who sponsor all 12 cafes each season-- THANK YOU!
Pat Foster modestly brushes off her centerpieces as just a hobby, but the creativity and level of detail she puts into "prettying up" each table throughout the season is amazing and truly appreciated!
It was a full house at the final Community Cafe of the season. In fact, the crowd as so big, we had to set up some extra tables in the entryway.
While we're calling it a wrap on the 2017/18 Cafe season, we're already looking forward to the next. The Cafe will return in November... so don't make lunch plans. We've go you covered.
The kitchen crew handled the pile of dishes like champs!
The view from The Neighborhood House "blimp cam."