Tosebo Dining

[hausser]

I tried to be a waiter as often as possible - it was surprising what one would do for two "Work Honors" in those days! Now I can't bribe my son into cleaning his room for any amount of money.

The only food I remember in particular was the Kool-aid pitcher at the end of the table, along with a plate of sliced bread, french toast for breakfast, and "pig-in-a-blanket" for lunch.

I do remember the large Institutional cans of "Sexton" Brand food, because we used those old cans for about everything! Especially on the canoe trips (Where "Trail Pack" dehydrated food was usually served.)

I'm sure we all complained about the food, but I also remember eating everything served. How couldn't I, after swimming for an hour right before lunch!

Jerry Hudson remembers the head Cook from the late 50's, Blanche Howard, that I also loved.

- Bob "Running Deer" Hausser

From Jerry Hudson:

Your narrative got me to thinking about food (imagine that!) Two things stand out in my mind as being beyond human endurance--the fried liver and the institutional mushroom soup which was allowed to come to room temperature before we were permitted to sit down. To this day, the thought of cream of mushroom soup makes me queasy.

There was also an institutional brand of food they used produced by the B. A. Railton company. They called it Barco. We called it BARFO.

The pleasant food memory was the Sunday chicken dinners and that side dish Blanche made with the cucumbers and onions in vinegar. Heaven on earth!

Years after Tosebo, I once got a Christmas card from her. A queen if ever there was one.

Another memory, we had a sort of hippy folk singing counselor one year who had a song about race relations with the line "if you're black, unuh brother, get back get back get back." Coach told me he didn't want that guy singing any more of those kinds of songs, 'cause he didn't want Blanche's feelings hurt. I'm sure he was sincere, but it's one of those deals that can go either way.

- Jerry "Chief Black Magic" Hudson

 

[Strong Bow]

Blanche was quite a cook, though I'm not sure Doris ever gave her that much to work with. Blanche worked about five houses down from me in the winter for a few years and I often saw her on my paper route. I remember the hot chocolate and trying to avoid the "scum" on top as it cooled in the pitcher. I remember Doris being pretty tight on milk rations, which changed with Tonkins. Later they had Mike and Lela, a local German couple. Mike was a master. If you caught a fish, no matter what the size, Mike gave it presentation fit for the Palmer House. Dave

 

[Steve Buckingham]

The hippie folk singing counselor may have been Dave Mangurian. We also had a 12 stringer one year named Rick Ides. I was always impressed that he did a fairly good job with "Classical Gas." Mangurian was a "trip" counselor if I remember correctly and Rick was in the craft shop. Those of you who were counselors will remember the beach parties we had on Lake Michigan and how much the guitar contributed to the fun. Steve