Have Yourself a Merry Paseo

When I moved to the Paseo Arts District in Oklahoma City, I had no idea how my life would change.  I came from a country setting in which trips to the grocery store had to be integrated with commutes to and from work and nobody ever just dropped in.  I do admit to missing the crisp mornings on my deck watching the wildlife around me.   Then there were my gardens…sigh.  I do truly miss all of that.

The trade off is definitely worth it, though.  Obviously I gained a wonderful family.  A spouse I love dearly who treats me with respect and love, and two kids that I never knew I wanted.  Now I cannot imagine my life without them.  I have traded morning coffee on my deck for morning coffee on my front porch watching my neighborhood awaken.  This is never better than during the Paseo Arts Festival.

These days my whole year revolves around this weekend.  I look more forward to Memorial Day than I do Christmas.  Paula and I throw our biggest party of the year during this time.  I love the carnival atmosphere and excitement the festival brings.  Our neighborhood is transformed overnight into a magical kingdom.  I can’t wait to wake in the morning and watch as the street fills first with vendors and artists then the festival goers full of anticipation as they walk down to Paseo Blvd.  Many wave as they go by and for this weekend it is as if there are no strangers.  We are all part of the same shared experience, embracing diversity and art.

It is wonderful to hear the music drifting up from the festival and the aroma from the various food vendors mingling with the cookouts cropping up all over the area.  Then there’s our party.  This year will be our 8^th annual party.  This party is different every year.  We have had as few as 30 and as many as 120 people come through our house on this evening.  I have long since stopped trying to plan the activities too precisely. 

I make sure there is a good spread of food and space for everybody.  Then I just let it flow.  The guests determine how it goes from there.  We have had drum circles and karaoke in the living room, dances in the kitchen and poetry readings on the deck.  You can move from one area to another and have very different experiences at this party.  It takes quite a bit of preparation to get things in order.  Though several people usually help me, I especially look forward to one particular person.

My friend Sydney and I have a tradition.  She takes off work the Friday before and helps me set up for the party.  I have learned a lot from her about catering for a large group and she has helped me settle into an easy menu and routine resulting in the least amount of stress.  My menu usually includes pulled pork, grilled chicken and smoked sausage, confetti rice salad and baked beans.  This year, I am adding Devil’s on a Horseback for the first time.

I got the original recipe for my baked beans from Mary Jane Rutherford.  I of course have tweaked it a bit to suit my taste.  I render a pound of peppered bacon and set the bacon slices aside for later.  I start with a pound and after greedy fingers steal a piece here and there, I’m probably left with more like ¾ of a pound.  I then take 20-30 cloves of garlic and poach them very gently and slowly in the bacon grease.  When the garlic is soft and golden brown, I set it aside with the bacon.  I find that the garlic, too, begins to disappear as the once pungent cloves are now soft, buttery and mild in flavor.  I pour most of the grease into a container for a later purpose and then I caramelize a couple of yellow onions along with a couple of pinches of red pepper flakes in the remaining oil using the same skillet.  I want as must flavor as possible.

As the onions are cooking, I prepare the beans.  I use a variety of canned beans, black, pinto, butter beans, green limas, navy beans and then finally a big can of pork and beans.  I drain all of the beans with the exception of the pork and beans.  I empty all of this into a big mixing bowl and add some red pepper sauce, molasses and ketchup.  Sometimes I add brown sugar.  This is really just to your own taste.

I add the onions, garlic and most of the bacon.  I leave the bacon in big bite size pieces and save a few whole slices for the top.  I bake all of this at 350 for about 45 minutes.  It is so beautiful with all of the different colors and shapes of beans.  The differing texture of the beans is what really gives this recipe interest for me.  Add the sweet earthiness of the molasses, spiciness of the red and black pepper and the saltiness of the bacon and well, you’ll just have to trust me on this one.

By the time Friday comes, I will have the rice salad and the pulled pork ready to go.  With Sydney’s help, I will season the chicken legs and put them in bags to marinate until they are ready for the grill, prepare the baked beans and assemble the bacon wrapped dates to be broiled right before the party.  We will also ready the deck and set up the chafing dishes. 

Sydney started coming around about our 3^rd Paseo Party.  She lived in another town and was wrestling with coming out. I met her the first time shortly before our party and she was eager to participate.  We have since become close friends, family really.  Over the course of the next couple of years it was a privilege to witness her transformation as she came to terms with her sexuality.  We don’t get to see each other as often these days, but Memorial Day is a time we get to reconnect.  We chat and laugh our way through the chores of party preparations.  With plenty of deck time in between work, we might even build a fire in the chiminea.

By the time Friday evening rolls around, I will have everything in place for the party.  Saturday afternoon, I will grill the chicken and sausage and broil the Devils.  By 6pm, I will have the food in the chafing dishes and be ready to greet our guests.  I will be like a kid on Christmas Eve excitedly waiting for the arrival of Santa and squirming with anticipation for the contents of his sack of goodies.  Only Santa will be the spirit of Paseo and the sack of goodies will be you.

It will be interesting this year to see how this party evolves.  I am looking forward to seeing old friends and spending time with new ones.  Paula and I have met so many new people this year through her newly published novel and my school and blogging.

If you’re coming, bring your favorite dish (if you want to), drink (if you imbibe), or instrument (if you play).  Most of all, come early, stay late and come prepared for a great, interesting time. 

A Merry Paseo to all and to all a good night!