Pigs, fish, cookbooks, curling. Yes, it’s all in this post.
The Bonsqueal, the season-ending extravaganza at Plainfield Curling Club (located, of course, in South Plainfield, New Jersey), gets underway tonight. As it always does, this highlight of social curling on the East Coast will provide myriad culinary delights, boisterous conversations, quality libation and curious late-season ice conditions.
This year, the organizational torch was passed to new conveners Anne Buckelew and Kacy Hayner. They have put in countless hours to make sure the spiel continues its rich tradition of, well, excess. A tent in the parking lot, a pig on a spit, a pile of fish on Friday night, special drinks from resident mixologists — there’s nothing about this spiel that is restrained. Small wonder it is the preferred way to finish the season for 32 teams of curlers. Even if you’re not in the Bonsqueal, don’t be afraid to stop by over the weekend for the festivities.
Speaking of great food, Sarah McCulloh, Grace Roth and others from PCC are planning a curlers’ cookbook. A healthy tome, in fact, filled with recipes that won’t leave one struggling to settle into the hack following lunch. They’re looking for ideas from curlers and hoping to make it a collaborative effort involving players and clubs with the proceeds going to support a cause — yet to be determined — that is important to our sport. If you want to contribute, send your recipe to Grace Roth or talk to either Sarah or Grace during the Bonsqueal.
The ice goes out after the Squeal. Sad, of course, but also a reminder of the refreshing seasonal rhythm of the world’s greatest sport.
Before anyone asks, regarding recipes for the cookbook:
No.
The abovementioned comment was meant to be read as dry wit, and referred to myriad requests for my shortbread recipe I’ve received over the years.
I will, of course, contribute my other famous recipe to the cookbook, with the caveat that finding Irish children at the local butcher is becoming increasingly difficult these days.