1999: Crawfish Party |
Bellaire, TX -- March 20, 1999. Call it whatever you like: Crawfish Party, Kräftkalas, Kräftskiva; it all translates the same -- LOTS OF FUN. Mike and Ylva Forsten again hosted the annual Swedish Club Crawfish Party on Saturday, March 20th. And again, the party was a resounding success. You know the setting: a crisp, cool evening under starry skies, live music and song provided by our own club members, abundant food and drink, a cheerfully lit tent and yard, and great camaraderie among the attendees. The party began at 7:00 p.m., and the crawfish were served around 8:00 p.m. A new item on the menu this year was Jambalaya (it was superb). It went well with the boiled crawfish. Other menu items included bread, cheese, cob on the cob, and black beans. It was quite a spread. After all had eaten their fill, it was time for socializing, singing and dancing. The party lasted until the early morning hours of Sunday. Over the past couple of years, the concept of the Crawfish Party has evolved. It used to be just another one of the 3 or 4 major club social events of the year. It still is, but it has become so much more. One can almost think of it as the 'Crawfish Weekend'. Plans and food/equipment reservations are made weeks in advance, of course, but the whole operation really gets underway on Friday afternoon when the crawfish are delivered to Mike and Ylva's house. Mike and Ylva get the cooking apparatus and the snacks (& snaps) set up in the afternoon. Then, throughout the evening, folks show up from far and wide to help with the cooking, to help with the party setup, or just to meet and to hang out. It makes for a great atmosphere. Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon are devoted to party preparation, and then Saturday night is the party! |