Gilford Community Church to offer traditional St. Patrick's Day dinner

GILFORD — Whether you claim Irish heritage or not, you’re invited to partake in a tasty and fun St. Patrick’s Day dinner on Saturday, March 16, at 6 p.m. at the Gilford Community Church on Potter Hill Road in Gilford village.

“We will be serving a traditional corned beef dinner with cabbage, rutabagas, carrots and other vegetables,” said Gilford Community Church hospitality chair Eloise Post. “We also make traditional Irish Soda Bread, and church members bake homemade carrot cake for dessert.”

The Gilford Community Church has been holding the St. Patrick’s Day dinner for more than 20 years, and Post estimates that she has been doing the dinner for about 10 years. Her skills as a creative cook are well-known, and she also relies upon the talents of church members who enjoy cooking when putting on a dinner as big as the St. Patrick’s event.

“We have men and women in the church who like to cook,” Post said. "For this event, a group of women in the church shop for the supplies and peel and chop vegetables. Some of our church members will be cooking the dinner at the stoves in the church kitchen; these men are well-known church members who relish cooking up the traditional Irish dinner. It’s a lot of work, but a lot of fun as well.”

Indeed, the preparation for the annual dinner sees Post and her helpers shopping for all the ingredients. She says they purchase about 100 pounds of corned beef, among other food on the shopping list. It will feed dinner attendees who number around 100 or more people each year.

Making the traditional Irish Soda Bread, a favorite every year for the dinner, is Post and some of the women in the church. Carrot cakes are made and donated by members as well, rounding out the baked goods for the popular dinner.

The fellowship hall of the church will be decorated for the St. Patrick’s Dinner, and taped Irish music will be played in the background to add to the festive atmosphere.

“All are welcome to attend this fun and delicious event,” Post said.

Tickets for the March 16 St. Patrick’s Dinner are $16 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. To purchase tickets, email eloise@metrocast.net or call 603-986-6723. Diners also may pay at the door on the night of the event.

For information, call the church office at 603-524-6057.