Fall harvest event brings community, volunteers together
It’s one of the most anticipated events on the Bavarian Inn Restaurant’s autumn calendar, and this year marks its golden anniversary.
It’s the 50th annual “Squash Roundup” taking place Saturday, Sept. 26 when tons of Blue Hubbard squash, grown by the Fred Weiss Family Farm in Frankenmuth, are harvested from the fields and delivered to the Bavarian Inn Restaurant.
This marks the 50th consecutive year that the Weiss Family Farm has supplied squash to the Bavarian Inn. The squash – each weighing anywhere from 25 to 35 pounds – will be harvested at the farm, where up to 40 volunteers also enjoy a hearty home-cooked meal. This year, the Weiss Family plans to invite spouses and other family members of the volunteers, together with past volunteers to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the harvest.
The truckloads of squash are unloaded at the restaurant by members of the St. Lorenz Lutheran Church Youth Group, creating gigantic bluish-grayish “squash mountains,” which attract many curiosity seekers among restaurant guests and visitors alike. This year, the color palette takes on a new hue with the addition of a new squash variety, the Golden Hubbard, to the harvest.
Blue Hubbard squash live up to their big size with big flavor, as well. Their deep orange flesh has a sweet and nutty taste, making it a natural for a variety of cooking techniques in the Bavarian Inn kitchen. It is here where Bavarian Inn co-founder Dorothy Zehnder works her culinary magic, adding her own secret recipe of seasonings and butter to each batch.
The prepared squash is a popular seasonal feature on the Bavarian Inn’s menu from October through December. Diners may enjoy squash in items such as soups and savory side dishes. For dessert lovers, squash is as a key ingredient for the Inn’s delicious pumpkin pie.
Celebrating 125 years of service in 2013, the Bavarian Inn Restaurant has become a Michigan landmark. Generations of diners, lodgers and tourists from around the globe have discovered true Bavarian hospitality thanks to Dorothy and her late husband William “Tiny” Zehnder. Guests experience the old-world European charm of the Bavarian Inn – whether it’s the famous chicken dinners, fresh baked goods or Michigan’s greatest selection of German beer. Bavarian Inn also prides itself on being one of the top consumers of Pure Michigan agricultural products. Nestled within a backdrop of authentic German architecture, a variety of shops and other fun activities, a trip to Frankenmuth would not be complete without a visit to the Bavarian Inn. Learn more at www.bavarianinn.com.
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