Ok folkies, I've been quiet for long enough on this issue.....but no more! The first song circle I went to was probably in the mid sixties, and I remember the FOOD very clearly. The songs? Well actually 'Kumbayah', and 'Michael Row the Boat ashore' were still reasonably cool then, but the pot luck buffets were great!
Plates of Cold Cuts! Baloney, Meat Macaroni and cheese loaf, salami, and stuff you didn't even TRY to identify, but you knew that it was part of SOME KIND of critter at some time in the distant past.
Salads! MMMMMmmmmgood! Nice head-lettuce with a tomato for variety covered in Kraft French.....yummy!
Bread? Darn right. Usually white sliced, or Freedom bread and occasionally Rye bread for that SERIOUSLY ethnic touch!
Cheese? Of course. Often TWO kinds of cheddar, and maybe some Roquefort. If I was lucky there might even be a few slices of Kraft "agent orange" Chemical squares.
Yes...there WERE products with ONIONS (crossing himself in an agnostic way) in them (chili, spaghetti, and sometimes just sitting there on a plate like REAL foodstuffs) but hey, I was a tolerant guy, even in those days so I never complained.
Over the years people started bringing some very strange "food beliefs" into the song circles. Perhaps it was one person who surrepticiously dropped a platter of "tofu-brownies" onto the table without being chastized, and then immediately followed up with some Baba Ganoush or tabouli the next week, knowing that if people couldn't pronounce something they'd probably just "shut up and eat it'!
Before you knew it the buffet tables were absolutely FULL of colourful articles masquerading as 'real' food! Undressed unadulterated Broccoli and cauliflower, Ratatouille (without a real rat or even a mouse) hummus, chick peas, taramasalata, and even pitas and tacos in place of some good "Wonderbread"!
So not only did I have to put up with some slightly questionable singing, but when "Waltzing With bears" came up, and I beat a hasty retreat to the food, I had ONION DIP staring me right in the face! Today's Chili? Faggedaboudit! It's never even SEEN a piece 'o steer. ********************************************************* The only thing that hasn't changed since 1966 is that Green Jello with 'stuff' in it. At least it was/is onion free.