Dough See Dough

Carcassonne is a small community in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, named for the legendary walled city in France. It is famous for its commitment to rural education, its preservation of our unique history, folklore and culture, and, since the 1960s, for its square dances. Square dancing existed long before the 1960s, but it found a home in the old school building when the Carcassonne Community Center, Inc. was formed during that decade. Prior to then, square dances often were the culminating event of a neighborhood “working,” which meant someone in the community needed help with constructing a building, harvesting their crops, or some such activity. The working shifted from home to home as the need developed. Generally, the men would do the field and construction labor while the ladies prepared an end-of-day meal. Children contributed according to their age.

After the meal, musical instruments would come out, and the furniture in the largest room would be moved to the edges or to another room, or possibly the porch. If the dance occurred at a working, there was one hard and fast rule: “If you didn’t contribute to the working, you didn’t join the festivities!” If dances were not connected to a working, it was called a Frolic; news was spread by word of mouth.

Carcassonne prides itself for its community spirit, its square dance heritage, and its food. When the square dances officially began, food was pretty much an afterthought. Snacks, soft drinks, and hot dogs were offered to those who were hungry, but the emphasis was on dance. Some nights, there would be as many as three groups on the floor at one time, each with its own separate caller. If you weren’t dancing, your toes were safest in the kitchen.

Large meals were reserved for community holiday gatherings such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, and often an all-day cookout for Independence Day. These meals were usually potluck with the community center providing the meat and local cooks preparing the food. In the past few years, however, we have added to the square dances with a variety of full dinners, a special menu for each dance. This has proved so popular that many of our patrons come early so they can finish eating before the music starts. They often return between dances for desserts and snacks. As our dancing population ages, we often find that our kitchen produces more revenue than the “gate.”

Carcassonne square dances are memorable because they involve good musicians, enthusiastic dancers, fond fellowship, and great food. The following recipe has become one of several favorites at these dances.

Éclair Cake

Ingredients:

2 small boxes instant French vanilla pudding

3 c. milk 9 oz. Cool Whip

3 pkg Graham Crackers 1 can chocolate icing

Method:

Filling: Beat together pudding and milk until thick. Fold in cool whip.

Butter the bottom of a 9”x13” cake pan. Lay in whole Graham crackers. Cover with half of filling, then add another layer of crackers, then another layer of filling, then Graham crackers. Ice top layer of Graham crackers with chocolate icing. Refrigerate for at least three hours.

Number of servings: 10