Night of A Thousand Casseroles (and A Whole Lotta Love)

With several hundred attendees and absolutely no directive about who should bring what, you think you’d end up with way too many green bean casseroles. 

But somehow the annual Covered Dish Supper hosted by Chatham-Savannah Citizen Advocacy always tenders the perfect ratio of comfort food: Platters piled with fried chicken and mac ‘n’ cheese, wooden bowls of crisp green salads, pots of homemade gumbo labored over for days and last minute bags of wheat rolls bought at Kroger. There are always still at least four or five trays of old school green beans topped with crunchy onions, thank goodness.

The bounteous buffet keeps refilling as the line inches through the grandiose banquet hall of Savannah Station, silverware clinking as folks eat their fill at tables each lavishly decorated by local couturiers. An aproned army of volunteers scoots to and from the kitchen, and a second shift makes sure that your Pyrex dish will be returned clean to you at the end of the evening.

In other words, this is the world’s greatest potluck—or at least Chatham County’s—and everyone's invited. If you’re anywhere in the vicinity, make it your dinner plan for this Tuesday, May 14.

There’s more where that came from! Photo courtesy CSCA

Cocktail hour begins at 5:30pm with the customary serenade by SOAP (there’s a reason they’re Savannah’s favorite house band, y’all), followed by a crowdsourced meal to accommodate all appetites and dietary persuasions. All scratch cooked and store bought delights are welcome, though a plate is $5 if you come empty-handed — no one’s leaving without a full belly. 

But the real nourishment of this homegrown shindig is in the fellowship.