The savory aroma of pork and sauerkraut permeated the social hall of United Church of Christ of Robesonia on Wednesday.
It was one of several venues, including fire halls, that hosted the traditional New Year’s Day dinner.
Rob Seifert of Womelsdorf, left, Geogeianna Hildebrand and Mike Pastor, both of Robesonia, prepare a plate in the kitchen of Robesonia UCC. (STEVEN HENSHAW – READING EAGLE)
Eating pork and sauerkraut on the first day of the new year is a tradition steeped in early Christian religious custom and Pennsylvania Dutch culture.
Some believe it brings good luck.
Whatever the reason, for many it’s simply a tradition within their own families. It’s also a nice way to support the hosts, for which the dinner is a fundraiser that supports their operations.
Carl and Bonnie Orth of Temple driver out to western Berks every New Year’s Day for United Church of Christ of Robesonia’s pork-and-kraut dinner.
Cleann Pauley delivers a pork-and-sauerkraut meal to a customer outside St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church on Penn Avenue in Sinking Spring. The church once prepared a traditional New Year’s Day meal for take-out-only. (STEVEN HENSHAW – READING EAGLE)
Bonnie looks forward to the sauerkraut, which is served mixed with chunks of pork.
“We come for my sauerkraut,” she said. “He doesn’t like sauerkraut, but I wouldn’t miss it.”
The cook, Steve Miller, who’s in charge of Robesonia UCC’s kitchen for this and other events, starts gathering ingredients more than a week before the dinner.
A core group of church volunteers help out with meal preparation, serving and cleanup.
“I started cooking three days ago,” he said. “The meat gets roasted and cooked more times. That’s part of the appeal.”
The meal typically draws about 220 patrons. The highwater mark on record was 260.
It draws people from Robesonia and other towns.
A $12 adult ticket bought a plate loaded with pork, kraut, homemade mashed potatoes and string beans. There were dinner rolls and dessert–a choice of chocolate, vanilla and marble sheet cakes decorated with “Happy New Year” icing.
Slow-roasted pork was also on the menu at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 4125 Penn Ave., Sinking Spring.
The roasting of pork began just two hours into the new year, which officials say sets in apart from many pork dinners.
Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, St. John’s has been serving the pork dinners take-out style only.
A team of volunteers prepared more than 200 dinners in the small kitchen of the fellowship hall. In a slick operation, runners carried them out to the vehicles of customers who ordered them.
Source: Berkshire mont
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