BRATTLEBORO — Jeanne Deyo says she always wanted to help in a soup kitchen.
So the minute a former minister of the First Baptist Church suggested that the congregation host one, Deyo was committed.
“We saw a need,” she says.
The weekly meal was named in honor of Deyo's grandmother, Grace Thomas Deyo Wood, who died one month shy of her 100th birthday on May 21, 2006.
“She would make something out of nothing,” Deyo remembers of her grandmother's cooking.
In Deyo's opinion, the kitchen's successful meals were the ones where everyone was fed and there were no leftovers.
Grace's rarely provided takeout meals. People who are homeless have a hard time storing food, she points out.
The most popular meals at Grace's Kitchen were the comfort foods, says Deyo.
“You think you've got to put on a spread, but you don't,” she said.
Some of the favorites Deyo remembers included:
• Venison meatballs.
• Boxed macaroni and cheese (for homemade mac and cheese, though, Deyo loved when the kitchen received donations from Grafton Village Cheese.)
• Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup.
• And Grandma Grace's “Must Go Soup.” Here's the recipe:
Grace's “Must Go” Soup
1. Put soup pot on stove.
2. Open refrigerator and identify items - protein, veggies, and/or pasta - that “must go.”
3. Put “must go” ingredients into soup pot.
4. Cover with water or broth.
5. Season to taste.
6. Simmer until “must go” ingredients are one happy soup.
Serves: as many as needed.