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Home » Culinary Connection

Culinary Connection

Sunset Dinner at the Reagan Library
By Gerry Furth-Sides

The dinner setting, complete with place cards and beribboned chairs in the cavernous formal Air Force One Pavilion at the Reagan Library is nothing if not ceremonial. But the recent "Reagan Country Western Round Up" dinner turned out to be every bit as casual fun as it was festive. In fact, it was so popular the first two years it was presented, this barbeque dinner with square dancing and line dancing became an annual event in the summer sunset dinner series open to the public.

Dinner at the White House itself could not be more accommodating, with a highway- close site and free parking and a welcoming committee at the front door, passing out neckerchiefs and big smiles.

The library was open to explore, and on the way to the dining area, we stopped in at the replica of the "oval office" to listen to the room's history.

Nothing is short of dramatic at the library and the dinners are no exception. Appetizers were served in the walled in patio area looking out over the wide Conejo Valley. Especially as the sun sets, it is easy to see why this scene inspired the Reagans to establish the library on the hillside. Architects and landscapers fit the buildings in seamlessly with the undulating hillside that in summer sport so many shades of bright yellow and green.

While each table was festively set for ten with lemonade and water pitchers in the middle, glasses of lemonade spiked with Jack Daniels ($6), the special drink of the evening, were offered at the western bar on one side of the room, where a variety of beers were also available.

Even at dusk with temperatures hovering in the mid-90's, the air was intoxicating and the feeling extended indoors because the north side of the room is all glass.

The Doowah Riders band played lively western music throughout the evening from their raised platform overlooking a large wooden dance floor. From beginning to end Line dancing and square dancing exhibitions and lessons and folks just having a grand old time waltzing filled that floor. A local square dance group, 62 members in full crinoline skirt or cowboy shirt costume, were just as encouraging as they could be to get people up and moving.

Two buffets, one at either end of the room, each spanned the entire length of the walls.

At one end they held fresh greens and veggies for a farmer salad. A variety of cut up melons and strawberries and blackberries were nearby with which to make up individual fruit salads.

Attendants continually refreshed huge chafers filled with perfectly seasoned, grilled barbeque chicken breasts, tasty and oh-so tender barbecue beef brisket and almost buttery soft barbeque pulled pork. Hot and medium barbeque sauces were ready and waiting next to the meats. All the fixin's for the barbeque came next: three kinds of Texas-style chili beans, dressed in sauce plus cheddar cheese and chive mashed potatoes, garlic bread and corn bread . The dessert buffets were just as sumptuous and gave a true indication of the quality food. Real cream in bottles for the coffee! Real whipped cream for the huge pans of homemade apple crumble, peanut butter fudge brownies and oversized chocolate chip cookies. And, oh yes, there was a large tub of vanilla bean ice cream and caramel sauce for sundaes.

It was easy to forget how much you ate because a friendly serving staff swiftly cleared plates. Actually, if you were lingering over a course, you better watch out! The buffet-table staff were knowledgeable and friendly, and happy and able to answer questions about everything they were serving.

As people walked to their cars in the lot, they lingered in the drive and on the benches to savor the last of an evening that sped by so fast, many wearing or holding the gift neckerchiefs that will always be a reminder of the good time. Truly it is an dinner that adds up to so much more than the sum of its parts.

The Reagan Library is located at 40 Presidential Drive, Simi Valley. Special prices for children under 10.

For information and reservations:
(805) 577-4118 or:
www.reaganlibrary.com.

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