Pleased & Proud

By MICHELLE MCLEAN

Lillie, the lady of the house, would be so pleased.

Amos, the builder of the fine brick home, would be very proud.

The Plummers, turn-of-the-century residents of Hillsboro, were well-know for their hospitality — and their grand home.

Once

Ω a year, the 110-year-old mansion is decorated for the holidays in splendid Victorian style — no doubt with Lillie’s meticulous attention in mind. More than 250 guests are welcomed for a five -night “Christmas Extravaganza.” This year the house will be full Nov. 29 through Dec. 3, serving up a special holiday-themed dinner to nearly 50 guests per night.

It’s the kind of hospitality the Plummers were known for.

The prime rib holiday dinner is an annual fundraiser for the Traill County Historical Society and the Hillsboro Women’s Club. The Plummers’ former home is the historical society’s main museum, celebrating 40 years of preservation this season.

For the past 14 years, Marlene Diehl has taken charge of the dinners. With chief cooks — Duane and Shirley Nysveen — manning the stoves, the trio has turned to an army of volunteers to make the “extravaganza” live up to its name and reputation. This year the Nysveens have stepped out of the kitchen for health reasons and another well-respected cook — Ed Olsen — will be in charge of the beef.

With more than a decade of practice, the dinners follow a well-refined routine. Every worker knows his or her task — waiters and waitresses, salad decorators, dish washers, busboys, meat carvers, wine stewards and table setters.

Diners — many who return year after year — have come to expect an evening of festive fun and fabulous food — all played out in a seemingly magical place.

Diehl remembers things weren’t always perfect. The first Extravaganza almost flopped. The old house and its antiquated electrical system wasn’t up to the task. Dinner was mostly by candlelight when the breakers were tripped repeatedly. The “kitchen” was actually three kitchens in homes surrounding the museum with runners who transported food along paths shoveled in the snow.

As the dinners quickly gained popularity and support, the Plummer House basement was updated to provide a large kitchen, food prep area and dishwashing stations. The electrical system was given a much needed boost. The ambiance is no longer by accident.

Often unbeknownst the diners upstairs, an efficient kitchen crew of a dozen keeps the dishes filled each night and then washed for the next. Volunteers return year after year to be part of the camaraderie.

The menu is almost carved in stone — shrimp and artichoke appetizer, a unique green salad served with homemade brown bread, prime rib with twice baked stuffed potatoes, vegetable, fresh cranberry relish and capped off by cranberry steamed pudding topped with butter rum sauce flambe. The only variation each year is the choice of a “fancy” vegetable — ranging from Creole green beans to carrots Huntington to this year’s selection, corn broccoli bake.

Many of the recipes can be found in the museum’s cookbooks.

Each year the wine served with the dinner is donated by Happy Harry’s of Grand Forks.

Diehl insists the Plummer House meal rivals one served in any fine restaurant. “And you can’t beat this atmosphere,” she said.

Diehl relies on faithful volunteers like Joanne Jones to make sure all the details come together in perfect order each night. Jones keeps calm order in the basement while Diehl maintains the frenzy upstairs. It’s all the small, elegant touches that make the evening so special, Diehl says.

Carolers who greet guests on the porch each night.

The table prayer sung together before the meal is served.

Waiters and waitresses who serve with style and smiles.

Regular guests who relish the spirit of the night.

Newcomers who marvel at the Plummer House’s exquisite decor.

A nightly visit from Mrs. Claus and Mrs. Plummer.

Dessert served with singing and flames.

All-in-all it makes for an unforgettable evening.

Diehl says the dinners are more than a routine fundraiser — they show off the Plummer House at its best and celebrate the rich history of the mansion. It’s also a fruitful partnership with the Women’s Club, who donates its share of the proceeds to its sole community project — the Hillsboro High School Public Library.

Diehl is pleased that the Plummer House’s hospitality lives on and has gained notoriety far beyond Hillsboro.

Lillie and Amos would be proud.