Sour Beef, Church Basements: It Must Be Fall In Baltimore

There's a magical Baltimore eating establishment that has nothing to do with a restaurant or family and friends' homes. This time of the year, I crave the church kitchen and those sour beef dinners produced by the hard labors of unheralded volunteer hands.

Be warned. This is a difficult date. You must plan ahead; you must not postpone; there can be tiresome lines. And, most of all, you have to like sour beef and dumplings, maybe side dishes of green beans or red cabbage, all served on disposable plates.

I grew up in the best of circumstances with two grandmothers, as well as a pair of great aunts, who were both proud of their sour beef. When that generation died, my mother put the kettle on. She loved vinegar and spices, so the result was not bad. One year she tried a variant, sour venison. We called it sour deer, and it was pretty tasty, too. The dumplings could go either way, success or failure. My brother Eddie now does the honors.

I really enjoy seeking out the old neighborhoods and their revered churches. I love seeing happy Baltimoreans on a fall afternoon or evening. They assemble at folding tables and sit on uncomfortable stacking chairs. They really put it away. Despite the bad acoustics associated with church basements, they discuss the old times and argue whether the sour beef gravy is as good as what Mother made.

It's a day to reminisce about revered restaurants named Schellhase, Winterling, Haussner, Baum, Hollander, Horn and Horn, and Munder. I've come to believe there really is no bad sour beef and dumpling dinner, provided someone else is in the kitchen.

There is also a culture associated with these dinners. There are side tables of goodies and homemade items and church cookbooks. Last year, at the Zion Lutheran Church event, I lapsed into an affectation at the wine bar, which had been stocked with a tasty riesling.

I said to the volunteer seller, "I'll have the riesling." She replied, "I don't know what you are talking about. It's red or white there." I didn't stop at one glass.

The dinners can be difficult to know about because they are so local. I try to compile a list and have relied on readers to help me:

* St. John Lutheran Church, 226 Washburn Ave. at Third Street in Brooklyn. Dinner served from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 17.

* St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, 110 Sudbrook Lane in Pikesville, 5:30 p.m. Oct. 24. Reservations required by calling 410-486-5400.

* United Evangelical (Batz) Church, 3200 Dillon St. in Canton. Oktoberfest, noon to 5 p.m. Oct. 25.

* Zion Lutheran Church, Lexington and Holliday streets, opposite City Hall. From 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28; lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 29, which will be followed by a second event, the Bavarian beer hall, from 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

* St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church, Baltimore Street and Lakewood Avenue, Patterson Park. Noon to 4 p.m. Nov. 1.