Father John Norman inspects ingredients for a white sauce he will prepare, while members of St. Peter's Christian Mothers boil large vats of water to prepare pasta for 125 diners.

"It's tricky," Norman said.

Norman and company will go through the process for the fourth time, Feb. 4, when the Ewing organization presents "Taste of Italy with Father John" at St. Dominic's Hall.

The annual winter event began in 2019, when Christian Mothers members began brainstorming ideas for "something to do in the lull of winter," according to Sarah Keegan, one of the organizers.

Since Norman attended seminary in Italy, members approached him about serving an Italian meal.

"We didn't want a fundraiser," Keegan said. "We wanted something fun in the dead of winter, after being hunkered down in snowstorms."

The event is a way to connect with a significant other or spouse, other couples or a group of best friends.

Norman said he learned how to make Italian dishes during his studies at Pontifical North American College in Rome.

He made suggestions for the menu. The challenge, for Norman, was how to cook for an entire hall of people.

Keegan said a lot of the prep work for the meal is done the day before the event.

Gelato is pre-dished and frozen. Onions are sautéd, sausage browned. Salad items are cleaned and prepped.

"Italians like to be precise about their pasta. We had to figure out how to do it on a large scale," Norman said.

The tricky part Norman mentioned: draining the pasta.

"We use a nylon screen," Norman said.

"We leave that piece to Father," Keegan said.

Over the years, the menu has not changed significantly. Keegan said two of Father's favorite Italian dishes are staples, including pasta with sausage in white sauce and sausages with peppers in red sauce.

"The recipes are in my head," Norman said.

Christian Mothers members have recorded notes through the years.

"We work as a team," Norman said.

A green salad and breadsticks accompany the entrées. For dessert, gelato - an Italian ice cream - is served.

Norman said his appreciation of Italian food grew when he was in Rome.

"Certain dishes there, I really liked and wanted to make sure I could bring home with me," Norman said. "If I had a craving for a plate of pasta, I could cook the recipe."

Norman and Keegan said they are able to locate most ingredients through Ewing Family Foods.

"Even the gelato we use," Norman said.

One year, 140 tickets were sold for the dinner.

"That was a bit much," Keegan said, noting most years they've averaged 120 tickets sold, a more workable number.

Norman said people come from all over for the experience.

"Some come from O'Neill, some from Elgin and Petersburg,"

he said.

The evening begins with beer or wine during a cocktail hour, followed by the meal.

"We have cheesy Italian music playing in the background," Keegan said.

And, there's a lot of conversation, another staple of Italian culture. They strongly like the idea of family and to be together in a group, to "have the table" for the evening, a lingering of sorts.

Norman said it's refreshing to spend an evening with friends, where you don't have to cook and just have the "experience of being."

"It's just a fun evening, a chance to extend the experience of being at the table and being part of a family," he said.