mulligan stew
Said to have originated in hobo camps during the early 1900s, mulligan stew is a sort of catch-all dish of whatever is available. It usually contains meat, potatoes and vegetables in just about any combination. The name indicates that its origins might come from Irish Stew, but it’s also often compared to Kentucky Burgoo. The cook at a hobo camp responsible for putting this tasty concoction together was called a “mulligan-mixer.”

© Copyright Barron’s Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD LOVER’S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

…”a catch-all dish”…sort of like life…a spoonful of this, a sprinkle of that, a heaping of whatever might be found in our cupboard of circumstances at the time…perhaps something light and pleasing to the palate that goes down without an ounce of pain or maybe something meatier that takes a little more diligence to digest…

To be sure, there will always be plenty to pull out of our life’s pantry as long as we are on this earth.  May we strive to make our own particular pot of “Mulligan Stew” a sweet aroma to the One who stocks the shelves of our life with all things necessary to do so.