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December 3, 2020RACEHORSE SYRUP: Many of our former alumni fondly recall the taste of a dining room staple for many of their years. We dug into our archives to learn more about "Racehorse" syrup and this Subiaco tradition. What was referred to by this name varied over the course of 50 years. In the early years, this syrup was made by the monks from sorghum (or sorgo) grass stalks that they grew and harvested. This produced a syrup which today is known as molasses. It was served usually on Sundays and was known to “race through you like a racehorse” which is where it got its name. The students also mixed this with butter which was also made by the monks from our own Subiaco cows. In later years, the syrup would be Griffin's Waffle Syrup (an Oklahoma company that began making this syrup in 1930), would often still be mixed with butter, and would be available every morning for breakfast. The bread varied between biscuits made by the sisters, bread produced in our own bakery, or toast. The students would get a sixth of a square of butter to mix, while other students would use peanut butter as well (government issued creamy). The ingredients could be whipped together with the flat of a table knife into a creamy consistency which could be spread thickly onto the bread. This syrup was especially appreciated on Sundays when students were served the Sunday sausage “dogs” made from our own hog operation on our Farm.
