And a side of fame … The St. Joe Store café serves potatoes, chicken and, of course, the “national championship” in Pelote. Pronounced “puh-loot,” this card game is a variation of seven-point pitch. Since the town was settled by French-Canadian Catholics in 1874, St. Joseph wisdom says the game might be related to a similar card game in Quebec, a variation of “belote” called “boeuf.” The oldest resident in St. Joseph recalls the game being played in the early 1900s … and even then it was a tradition. Building on this legacy, the café started hosting Pelote tournaments. As many as two dozen people continue to show up on Pelote nights to play with two teams of two at each table. A customized trophy is awarded to the “National Pelote” champion of St. Joseph, Kansas. Start brushing up on your game because tournament dates, along with the café menu, are posted on the St. Joe Store Facebook page.
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Sunflower living spring 2014
Jolene Girard prepares homemade mashed potatoes at the St. Joe Store café. Girard and her husband converted the building, a former store, into an insurance office and then into a café when they realized the office was becoming a town gathering spot.