what is patriotism but the love of the food one ate as a child?

[ironymaiden]

unlike many folks in the US, my family Thanksgiving was not traditionally a home-cooked meal. we took it as a true day off - no cooking or doing dishes for anyone in the family. we always went out (and we didn't eat out very often, so it was a big treat). i would say that nothing will be right about Thanksgiving this year, but that is untrue.

it's still feeling like a holiday:

• i felt oddly comforted by moving the cold drinks out of the fridge and onto the balcony to make room for the turkey and sides. this ritual, of using the outdoors as extra cold space around an event recalls my childhood.


• an apple pie is in the oven. i still think of pie as my mother's domain, but (like knitting) i've found my own style and it is a thing i do well, but not the same. the smell of apple pie is the smell of family.


• we have a magic box of turkey and sides from the good grocery store, so i'm still not having to slave all day in the kitchen tomorrow or do a ton of dishes. i'm going to have a lot of stuffing and gravy in my future.*

*and i'll be making turkey stock, something you don't get to have when you get the buffet at Ray's. does it make up for the freshly-shucked oysters and the salmon and the prime rib while the sun sets into the sound? let's pretend it does.

Comments

[annofowlshire]

Whereas it was opposite for me—it and Christmas (which had an identical menu) were the closest thing to homecooked meals and eating as a family at the table my father ever did.

But now I make homecooked meals and we eat at the table every day, so maybe I should do Thanksgiving as a day of rest! XD

[garyomaha]

It all sounds delicious, including the freshly-shucked oysters and the salmon and the prime rib...which aren't traditionally served for this holiday in Omaha. :) Happy Thanksgiving!

[helvetica]

I hope that you have a really lovely day :) It's nice to grow your own traditions and see holidays take shape around you. This year I made my own turkey and stuff and I just made so much gravy it was unholy and I loved it because it was ALL OURS

[yourlibrarian]

We always did have a home cooked meal but thankfully we sometimes used it as a day for treat foods (I remember one year we did sukiyaki). I've rarely ever eaten a traditional meal as an adult, but I've also never cooked for it. It is usually a day of leftovers of food I picked up the day before. A few years ago I remember we got pizza since it was open locally!

[varina8]

Happy Thanksgiving! Tomorrow I'll be enjoying a second meal from my boxed turkey dinner. Hope you and C had a beautiful day and lots of yummy leftovers.