Give thanks
In recent years, I’ve become quite the Thanksgiving Scrooge. It’s not my favorite holiday. It’s simply a meal whose traditional foods I do not enjoy (fowl, yams and pies).
Mind you, I have plenty of good memories of turkey and tofurkey of yore. And, I’m not one to shy away from the kitchen. I just don’t get into the anticipation and obsession of the ritual eats. I would love a social meal at any time during the year. I don’t need an national holiday to dictate one for me.
For the past few years, we’ve driven up to Eugene to C’s parents’ for the weekend. It’s always relaxing here and Janie loves her duty of protecting the yard from squirrels. I get a lot of knitting done and often have to make a dish. Good times all around.
Something clicked this year. Different. It was a great meal, even without a vegetarian turkey imposter. My gratin with mushrooms and celeriac sizzled. More importantly, I talked with everyone in my immediate family on the phone. I realize how much I really, really miss them. It would have been nice to share this meal with them. Even my brother that no one knows I have.
Not being a dessert guy, I gave one a whirl. I finally made the brown butter rice crispy treats from Smitten Kitchen. They weren’t as life-changing as their name would lead you to believe, but worth the attempt. I’d like to tweak them with more savory next time: sage perhaps?
I’m thankful for having a change of heart and looking forward to my next t-day. I’m thankful for my family, here and across the country.
But mostly, I’m thankful for butter.
November 26th, 2010 at 4:06 am
Glad to read you had a good experience this year. As we have spent a number of t-days with another family trying to eat healthily (and ending up with combinations such as cranberries with Splenda–don’t try it), I didn’t find the food quite what people talk it up to be. But this year we stayed home, each of us had a hand in the food without causing any major kitchen wars, and the food was especially good. I had the feeling that butter had come to visit this year, and I was satisfied.
November 26th, 2010 at 5:59 am
I considered using butter in my pies, but then decided it would just be gratuitous adding it on top of the half & half. Still, it was well represented. David made his traditional seitan dressing, which does have butter and which I think you might like, and we dined with our lesbian godmothers as usual at Wendy’s father’s house. It was cozy and low-key, the way it ought to be.
November 26th, 2010 at 6:06 am
I gave up counting the stitcks of butta after I topped out at 12 cups of sugar. Some things you just don’t need to know…hehe
November 29th, 2010 at 6:07 pm
With one set of parents in Portland and one in LA (and both wanting to call dibs on us), we decided to blow off driving and have a nice, quiet, long weekend at home in the Bay Area. (Who wants to drive all day with teenagers in the car? I mean, I love them dearly, but really!)
Glad your holiday turned out better than expected. Everything’s better with butter, right?
November 30th, 2010 at 5:15 pm
Are you from Buffalo NY? You wrote your family is from Western NY. I am from Buffalo with lots of family all over that area. I left when I was 20 years old but it took me 10 more years to make it to Northern Cali.