Thanks for your very kind comments, Lisa. I really do love the foods of Thanksgiving too, even if I don't always like the particular preparation I'm tasting. It's the idea of food standing for traditions and bringing people together at the table that is most appealing to me, no matter the ethnic or national origin of the particular dishes. I think shortcuts are just fine; I wish I just wish I knew more of them, especially when planning large holiday gatherings!😅A very Happy Thanksgiving to you too, Lisa!
My Italian mother really embraced Thanksgiving, I'm not sure why. Possibly because she loved to cook (and was marvelous at it). She always bought the turkey from a farm in NJ and stuffed it with a savory stuffing of bread, sausage, and chestnuts. The sides were all Italian ~ braised rapini, cauliflower and cured olives, sweet & sour cabbage ~ at least until my sister started making sweet potatoes and apples (which we loved). I miss my mom's cooking every day. We have begun to experience the holiday "attrition," with parents gone and kids now grown. Bittersweet. Thanks for your lovely post.
I have really fond memories of Thanksgiving and it remains one of my favorite days of the year. I love the recipes associated with Thanksgiving, even if I take short cuts some years and buy premade. Your writing is beautiful and I love that you brought in Judy’s writing, too. I’ve always loved that Norman Rockwell painting, but the image you shared via BA - yes! That’s how I feel before a big party sometimes. Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!
I love Thanksgiving. I grew up in a traditional family and Mom "did everything". She made a wonderful spread and it was always great. Alas, it also was always the same with little variation. The very best of life is to take a bit of the past and invent the future. Our first Thanksgiving as newlyweds were with friends also "stranded in California" and far from home. We all made our favorite sides and it seemed almost a little sad as the sharing a bit of everything seemed to suffer. We actually dropped the turkey and it fractured a bit. As years went by all of our holidays within our family have migrated to everyone contributing and sharing. Sometimes more people, sometimes less. The flexibility it brings is nice. Maybe the turkey is a little different than you might favor. Maybe the dressing is not quite what you remember. The wonder of it all is the variation and flexibility rubs off on everyone and that becomes part of the fun. It is a bit like a wedding wish, something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Just my opinion. I remember later in life when my Mom had started actually making cranberry sauce rather than the absurd candied jelly. Of course it was better. That is the opportunity we get when we are flexible and change. Your memory of going out for Thanksgiving might just turn out to be a blast. Happy Holidays.
A lot of good memories of past thanksgivings, even if the sizes of the gatherings have grown smaller! Makes you even more grateful for the times you get to spend with those remaining! 🦃❤️
I love the Doris Lee image. I have fond memories of the big Thanksgiving dinners prepared by my grandmother and my mother. I also remember the stress to make everything "perfect". It's hard to get everything on the table while still hot. I can relate to the shrinking numbers around the table as I will be cooking for just four of us. Your cranberry and raspberry sauce sounds delicious. Enjoy dining out and happy Thanksgiving, Ruth!
My Thanksgiving memories are similar to Judy's - no special childhood Thanksgivings that I recall, but 30 years of fabulous ones in Los Angeles! Many friends with their parents and children all of whom were more like family and none of them close by any longer. I do miss those wonderful gatherings, but I'm grateful for my good health and the love of my close friends and family here.
I found it hard to connect with Thanksgiving as a British teen, new to California. My best friend took me to her large family celebration, nothing fancy. I remember Grandma and her determination that nobody leave hungry, offering post-meal sandwiches to people lying prostrate in front of the football on TV, groaning, while all the women tried to get Grandma to have a sit down, with no luck. It took me a long time to realize that this was a woman who had come from Arkansas during the Depression, and for whom feeding her whole family as much as-or more than-they wanted was a life's dream come true. It was a lovely gathering.
Thank you for this lovely heartfelt piece. I enjoyed it very much. We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving here in Australia, so I’m always interested in how and why Americans (and Canadians) get together and eat all that food! I agree that these special events can be fraught and lonely for many people. Happy Thanksgiving Ruth.
Oh sure. I recall routinely eating so much that I had to lie down on my bed on my back, because my stomach was so full. When I got older I had the ability to inhale a complete Shoprite pumpkin pie on my own (my mother wasn't into baking). Very fast metabolism which meant I never gained any weight.
Thanks for your very kind comments, Lisa. I really do love the foods of Thanksgiving too, even if I don't always like the particular preparation I'm tasting. It's the idea of food standing for traditions and bringing people together at the table that is most appealing to me, no matter the ethnic or national origin of the particular dishes. I think shortcuts are just fine; I wish I just wish I knew more of them, especially when planning large holiday gatherings!😅A very Happy Thanksgiving to you too, Lisa!
My Italian mother really embraced Thanksgiving, I'm not sure why. Possibly because she loved to cook (and was marvelous at it). She always bought the turkey from a farm in NJ and stuffed it with a savory stuffing of bread, sausage, and chestnuts. The sides were all Italian ~ braised rapini, cauliflower and cured olives, sweet & sour cabbage ~ at least until my sister started making sweet potatoes and apples (which we loved). I miss my mom's cooking every day. We have begun to experience the holiday "attrition," with parents gone and kids now grown. Bittersweet. Thanks for your lovely post.
Beautiful and poignant post, Ruth. I miss making stuffing with my Mom. ❤️
I have really fond memories of Thanksgiving and it remains one of my favorite days of the year. I love the recipes associated with Thanksgiving, even if I take short cuts some years and buy premade. Your writing is beautiful and I love that you brought in Judy’s writing, too. I’ve always loved that Norman Rockwell painting, but the image you shared via BA - yes! That’s how I feel before a big party sometimes. Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!
Perhaps a new tradition, one of your fruitcakes for Judy’s birthday cake?
I love Thanksgiving. I grew up in a traditional family and Mom "did everything". She made a wonderful spread and it was always great. Alas, it also was always the same with little variation. The very best of life is to take a bit of the past and invent the future. Our first Thanksgiving as newlyweds were with friends also "stranded in California" and far from home. We all made our favorite sides and it seemed almost a little sad as the sharing a bit of everything seemed to suffer. We actually dropped the turkey and it fractured a bit. As years went by all of our holidays within our family have migrated to everyone contributing and sharing. Sometimes more people, sometimes less. The flexibility it brings is nice. Maybe the turkey is a little different than you might favor. Maybe the dressing is not quite what you remember. The wonder of it all is the variation and flexibility rubs off on everyone and that becomes part of the fun. It is a bit like a wedding wish, something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Just my opinion. I remember later in life when my Mom had started actually making cranberry sauce rather than the absurd candied jelly. Of course it was better. That is the opportunity we get when we are flexible and change. Your memory of going out for Thanksgiving might just turn out to be a blast. Happy Holidays.
I love homemade cranberry sauce on ice cream. Also love it on those sandwiches made with leftover turkey.
A lot of good memories of past thanksgivings, even if the sizes of the gatherings have grown smaller! Makes you even more grateful for the times you get to spend with those remaining! 🦃❤️
Thanks for including my words into your lovely post. I'm looking forward to our meal out...pies are included.
Once again, a wonderful column. As always, your (and your MIL's) memories brought back my own.
I have loads of memories of all sizes. This post was so packed with love, flavor and memories. Thank you!
I love the Doris Lee image. I have fond memories of the big Thanksgiving dinners prepared by my grandmother and my mother. I also remember the stress to make everything "perfect". It's hard to get everything on the table while still hot. I can relate to the shrinking numbers around the table as I will be cooking for just four of us. Your cranberry and raspberry sauce sounds delicious. Enjoy dining out and happy Thanksgiving, Ruth!
My Thanksgiving memories are similar to Judy's - no special childhood Thanksgivings that I recall, but 30 years of fabulous ones in Los Angeles! Many friends with their parents and children all of whom were more like family and none of them close by any longer. I do miss those wonderful gatherings, but I'm grateful for my good health and the love of my close friends and family here.
I found it hard to connect with Thanksgiving as a British teen, new to California. My best friend took me to her large family celebration, nothing fancy. I remember Grandma and her determination that nobody leave hungry, offering post-meal sandwiches to people lying prostrate in front of the football on TV, groaning, while all the women tried to get Grandma to have a sit down, with no luck. It took me a long time to realize that this was a woman who had come from Arkansas during the Depression, and for whom feeding her whole family as much as-or more than-they wanted was a life's dream come true. It was a lovely gathering.
Thank you for this lovely heartfelt piece. I enjoyed it very much. We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving here in Australia, so I’m always interested in how and why Americans (and Canadians) get together and eat all that food! I agree that these special events can be fraught and lonely for many people. Happy Thanksgiving Ruth.
Oh sure. I recall routinely eating so much that I had to lie down on my bed on my back, because my stomach was so full. When I got older I had the ability to inhale a complete Shoprite pumpkin pie on my own (my mother wasn't into baking). Very fast metabolism which meant I never gained any weight.