Thanksgiving - A Family Together

 

The Pilgrims had the right idea in setting aside a day specifically for giving thanks and feasting. There's a pilgrim statue right here in Walpole. I went to visit him and thank him for being so astute and thinking ahead. Oh, I realize it wasn't really him though he's wearing one of those funky Pilgrim hats. His name is Lieutenant Lewis and he fought in Queen Anne's War in the early 18^th century … too late to be an actual Pilgrim. But maybe it was his parents or grandparents that played a role in setting aside the day. In fact, probably much of our history about the first Thanksgiving is myth, but I like to think the first colonists might have sat down with their Native American neighbors and just might have given thanks and feasted together. Rather naïve of me … and probably a fairy tale, but still a nice thought.

This Thanksgiving we are with my sister, Lin, and her family. David's brother, Paul, has flown in from Oklahoma to join us. Nick is home from college. Old family friends are joining us, too. Bea is doing well and she's all excited about today's feast … and the pies … and the card playing afterwards. It's a family tradition shared throughout the USA. This is not our whole family, of course. David's older sister , our youngest son and the grandkids are in Colorado. Our oldest son and his wife are in Washington, D.C. David's Mom and younger sister are in Las Vegas. The family is dispersed across the country. But there will be phone calls and Happy Thanksgiving texts throughout the day.

If there's one thing this year has taught us, it's that we must make the most of our time together with family and friends. You never know when there won't be a next time. So, we give thanks for the time we have had this year and toast those who are not with us. We give thanks for having this opportunity to be close and share a sumptuous feast. And we give thanks for all those pies!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. Not from the US? Have some pie anyway.

How Many Pies?

 

Each year Lucy, Lin's mother-in-law, makes pies for Thanksgiving dinner. She's a great cook and a particularly good pie maker. Around November 1st, she begins asking each of us what pie we'd like this year for Thanksgiving. If she forgets to ask, we bring up the subject. This is an important aspect of the Thanksgiving holidays.

When I say “pies” in the US, by the way, we automatically think dessert, versus Australia and New Zealand and Britain where “beef and kidney” come to mind. I've already blogged about those pies. I'm talking dessert, here … so let there be no misunderstanding. I'm definitely talking dessert.

This year Lin and I voted for coconut cream. David, of course, wanted pumpkin … it's traditional. Nick wanted cherry and Kerry wanted pecan. Bea likes apple best. Lucy usually throws in one or two extras for good measure. We've loaded up on fresh, heavy whipping cream and vanilla ice cream. Heaven forbid we go without on Thanksgiving.

Too much, maybe? Au contraire. On this day, in this house, after we give thanks, the big question is: How Many Pies?

Preparing for a Feast

 

Thanksgiving is just two days away. Lin is hosting this year and we've been discussing the dinner and its preparation for the past month. The supermarkets and stores are stocked with all the traditional foods and accompaniments and advertising to the hilt. There's lots to do to serve a special holiday dinner for 12 people without getting verklempt and all stressed out. The anticipation is half the fun. The other half is actually pulling it off without a hitch.

We're not quite sure the 23 pound turkey (11kg, yikes!) is going to fit in the oven, but we'll figure that out. Heck, I go through that every year on the boat with a turkey less than half that size. I usually end up taking my tape to the store with me to measure in advance. Our local wild turkeys have been scarce lately. They must have gotten the memo.

It's not just preparing and serving dinner itself, of course. It's the tablecloth and napkins, seating arrangements, flowers, candles and wine. It's washing all the special, rarely used china, polishing the silver and shining up the crystal. Everything needs to be just right. Setting a beautiful table makes the meal all that more enjoyable. It's creating a menu that's sure to please everyone at the table, even the curmudgeons. It's shopping here and shopping there to make sure we have all the ingredients … enough butter, enough cream, enough cranberries … and still forgetting something that was or was not on the grocery list, but is critical to the perfect feast. It's talking David into running back to the crowded store early on Thanksgiving morning to get the forgotten item and waiting patiently in line with all the other men who are doing exactly the same thing.

We've not celebrated Thanksgiving in the States for many years. We're usually on our boat and have friends aboard or go to someone else's boat for a feast. Sometimes we can't find cranberries or cranberry sauce and sometimes we can't even find a whole turkey and settle for drumsticks.

We've spent Thanksgiving in South America, New Zealand and Australia and introduced many people to our traditional Thanksgiving dinner custom. One Thanksgiving was spent at sea en route from Uruguay to South Africa. We had canned turkey and all the fixin's to remember the celebration … despite lumpy seas and rain in the South Atlantic. It's a celebration for us wherever we are.

So, here's this year's menu …

Honkin' big roast turkey with savory stuffing and lots of gravy

Mashed potatoes

Fresh green peas

Butternut squash

Carrots with turnip (rutabaga or Swedes for the folks down under)

Pickle/olive tray

Freshly made cranberry sauce

Hot Parker House rolls

Pinot grigio / Cabernet sauvignon

What have we forgotten? How are you celebrating Thanksgiving this year?

Dessert is a whole different story. More on that later.

Not from the USA? Alone on Thanksgiving? No problem … we'll set a place for you at our table.