And now for something completely different.
This is not a political rant.
This is not something about adoption.
This--is about food.
I'm making Thanksgiving dinner this year.
I've been watching a lot of food network. Reading a lot of Pinterest. and I have a rant.
I am tired of food snobbiness when it comes to home cooking.
I really am.
It's so off the cuff. "What like you're going to make franks in blankets for an appetizer?" Since it's on a web page I can't actually see the wrinkled nose or the "ewww" look that I saw every day in high school. It's implied though.
Yes. Yes I am. Moreover, if I didn't, there would be a revolt at my house by my husband, my daughter, and my father. I think that my dad would rather be without the turkey than the hot dogs in blankets.
Shall I continue? Of course.
I'm also serving sweet potato kugel (pudding)--yep, there will be marshmallows on top.
I'm also serving the green bean casserole. With canned cream of mushroom soup because I've never tasted anything better that it didn't take me for f**king ever to make.
So many articles I've read have had their guns blazing for these simple recipes you'd think that they were accused of sexual harassment. To be fair one article had a variation on the sweet potato pudding for people who aren't hosting over eight people and I plan to try that on a night when I'm not hosting so many people.
You know what? The last time I made this dinner there were hardly any leftovers. You know why? Because my guests ate those dishes that all of a sudden people are saying "ewww." You know why these are "classics"? Because people eat them and enjoy them.
If you're going to a fancy restaurant for Thanksgiving dinner and you don't want these dishes, don't order them. If you've been invited to a person's home, don't eat what you don't want to eat. Offer to bring something to serve. But that "ewww" look? That "this isn't fancy enough" sniff? That's uncivil and antithetic to what this holiday is about.
Be thankful you have a relative or friend who invited you to their home.
Be thankful that you are fed enough that you can decide what you want to eat or don't want to eat.
Be thankful that you're in a warm place.
Unless a rat crawls out of the turkey and bites you on your nose, say to your host, "Thank you, what a lovely dinner."
If a rat crawls out of the turkey---well tell about it!
Wishing you a happy thanksgiving with plentiful, good food.
Wishing you a happy thanksgiving with no awkward political conversations.
Wishing you enough in your life that gratitude is your default position.
Happy Thanksgiving.
P.S. What would your family have a fit about if it wasn't on the Thanksgiving table.
People get really passionate about their traditional recipes. A few years ago in one of my online groups, there was a real fight about stuffing. The surface split was cooked in or outside the bird (yes, I know if you cook it outside it's supposed to be called dressing, but that just sounds like something to put on salad), but the real split was gushy v. crunchy. There were insults and implications aimed in both directions about the intelligence, morality, and humanity of those on the other side. And I don't think they were all "in fun," something that strikes me as odd - my reaction to the "Ewww - crunchy" was "More for me then!"
ReplyDeleteMy cousin has taken over Thanksgiving (so she and her husband are making it with a 3 1/2 week old baby...), so I'm not 100% sure what they're making other than turkey, crunchy stuffing, and mashed potatoes. When my parents did Thanksgiving, there were also turnips, homemade cranberry sauce, and something green (usually broccoli or snow peas, sometimes the bane of my existence - string beans, which I've hated so long and so intensely it's part of family lore) steamed until bright green and still slightly crunchy.
First course Thursday will be shrimp cocktail (which my parents are making - taking a little pressure off of Joe and Alma), one of our go-to first courses (the other is soup). My mom is allergic to seafood and I don't eat soup, so that meant there was someone to get the main course on the table while everyone else was eating.
Ok, I should apologize and keep this in mind for the future - I've definitely been guilty of thinking (though not saying) some equivalent of this about not 500% from scratch dishes. Though in my case, I'm the one who hosts thanksgiving and it's something I love and I really look forward to cooking for it each year. So I've faced the opposite where I can get criticism for working from scratch. To each his own :)
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you that "Thank you, this was a lovely meal" is the only acceptable thing to say to your host. Especially when you're being so gracious to invite them and include them.
I'm also an everything-from-scratch cook, but that's also how I grew up. One grandmother was a lethal chef (beyond sitcom bad), the other one was an uninspired box-of-this-and-can-of-that cook who didn't really like it. So my dad learned how to order from Horn & Hardart's and my mom learned to cook from a neighbor who was a FABULOUS from-scratch cook. I got interested in cooking from a very young age and worshiped Julia Child as a preschooler.
ReplyDeleteA holiday meal stresses me out.All the best to you!
ReplyDeleteGo, go, go with the rant!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm firmly of the opinion that when you are invited to someone's home, you thank them for the food they provide. It doesn't matter if it's from scratch or out of a box. Frankly, there are people who attempt the from-scratch approach who really should be going from the box and there are dishes that are meant to use the canned stuff, perfected for that composition. Regardless, they prepared it. They put in their time and energy and that should be thanked.
And anyone who spends their waking hours fighting over stuffing is BORED. Seriously, get thee to a food shelter and help out. Or go spend time at a senior center, running classes. Or consider a career change. Just don't fight over stuffing, unless it's deemed contaminated with pathogenic microbes or toxic mushrooms that will result in a trip to the hospital.
Two of the most involved in the fight were unemployed at the time. Read into that as you will.
DeleteAs for the invitations, it's a two way street - when I invite people over, I get an idea of what their likes and dislikes are and take that into account when planning my menu. I don't make anything I don't like - but I make sure that there are enough dishes so that the people who have dietary restrictions or simply don't like something won't feel deprived. There's no obligation to sample every dish - particularly at a big holiday meal where there are usually so many choices. Even when I like everything on the table, I often pass on one or two because of the amount of food and number of choices.
Hear, hear!
ReplyDeleteJust asked the not-so-lil one what was important to be on the table. Number one - my turkey! After that, green bean casserole (canned mushroom soup, canned onion rings, frozen french style green beans, american cheese - yum!), my stuffing (Stove Top with the volume turned up), and mashed potatoes (which I know my mom-in-law gets from the deli at the store). However from scratch other necessities - my cranberry conserve and my fruitcake - both from scratch and there will be no leftovers!
lol! I like this post, it's funny and true!
ReplyDelete