Let's talk Turkey! (to eat, rapes, summer)

[Jungle George]

Turkey in the Straw - animated Flash ecard by Jacquie Lawson

[AmeriKenArtist]

My earliest memories of Thanksgiving were the aromas and warmth from the oven that began to fill the house, in contrast to the cold, leafless "outside." Family members arriving one car at a time. Chatter that emanated from the kitchen. Dinner finally began with the shuffling of chairs and the clinking of spoons in bowls and onto plates. Everyone jockeying for position. TV trays for those who preferred the darker, more comfortable living room-meal-position. The blur of endless football flashing blue light on dozing men, while quiet talk mixed with dishes in the sink.....

[househuntinginPA]

Our particular "tradition" is the fact that we have to sit down as a family and watch "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" the night before Thanksgiving. For all the years we have watched it, we still laugh.My boys ( age 17 and 21) will tell you that the best part of Thanksgiving for them is to wake up to the wonderful smell of a turkey roasting in the oven. I thank God every single day for all of my blessings; the greatest being my family. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!!

[W-B proud]

Originally Posted by AmeriKenArtist

My earliest memories of Thanksgiving were the aromas and warmth from the oven that began to fill the house, in contrast to the cold, leafless "outside." Family members arriving one car at a time. Chatter that emanated from the kitchen. Dinner finally began with the shuffling of chairs and the clinking of spoons in bowls and onto plates. Everyone jockeying for position. TV trays for those who preferred the darker, more comfortable living room-meal-position. The blur of endless football flashing blue light on dozing men, while quiet talk mixed with dishes in the sink.....

That was nicely said. It painted a wonderful picture of the traditional Thanksgiving feast.

[lialleycat]

My Nana was the one that hosted Thanksgiving when I was young. My Mom worked at the hospital and would work Thanksgiving and New Years Eve in order to have Christmas off. Hospitals don't close. My little brother and I would stay at Nana and Papa's and 'help' with the preparations and serve the drinks my Papa would mix for the guests. Sometimes we'd get a dime as a tip! Remember when you could actually buy something with a dime! LOL! I think serving drinks and passing out appetizers was a ruse to keep us out of the kitchen and out of my Nana's way. Either that or to keep us from eating all the olives, though we'd still manage to make a big dent in them!

Before the big day, I remember helping wash, dry and set out the special plates and glasses. Feeling really grown up and important since I was allowed to help with such special things. Cooking started at least a week in advance. Being an Italian family and with vegetarian family members, in addition to the Turkey and all the trimmings, there was lasagna, baked ziti and often an eggplant parmigiana. We could have fed the entire neighborhood in addition to the family! I got my love of cooking for people from my Nana and I always cook way too much too! I miss those holidays. When my Nana and Papa moved to Florida after they retired, the family split up and went to other places for Thanksgiving dinner. No one was able to take over the job of feeding such a large group of people. Just one more time I'd like to recreate the grandure of a big family meal like that again.

[AmeriKenArtist]

This time of the year, from Thanksgiving until Christmas is a bittersweet time of the year for many. (I have my share of reasons!)Then we have the January White Sales! (Thanks W-B)

[LusOnlyVoice]

I remember growing up ... the shopping for this day ... we would all make the trip to the store to pick out the perfect turkey ... for some reason my father had to have a butterball ... nothing else would do ... and my mother would have to find the biggest one as Turkey is a family favorite ... I imagine that putting on this feast was not easy for them ... when I think about it now as they didn't have much money ... we were poor ... yet we ... in my opinion were the richest as we had the things that money could not buy ...

My mother would search for the perfect head of cabbage ... her coleslaw was the best ... we had to have the biggest Rutabaga that could be found because her mashed rutabaga was the best ... and god love her she attempted to make homemade cranberry sauce once or twice ... but we revolted as we just loved the canned stuff ... still do actually. There is nothing like seeing that cranberry sauce in the shape of the can cut in half and then sliced ... I don't know why but for some reason I do not feel that it is thanksgiving unless that is on my table ... LOL ... Don't forget the ingredients for the stuffing ... I was in charge of tearing up the bread for her stuffing ... I thought that I was something ... felt real important ... as I got older I also got the job of watching over the celery and onion as they cooked with the sage ... it had to be just right and not overcooked ... I'm afraid that I didn't perform this task very well in the beginning ... And the mashed potato's ... she would do 10 pounds ... because you plan on so many people to be there .... but you never know when you will have a few extras ... so you better be prepared!

My father was charged with the cooking of the turkey ... after it had been properly stuffed ... he would watch over that bird all night long ... basting it with loving care ... you see it had to cook all night long in order to be ready for the dinner table at 1:30 PM ... it still to this day amazes me that they were able to pull off such a dinner at this early time of day ... It takes me (no matter what time I start) until at least 3:00 PM ... I just can't seem to pull it together any earlier.

My father would have to "test the bird" ... as soon as it was removed from the oven ... he would pull off the wings (nobody else wanted them) ... and eat them up ... and I remember after we all had grown up ... living in our own homes ... as soon as we each removed our birds from the oven ... we called him so that he could come and test our birds. It became a tradition ... and I miss it ...

When dinner was over ... and all was cleaned up ... we then would begin making our rounds to the houses of the Aunts ... at some we would simply have desert ... but I remember that when we made it to a certain Aunts' house ... which was usually our last stop of the evening ... she would insist that we have turkey sandwiches and a slice of her pumpkin pie. We would then return home ... knowing that we ate enough to feed a small army that day ... and what would we do ... we would sit down to a slice of my mothers Pumpkin Chiffon Pie ... What a day ... it was all centered around family and friends ... sharing a meal and good times ...

Now ... it does not seem that families are as close as they once were ... I knew growing up who my cousins were ... and were talking first cousins up to 3rd and the ones that are once removed ... but people today are lucky if they know their first cousins as families are just not as close.

Anyway that is a Thanksgiving Memory that I have ... I hope I have not bored you!

[Jungle George]

Originally Posted by LusOnlyVoice

Anyway that is a Thanksgiving Memory that I have ... I hope I have not bored you!

That was a wonderful story Lus!! Thank you!!

[Summering]

Thanksgiving ......Very much a "family affair" with the "turkey" being the Star....
We'd bundle up the three little girls and off we'd go to the other end of town. The lake area would be quiet now, the hustle and festiveness of the summer now over. The lake, being private, would only have one family there now, my parents. The only all-season home in the community.
The one lane road would be lined with birch trees and we'd follow the lake path until almost the very end, passing all the small summer cabins along the way. All now peacefully quiet as the summer season was behind us and winter drew near.
The smell of the wood in the stone fireplace welcomed us in, to the tall
grey home on the end of the road.......When we'd enter the turkey smell was certainly in the air. Pop would be there with his cigar in his mouth, and newspaper in front of his face. The rest of the family would slowly arrive, and we all brought a contribution to the family meal.
Me, usually handing over the bottle of Cream White Concord Wine.......
We always had a player piano. So many times we'd be peddling the musical rolls and singing our hearts out. At one time we had a very old and antique model, later on improving to a newer updated style. That was fun.

The feast would end with Apple Pie and Pumpkin Pie, and my Dad smiling about the new apple salad dish I had just learned to make........
For many years I had to make it just for him and my Mom, no one else seemed to like it as much. I miss making that apple salad........

I no longer have my Mom and Dad........But, I try to do things as they would. The Macy's Thanksgiving Parade on TV as it was in all the years I've known........looking for Santa's arrival at the very end. A must!
Now we enjoy our festive meal by the fireplace, we talk of Christmas and of shopping, and trees........we play games and laugh.
Thanksgiving is a memory kind of day........and Memories always feel good.

[W-B proud]

Originally Posted by Chefkey

I remember when I made my first Turkey, I was single and living alone but my Mom and Bro chose to come out and let me do the honor. I used some kind of product like Stove Top for the stuffing and the bird was done way early because I set the oven too high. Then my Mom found the Gizzards and such still in the cavity as I had no idea they were there. Then, a year later I remember knowing what to do but living in Philly in a studio and getting a free Turkey from my job. I carried that sucker on the bus and then had to use a chair to force the oven closed to keep the air in. The oven was tiny and barely fit the bird but it did cook and I even made soup from the body. A Chef Buddy of mine still busts on me about the small place I had and how I managed to cook an 18 pound bird in a half oven.

I will be cooking a Turkey this year for us but it is after many many tries professionally so I guess I better not mess it up

Come on Chefkey, we all know you are a chef by trade! Now fork over the secret recipes and cooking tips!