Dear Liza,
I remember my Momma, your great grandma Billie, making wonderful Thanksgiving feasts for family and friends. It seemed to me that it all happened effortlessly, but I was a pretty clueless child. I now realize how many shopping trips and hours of preparation went into those feasts.
It has taken me many years to realize that as delicious as the feasts were, it was not just the food that made them special. It was the being together and the feeling of being completely surrounded by fun and love. And cousins…. Lots and lots of cousins.
And I love Great Grandma Billie’s turkey platter more than I love roasting the turkey that goes on it!
I have figured out that a giant bird on the table is a Norman Rockwell image, not my ideal dinner.
So my Thanksgiving dinner this year, though still special, looks different than my Momma’s. I will making turkey, but just the thighs, because that’s the part we like, and the proteins will include bratwurst sausage for Kestrel and roasted tofu for Douglas. I have mixed sweet apple-y mincemeat and gluten free walnut shelled tarts for Auntie Bridgett as well as pinwheel cookies for Grandpa Nelson.
Auntie Katie has promised bread (she and Cousin Kestrel do a fabulous job!) and pies.
One thing I am following Momma in, though, is advance prep. One small chore a day in the week before Thanksgiving makes that day a lot more pleasant. I started Sunday with the cranberry sauce, so the flavors will be all melded together. Monday, the pinwheel dough got mixed up, rolled, and frozen. And today I make the mincemeat and walnut tart shells.
Slowly, slowly, catchy holiday.
Love,
Grandma Judy
Dear Liza 