It's that time of year!  Our annual food fest.  Start eating on Thanksgiving and don't stop until you look at the scale on Monday.

Thanksgiving week-end for the last 30 some years has been at our home in Philadelphia.  Years ago my sisters came with their husbands and children and somehow we all fit iinto our small ranch home.  Sleeping bags came in handy.  Now, those same children have children and even though we now have a bigger house, hotels have become necessary, but all meals are still at our home. My nieces, nephews and our own children come from as close as Potomac, Maryland to as far away as San Diego, Denver, Boston and Pittsburgh.  For a few of the years, we have not had a full contingency due to work schedules and such, but G-d willing, this year we should have everyone--twenty-eight (with little ones ranging from two to sixteen).  I really don't know who loves the holiday more, my sisters because we have all of our children with us, or the big cousins because they can catch up with each other or the little ones, who somehow, as little as they are, quickly learn we are all family.

I use to save all the cooking for three days before, taking days off from work and cooking from early morning to late a t night.  The feet, the back and age have changed that routime.  Now, I start weeks ahead and freeze.  Only last minute things are saved until a few days before.  Even my tables will go up two weeks before as it now takes my husband longer to schlep them up from the basement.

The menu never chages.  Living away from home, the kids like the comfort of knowing it remains the same.  (Maybe the gourmet cooks in the younger generation think I need the practice and are waiting for me to get it right.)

Family starts arriving around noon on Thanksgiving.  The vegetable soup, my mother's recipe, is warming up on the stove with the smell emanating through the house.  This is Thanksgiving!  Young and old, as they arrive, enjoy hot bowls of soup with crusty bread.  Family by family, the kitchen table seating changes.  Around 3:30 everyone is usually accounted for and we gravitate to the living room for hors d'oevres, pigs in the blanket, potato puffs, egg rolls (all kosher) served with wine and drinks.

Of course, now everyone says they'll never be able to eat dinner.  But, as 6 pm arrives, the smell of turkey draws everyone to the dining room.  Salad, turkey, stuffing, zucchini bread, carrot pudding, asparagus, cranberry mold, sweet and sour meatballs somehow disappear in a few minutes.  We have made it a tradition, when we have everyone (and I mean everyone) present, we go around the table and say what we are thankful for.  As we get older, my sisters and I say we are thankful for good health, and the little ones have their own thoughts.  And, of course, we must complete the meal with pumpkin and apple pies (HINT:  bake the apple pie while everyone is eating dinner.  The smell can't be beat!!)  After cleanup, and getting the tired (and stuffed) little ones ready for bed, it's time to change the table cloth, put out the dairy dishes and get ready for Friday morning.  After what feels like just a quick nap, everyone is back for brunch.  Lox, fish, bagels and kugels.  My nephew from Denver says this is the reason he comes!

Friday night dinner is traditional--kiddush, motzi, challah, but I serve veal scallopini and chicken.  The veal can be made and frozen weeks ahead.  (Actually, that and my soup are already made!)

After Saturday brunch (whatever is left of the fish trays from Friday), some of the family begins to leave town.  The little ones hug and kiss each other, not wanting to let go, not wanting the parties to stop.  For some, they will not see each other until Pesach at my sister's.  But for others, it will be another year.  Our Maryland children stay until Sunday so at least we can spend some more time together.  But when the first group begins to leave on Saturday, my husband and I can feel the loneliness already--knowing that in a few more days everyone will be gone and the house will be too quiet again.  All that work, all the cooking, trying to make everyone's favorites, and it seems to come and go in seconds.  The anticipation and planning brightens our days for weeks before, the let down when they leave remains.

It truly is a lot of work--harder as I get older.  Every bone in my body aches for days.  My daughter has said she will take over but I'm just not ready.  I guess I love it most of all.

I hope you share Thanksgiving with your family.  Enjoy and stay well.  And as my mother always said, "I wish for you, everything you wish for yourself."

 

Buddee

 

By the way, if you have any questions, or have ideas for something you’d like me to write about, email my daughter and she’ll tell me (I’d say to email me, but…well…let’s just say I’d won’t be giving advice on how to use a computer.)

< back to top