Over the river and through the wood
Trot fast, my dapple-gray!
Spring over the ground
Like a hunting hound,
For this is Thanksgiving Day.
--Lydia Maria Child
In November Mary Mason Campell writes in her book, The New England Butt'ry Shelf Almanac, illustrated by Tasha Tudor, that the herb, Rosemary, means "Remembrance." Besides being used to flavor foods--I love it in potatoes and bread--it can be used as tea, and has medicinal properties, as well. Mrs. Campbell suggests adding a bit to your Thanksgiving Turkey gravy. Rosemary is not winter hardy even here in Maryland so I must bring in my plant each Autumn. There is an old adage that "The Mistress rules the house where Rosemary flourishes." Another reason to have it in the house! ☺︎ Here is her recipe for Turkey soup. No doubt her dried herbs included Rosemary. . . . |
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The highlight in November for Tasha Tudor was Thanksgiving because she would always roast her turkey before the fire in her tin oven. But November was also the month she made her year's supply of candles and her Christmas gifts. . . .
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| "A Time to Keep" |
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| "Around the Year" |
I grew up loving Thanksgiving. It was always a big family celebration in our household, whether we went to one of my grandparents' or people came to our house. I've continued my mother's tradition of making "Heavenly Hash" (also called Ambrosia) every year. Sometimes I become very nostalgic for my Mamaw's Chess Pie, and even though no one else in my family likes it, I will make it in addition to our traditional Pumpkin and Apple pies.
Do you have a traditional dish for Thanksgiving besides the Turkey and stuffing?
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Take Joy!
Our entire meal is traditional - we've had the same Thanksgiving menu ever since I can remember. Before my Dad died, because that's what he wanted - and he was The Dad! LOL. We start with a clam juice-and-tomato juice "mocktail", then move on to turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, homemade gravy, home-baked yeast rolls, relish tray [radishes, celery and olives], cranberry sauce, sweet corn niblets, baby peas, candied sweet potatoes, followed by pumpkin or apple pies and coffee several hours later. Followed by cold turkey sandwiches a few hours after that. After my parents passed, we wanted the nostalgia of it all - we didn't WANT to change anything from the way Mom & Dad had done it. But as we 3 girls got to high school in the 70s, we did begin to ADD a different veggie dish each year. I did a creamed spinach once and another time, steamed asparagus in a milk-and-butter sauce. Obviously some offerings were more popular than others. Some made encore performances, some were never heard from again - LOL. If we were voting on a favorite, I think the family would choose my youngest sister's [extremely-delicious] roasted brussels sprouts with crumbled bacon & Balsamic vinegar drizzle. Every year when we women sit down to plan who's doing/bringing what, there's always at least one request for "those sprouts" which I think we all know how to make now too - yum.
ReplyDeleteFood is one of the best ways to bring back wonderful memories of family gatherings. For years I've only made sausage stuffing and have added to that, corn pudding, as mainstays. I change around how I make the sweet potatoes and the other vegetables. We went to someone else's house a few years ago, and it just didn't feel like Thanksgiving to me, even though my whole family was there! It was either because it wasn't at my house, or because my traditional dishes weren't being served. It is wonderful that you and your siblings carry on your parents' traditions as a way to remember them. Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving Month today! By the way, did you know that November is designated "Clean out the Refrigerator" month? I assume it's to get ready for Thanksgiving and all the leftovers!
DeleteAs my Mama and Daddy got older, we went to my sister's home for Thanksgiving. The whole family and the extended family--as many as 60 folks came. When my sister passed away, her son continues to hold Thanksgiving dinner with the whole family. He lives in my sister's home and has a family of his own. My sister passed away on Thanksgiving day and we still held Thanksgiving at her home that day. It is a bittersweet time for me, but I'm so proud of my nephew for carrying on the tradition. The food is always the same--Turkey, Ham, dressing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, corn pudding, green beans (snaps), Mama's macaroni and cheese, broccoli casserole, and homemade rolls. We all bring a dish and a pie or some other dessert. It's always a very special day to remember our blessings. ♥
ReplyDeleteHolidays in general can be bittersweet for lots of folks. But it's especially hard when a death coincides with a holiday. It is wonderful that your nephew continues the tradition of hosting Thanksgiving. Sixty people is more than a house-full!
DeleteSweet post, Cathy! I've never heard of cheese pie, but I'm intrigued! :D Rosemary can be hardy here--- just depends on the winter. Hoping mine makes it through this winter!~ I babied it indoors all last winter because I got it in a planter pot of herbs. I was happy to keep it alive indoors, lol, I've heard that central heat dries them out.
ReplyDeleteHoping you have a wonderful November and a beautiful thanksgiving! Its almost here!!
Hi Heather, it's interesting that you called my Mamaw's pie "cheese" (I called it "chess") because that is actually what she did call it but I didn't think anyone would know what it was since every recipe I find for it is called "chess". It is a custard pie (no cheese in it at all). My Rosemary plant made it through last winter just fine in the house, but once I took it outside in the Spring it promptly died! We didn't have a freeze so I don't know what happened. It must have preferred the warmer temperatures in the house!
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