Posted November 25, 2010 at 02:08 am
So, I hope you guys are having a good holiday season. I hope the same for my international readers, but I'm sorry I don't know much about holidays outside the US of America!
I think the Thanksgiving story is pretty common knowledge to most English-speaking westerners due to the wide spread of American media, and for as long as I can remember, there's always been debates over who did what, what food was served, whether it really was on good terms or even if it really happened. I think when it comes to Christmas, it's obvious the traditions are almost not related to the reason for celebration at all, and that's okay.
Putting aside religion, tradition or anything else that holds you to celebrating these days, just remember the theme of the November/December holidays, and that's togetherness. We get together with people we love (I hope you love 'em!) and have food. One major reason the current creatures on the planet exist is that when they eat, the pleasure portion of their brain is excited, and they are suddenly just a little happier. They get addicted to this notion, actively seek out food, and are healthy enough to pass on this addiction gene. Fast forward to today when you celebrate, it's often over a nice meal. Not many people celebrate with food alone. (If you do, you're me, and don't be me!) We're usually celebrating by shoveling food into our gullets with someone we love. It is perhaps the eating of the food with this person that makes us love them just a little more.
If I had a point to all this, it is long since dissolved and now I'm bored with the whole thing.
So, what are you guys eating this Thanksgiving? Does anyone really like that jellied, can-shaped cranberry sauce? I ate it for over 20 years out of tradition then realized "Wait... I hate this." Also, I'm so bored with turkey. It's good, but I think a chicken or even a pheasant is a bit more flavorful. As for uniquely southern foods, I'm not sure what's unique to us, but I have a few favorites. For starters, my mom makes great home-made stuffing (but who wastes stuffing by shoving it in a bird's butt?). It's nothing like that stuff you get in a box (which I like, but not nearly as much as dear Mom's.) and is like a really high-quality deviled crab without the crab. Oh, my. My mouth waters thinking about it.
She also makes an astounding banana pudding, essentially from scratch. Sugar, milk, eggs, flour, bananas, "Nilla" wafers I think are the major ingredients. No boxed vanilla pudding. This stuff is so good, you won't realize you ate so much of it until your stomach hurts from distention.
My favorite dish, however, has been a favorite for most of my life. You probably call it macaroni casserole, but it's much simpler and thicker than most northern or western casseroles. We call it macaroni pie. It's essentially flour, cheese, (egg? I don't think so. Maybe.) and of course macaroni. The sauce is cooked in a saucepan then mixed with the boiled macaroni, then baked. Of course, this is when most people would eat it. I'll have a small bite, sure, but I'm saving my biggest portion for when it's cold. The cheese and flour have solidified, and now you cut the casserole with a knife. If it's made right, it is soft, but doesn't fall apart, even when eating it by hand without a plate. It's so rich in the cheesy flavor, and is substantially satisfying. It's truly my favorite dish.
So have a great holiday season, guys. Don't worry about your waste-line this month. Just have all those good foods, and resume healthy eating habits to drop any stubborn pounds the next year around. Life's short, so enjoy it.
I think the Thanksgiving story is pretty common knowledge to most English-speaking westerners due to the wide spread of American media, and for as long as I can remember, there's always been debates over who did what, what food was served, whether it really was on good terms or even if it really happened. I think when it comes to Christmas, it's obvious the traditions are almost not related to the reason for celebration at all, and that's okay.
Putting aside religion, tradition or anything else that holds you to celebrating these days, just remember the theme of the November/December holidays, and that's togetherness. We get together with people we love (I hope you love 'em!) and have food. One major reason the current creatures on the planet exist is that when they eat, the pleasure portion of their brain is excited, and they are suddenly just a little happier. They get addicted to this notion, actively seek out food, and are healthy enough to pass on this addiction gene. Fast forward to today when you celebrate, it's often over a nice meal. Not many people celebrate with food alone. (If you do, you're me, and don't be me!) We're usually celebrating by shoveling food into our gullets with someone we love. It is perhaps the eating of the food with this person that makes us love them just a little more.
If I had a point to all this, it is long since dissolved and now I'm bored with the whole thing.
So, what are you guys eating this Thanksgiving? Does anyone really like that jellied, can-shaped cranberry sauce? I ate it for over 20 years out of tradition then realized "Wait... I hate this." Also, I'm so bored with turkey. It's good, but I think a chicken or even a pheasant is a bit more flavorful. As for uniquely southern foods, I'm not sure what's unique to us, but I have a few favorites. For starters, my mom makes great home-made stuffing (but who wastes stuffing by shoving it in a bird's butt?). It's nothing like that stuff you get in a box (which I like, but not nearly as much as dear Mom's.) and is like a really high-quality deviled crab without the crab. Oh, my. My mouth waters thinking about it.
She also makes an astounding banana pudding, essentially from scratch. Sugar, milk, eggs, flour, bananas, "Nilla" wafers I think are the major ingredients. No boxed vanilla pudding. This stuff is so good, you won't realize you ate so much of it until your stomach hurts from distention.
My favorite dish, however, has been a favorite for most of my life. You probably call it macaroni casserole, but it's much simpler and thicker than most northern or western casseroles. We call it macaroni pie. It's essentially flour, cheese, (egg? I don't think so. Maybe.) and of course macaroni. The sauce is cooked in a saucepan then mixed with the boiled macaroni, then baked. Of course, this is when most people would eat it. I'll have a small bite, sure, but I'm saving my biggest portion for when it's cold. The cheese and flour have solidified, and now you cut the casserole with a knife. If it's made right, it is soft, but doesn't fall apart, even when eating it by hand without a plate. It's so rich in the cheesy flavor, and is substantially satisfying. It's truly my favorite dish.
So have a great holiday season, guys. Don't worry about your waste-line this month. Just have all those good foods, and resume healthy eating habits to drop any stubborn pounds the next year around. Life's short, so enjoy it.