Finally, the holiday weekend is over. We can all return to our routines – the foundation of our “normal” lives. I don’t know about you or the next person, but I am a creature of habit. I need my routines for a sense of stability and sanity. And so, it is with genuine relief that I say, “thank goodness Thanksgiving has passed.”
Over the last several days I have learned a couple things about myself and the holiday, many of which I would like to share here. As I mentioned in a previous post, this Thanksgiving was the first time I cooked the bird and the side dishes. For those of you who have cooked the turkey before – wow. You are magicians, chefs, courageous men and women. For those of you who have never prepared the bird or wonder what it is like – envy and study those with experience. It is a hard and frustrating experience and there are clearly tricks of the trade that were missing in my kitchen and my thoughtful preparation.
The first lesson I learned I knew all along, yet somehow completely forgot when purchasing the bird.
- There is no way in hell that five people would ever consume a 20 pound bird. In fact, the copious leftovers that fill my fridge are themselves, a monstrous portion of meat that could easily feed a small army or at least a battalion. Therefore, don’t buy a big bird, or don’t consume beyond your means – monetary and appetite. In this case, I let my ideals get the best of me. I knew the cost of the bird was exceptional given its livelihood, but this overtook me when I rationalized buying a 20 pound turkey.
- For the first-time turkey cook, adhere primarily to those with experience. You could read lots of books and websites and get really overwhelmed; so bypass the suggestions of strangers and ask a family member, neighbor or friend. I thought I could figure it out on my own and I couldn’t. Don’t let all the hard work go to waste. Be better than me and humble yourself with the advice of another.
- Definitely make stuffing and put as much as you can in the cavity of the turkey. Even if the turkey failed me, the stuffing did not. The juices of the roasting bird moisten and enrich the flavor of the stuffing, and then afterwards you can also add some gravy!
- Unless you have lots of money or resources, a large kitchen, dining room and dishwasher, don’t bother cooking a whole feast for a group of 5. Have a potluck. Even if you get a smaller bird, you still have to cook it and all the sides and the gravy etc.. I think we both learned that hosting in our apartment was just too much for us. My wife wants a big feast with lots of people. I want to be with family and to participate in the cooking – not do all of it. I thought I could handle making a whole meal, but ultimately I don’t think it was worth it. At our meal, my wife got sick and didn’t eat anything; the 2 children refused to eat any of the food I made; and the bird took 2.5 hours more than expected. The vision collapsed and I left this holiday feeling frustrated and defeated. As my sister-in-law said, these feelings are what make Thanksgiving Thanksgiving. Maybe when I get over these emotions, I will embrace this weltanschauung too.
- And last but not least, don’t even have a turkey! How ironic of me to make this conclusion (I know), but really, with so many sides who needs the meat?! Yes, the stuffing tastes better with the bird’s cavity, but given the cost and effort and unnecessary meat portion, make some gravy with leftover stock and smother your meal with this instead. I don’t know if I’ll attend a meal sans turkey, but I am definitely open to this now. I think my new vision is a vegetarian potluck with all the standard dishes minus the bird. Is this blasphemy, sure. Should we celebrate the genocide of native Americans, of course not. So if the holiday is totally twisted anyway, why not twist some more and remove the giant bird from the center of the table!
There’s a whole year now till the next Thanksgiving. I have no idea where we will feast or who will join us at the table, but I will take these lessons to heart.
That’s for sure.
Related posts:
- Thanksgiving Menu
- Turkey Day
- Simple, healthy and delicious
- Bring Me the Meat! (weekly menu 13)
- Where have all the simple meals gone? (weekly menu 12)
Tags: cooking
I would view the leftovers as a gift of things to freeze and use later, either in thanksgiving form or as ingredients in other meals– turkey pot pie, turkey risotto, sweet potato and steak. You can harness that effort later when you are feeling lazy, or want to save money!