~Thanksgiving a Food-A-Alochic's Delight~

Who in their right mind would not like the idea of a good old American Thanksgiving!  It is the one time of the year when it is alright to eat, drink and be merry and then be miserable for hours afterward!  Who doesn't rejoice in that scenario?

Actually most of the folks that I am acquainted with really enjoy and cherish Thanksgiving!  I really like these people tremendously...they are my kind of people.  I am a foodie extrordinaire'.  There is not many foods that I do not like.  I do draw the line at wild game type food, it really has never appealed to my taste-buds or my thought buds either! Before I get reamed over this, I don't mind if others enjoy this 'hunted meat', but I just can't go there okay?  Our forefather's provided for their families and I understand that in principal, but I was born into a more modern age and have a taste of the less primitive type of food source, so I am more comfortable with that.

This last thought brought to mind a story when I was a freshman in high school and our family was living in Mountain Home, Idaho.  We lived on the Air Force Base there, which was a missile base and was located way out in the sage brush region, or in other words 'the middle of no where'sville!  My dad since I had known him had never gone hunting, but I guess he was invited and he went.  He had quite a bit of success and he brought home his catch, unbeknown-st to me!  Anyway we and the other families of the hunters all gathered around the table at supper time to eat!  As I recall there were several offerings to eat, some I knew were not what I wanted to try, but I did spy fried chicken, my Mom could fry some great chicken, so I was all about chomping down on a good old piece of white-meat, which I did.  I was really getting into it and talking about how good it was, when my Dad started asking me questions about it!  Now my Dad was a great one for teasing, he was talking to me and those at the table,and his hazel eyes were twinkling, and his lips were twitching too,  I thought wait a minute here something is not right.  Dad said "Sissy Boo did you like that 'Pheasant'"?  I said huh?  He said "you just ate what I went hunting for". isn't it good?  Of course I was embarrassed, mad, and a teenager and just a little bit defiant, imagine that!  I said I have you know Dad that was good old fried chicken!  He started laughing and so did my Mom, and he said look at the bones, they are real shiny, chicken bones are dull, you just ate 'Pheasant' that was walking around in the fields out there yesterday afternoon!  You picked every bit of meat off that breast, you must have really liked it!  Of course I had been had by the whole crew of folks eating.  ( I will admit it probably was very good, but I just couldn't get over the fact, that my gentle, and kind natured Dad had gone out and shot this bird that had been walking and flying around.)  Needless to say in true stubborn Linda Sue Johnson fashion, I denied that I thought it tasted good and I made a vow to all that I would never eat wild game again!  Gosh I can be a stubborn and contrary girl/woman at times.

Thanksgiving brings so many food delights that it is overwhelming just contemplating it.  Of course there are the traditional Turkey, Ham, stuffing, (our family always had stuffing in the bird), mashed potatoes, gravy, candied yams, peas with onions, (which started with my Mom finding them at the store and trying them) ( I just found out last night that both our kids hated them)  I guess if wait long enough all the little family secrets will come out!  There was always a condiment tray laden with, sweet little gherkin pickles, olives, green and black, stuffed celery, and of course cranberry sauce.  The sides could change but mostly not. After we moved back to Tennessee, when my Dad and Curt both got out of the Air Force then we always had Thanksgiving and Christmas, and Easter dinner with Grandma Johnson. She was a wonderful cook, but she would bring the 'Green Stuff' and make the best lip smacking gravy right before dinner was served.  That is how the tradition of the 'Green Stuff' and gravy, came into play and it has been passed down to the next 'Granny', or Memommie in line!

Another quick story about 'The Green Stuff', last year we were planning Sophia's birthday, in January, they were here in Tennessee, waiting for Mark to return from Iraq,  Sophia said she wanted a Mermaid Cake, hot-dogs, homemade macaroni and cheese, chips for her birthday meal, and then she turned to Memommie looked me square in the eye and said and Memo you can bring the 'Green Stuff''!  Now it is getting invited to Birthday celebrations too!  It has taken on a whole new venue.  Who knows maybe someday it will have a category all to itself.

Well there is more to say but it is time to get up and get moving and get ready for feasting together with family!  I can't wait and my taste buds are already drooling..  God Bless and 'Happy Feasting to All'
LSJL