Over the river and through the woods...

Gammy

My brother Danny with Wahine, Queenie and Otis

       ....To Grandmothers house we go.  In a few days my husband, Dave, and daughters, Natalie, Michelle, Gabrielle, Elizabeth, and I will pack up the car and head down south to San Diego, Calif., to spend some much anticipated time with my fabulous extended family! My parents, grandmother, brothers and sisters all  live in the greater San Diego area.  (Except for my dear sister Lisa, who lives with her family in Atlanta, GA.  We miss you most at this time of year, Archambaults!)  I'm proud to say, my kids have 17 first cousins on my side, from 1-21 years, with one more on the way... a real brood! and nothing could please us more than getting together!! Our get togethers are not for the faint of heart.  Chaos and bedlam are at the forefront, with the little kids running in circles, usually chasing 5 or 6 barking dogs, big kids and  virtually all the males sitting around laughing and watching football on TV and of course, the women in the kitchen rattlin' up the pots and pans.  Does that sound unfair? Well, just let me say, nothing could bring us women greater joy! It may sound like we are a bunch of subservient gals, but don't kid yourself...we rule the roost! And we do it from the kitchen. 

Katie H.

     Let's see, who are the players...well, first there's my mom, Carolyn B, of course, and my sister, Bee (Melinda), and Katie H. and Katie Z., (both of my brothers married Katies) and I have to give my little brother, Patrick, honorable mention, because he does add to the mix, ( his wife Katie Z is pretty occupied with their 1 and 2 year olds)..but he's learned to hush up and take orders from me.  hahahaha!  No he hasn't, but he will! Pulling off a sit down Thanksgiving dinner for 30+ people is a real feat to be proud of.    It takes some doing to make so much food and serve it up all at once.  We'll need stamina, years of training and for the best ones, a real and abiding love of family, because, like in the book, Like Water For Chocolate, I think food tastes better when it's made with love and generosity.  It's like we'll be performing an elaborate dance, with everyone doing their own part and working together at the same time.  (I would love to see a time-elapsed, aerial view of our day in the kitchen)  Some people would rather poke needles in their eyes than participate in our self-imposed servitude, but every year, as I help to pull off yet another feast, I feel a huge sense of pride and accomplishment from not only knowing how to do it, but doing it well... it's like a rite of passage.  As I get older, I see the tremendous value of tradition.  Tradition can take many forms, from something as seemingly ordinary as a meal, to a specially thought out occasion, like Thanksgiving dinner,  but what makes those things memorable comes from the repetition and the tried and true nature of what you do.  Let's take breakfast at my mom's house, for instance.  We could have eggs and toast, or we could have Gammy's famous chorizo burritos.   Both meals would do the trick, but when you get to be an insider in a famliy ritual, whether you're the one providing the tradition or partaking in it, you feel special.  'Mmm, Gammy's chorizo burritos... no one can make them like she can.  We feel well loved and Gammy feels needed and appreciated...especially when we're banging our forks and knives on the table for more! I think someone got out a grunt that sounded sort of like 'please', because let's be honest, sometimes things can be too good.  I just gave a new meaning to grunt work. haha! But I digress.

Carrie Seabury and Maddie

Maddie, Michelle, Maizie, Natalie, Carrie, Gabrielle and Emma

"The Brood"

Melinda and I

   Back to preparing Thanksgiving dinner.  Like I was saying a second ago, it's not all about how special each part of the tradition is, it's the sameness of it.  There are always at least 3 birds cooked on Thanksgiving, because turkey sandwiches are almost as anticipated as the actual dinner, but we don't really have a special recipe for the turkey.  Gammy usually brine's at least one of the birds.  We always have 2 homemade stuffing's that we insist on stuffing the bird with.  (so much more moist! The key is to wait to stuff the bird until right before you put it in the oven.  No problem.)  I make the old-fashioned stuffing and Carolyn B (Gammy) makes the apple and sausage version.  Katie H. makes wild rice with water chestnuts, garlic mashed potatoes and gravy enhanced by William and Sonoma's turkey gravy in a jar. ( It gives the gravy richness and a delicious undertone.  No need to reinvent the wheel.)  Patrick and Katie Z. tag-team with the praline sweet potatoes and various appetizers for the day.  I have taken to making Potato Squash soup to see us through the day until dinner time and have found it works really well because it's satisfying without being too heavy.  It's also nice because we can make it ahead and reheat it, 'cause God knows we don't need any more activity going on in the kitchen! Then one of us makes another batch of mashed potatoes (2-10lb. bags  Remember I told you, we're a brood!), a dish of traditional yams and marshmallows, 2 dishes of green bean casserole, oven heated rolls (often slightly burned because someone always forgets about them), cranberry sauce, and a relish of celery, carrots and black olives, to round out the perfect meal.  Last, but certainly not least, Bee brings up the rear with delicate pumpkin, and pecan pies, served with fresh whipped cream and pipping hot coffee.  "There's a happy feeling nothing in the world can buy, as we pass around the coffee and the pumpkin pie.  It'll nearly be like a picture print by Currier & Ives. These wonderful things are the things we'll remember all through our lives."( Sleigh Ride by Arthur Fieldler)

LD (Gammpy), Me and Carolyn B (Gammy)

Katie Z. and Madsen

Michelle and Maddie

Lizzie and Daddy (Dave)

Patrick, Natalie and Madsen

Melinda (Bee) and Tony Borgerding

My dear old (97 years) Nana Buckelew

   Wishing you all the joys of a traditional Thanksgiving.

    

...and a little rest for your barking dogs.