I grew up in a house that purchased cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving, the jellied kind. We put it out on a pretty plate all sliced up, and then threw it away with the giblets and potato peelings. Every once in a while, my parents would invite a "weird" person who would actually put some of the stuff on their plate and (gasp) eat it with their turkey. I never even knew what it tasted like, it was just something pretty and red that was at the dinner table.
So because of this, it didn't bother me that I happened to marry a man who HATES cranberries in every form. He doesn't like the juice and barely tolerates the highly sweetened, flavored craisins (he'll will only eat them when in a feta-filled, nutty salad) so the sauce is just not something that he wants to deal with. Even with his disdain, I have always spent the required 80 cents on perpetuating the cranberry tradition of slicing it up on a pretty plate and throwing it out.
This year, Wayne, Linda and Meridith along with Grandma Stempinski came to join us for Thanksgiving. We put out the requisite cranberry sauce and I was surprised when people actually asked for it. People were putting it on their plates and eating it with a love I've never seen before. So I decide it couldn't all be bad - and I ventured to put it on my plate. I ate it with turkey, and then I ate it with my stuffing, then I ate it with a the most perfect fork full of Thanksgiving love I've ever had. YUMMY! I understand why people say that they can't eat turkey without cranberry. It's dang good. I have converted to one of the "weird" people who actually eat the stuff.
So next year, I'm going to have to purchase real cranberries and make my own chutney. It's going to have to happen. My husband will gag and tell me I am the only one who will eat it - and I will have to endure it - just for the pleasure of knowing I will be putting something yummy in my mouth.
Our Thanksgiving went very well. The turkey was juicy, the potatoes were buttery and the requisite thanks was given for all we have. We are still working on the leftovers - but all went well.
The day after Thanksgiving I woke up with the crazies and went to Kohls at 3:30 a.m. to wait in line and shop for good deals. We divided and conquered - Mom and I went together while Dad and Meridith went to Walmart and Staples. We got some GREAT deals (I'm almost done with Christmas shopping) but it may not be something I'll do again.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
3 comments:
i told this story to Dan and we both had a good chuckle. i admit to being mystified by the tradition of buying, opening, and serving food when it's established that nobody will eat it. but if you liked the canned stuff, you'll LOVE homemade stuff. seriously, you should make some right now. super yum.
Do you have a recipe??
here's the first one i found online that matches what i do.
* 1 cup (200 g) sugar
* 1 cup (255 mL) water
* 4 cups (1 12-oz package) fresh or frozen cranberries
* Optional Pecans, orange peel, raisins, currants, blueberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice. (i don't add any of this junk, but many do)
1 Wash and pick over cranberries. In a saucepan bring to a boil water and sugar, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add cranberries, return to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries burst.
2 At this point you can add all number of optional ingredients.
3 Remove from heat. Cool completely at room temperature and then chill in refrigerator. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.
Post a Comment