Listen, I love Thanksgiving...and for all of the right foodie reasons. A beautiful turkey, magnificent side dishes, delectable pies...but I just can't bring myself to make it this year.
I didn't say I wasn't going to eat it this year, just not make it. And, even though I have placed my order at a local restaurant for a family sized dinner to go, it is still hard for me to believe I am abdicating my traditional role in the kitchen. I mean, I love to cook...love the creative process of it, love the smells, the textures, the smiles when it turns out right.
As a discriminating (but not too snooty) foodie, I will only eat places that are worth the calories. Special occasions almost always call for a gustatory celebration, and I have a host of places to go that
have outstanding food. Side note: We are so lucky that in Portland we have some of the best restaurants in the US...not that I am biased.
I always loved our Thanksgiving meals when I was growing up...the stuffing was my favorite. But there was always a let down after the meal...sort of a "who's going to clean this all up?" paired with a "well, now what?". Inevitably, the men would watch football the women and kids would clean up. The whole day consisted of napping, football, eating and cleaning up...
But having a family of my own this year made me think about those times differently. What I remembered this year, was my grandmother starting the cooking a couple of days in advance, spending a lot of time by herself in the kitchen, sweating and cussing the morning of, mad that the kitchen didn't have enough room, another oven, counter space, etc...I thought about the brief time I saw her at the table, the first time she had been seated all day...only to get up and attack the dishes afterward. And I thought, "No".
Plain and simple, I just thought "No." I am not spending days, hours, blood, sweat and tears to make this one meal. This one meal is supposed to remind me of what I am most thankful for...and I am most thankful for my family...so why would I spend all day away from them? Right.
Instead, I will drive over on Wednesday and pick up our dinner. I expect it will be pretty darn good. Then, after we eat on Thanksgiving, the four of us are going out to a movie...and who knows what other trouble we will get in to...
There will always be another day to explore my foodie creativity.


