Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and that means family time. For the genealogist in the family, it is a great time to hear family stories, both new and old, get the group together for some family photographs, and as always, listen for new family history facts that you can include in your research. You are probably even going to enjoy some of your family’s favorite recipes.
This Thanksgiving, our Thanksgiving table will have something on it that is not usually a part of our menu. Because of where Thanksgiving ended up on the calendar this year, my son’s birthday cake will be a part of our dessert buffet. His third birthday is today, and while some kids would prefer that their birthday celebration not be combined with a holiday, he does not seem to mind. After all, roasted turkey is one of his favorite foods, and his friends are coming over for a birthday play date in a week or so.
The dessert buffet is one of our family traditions that everybody loves. We know that we make far more desserts than are needed for the number of people who are going to be at the table, but we like variety. As of right now, there will be at least five items on the buffet. Dylan’s honey sweetened flourless chocolate cake with vanilla cream cheese frosting and a construction scene on top, my pecan pie, my sister in law’s chocolate mousse cake, tiramisu, and my father in law’s unsweetened apple pie with currants and a whole wheat crust.
While some families are attached to a certain repertoire of side dishes, we are a little more inclined to mix it up. The three mainstays of our Thanksgiving table are the turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. Aside from that, anything goes. My brother in law and his wife are doing the cooking this year, so I am eager to enjoy what they create.
Another exciting thing about Thanksgiving this year is that it is Blake’s first Thanksgiving. Not only that, but at eight months old, he is enjoying solid foods and can have some turkey with everyone. What are your favorite things about getting together with family for Thanksgiving?