Every year we go to both my mom's house and my in-law's for Thanksgiving, and every year I ask, "What can I bring"? And every year I get the same reply: "That's okay, honey. You don't have to bring anything". Sometimes it's a relief to hear this. But now I am starting to take it personally. Granted, I am no Rachel Ray, Emeril Lagasse, or Julia Child, but I can cook a little bit. It's like they don't want to burden me with anything that may pose the slightest culinary challenge.
So this year when I asked my mother-in-law what I should bring and she said nothing, I thought okay, fine. When I asked my own mom the same question, she kind of hemed and hawed, thought about it for a while, then told me I could bring pickles and olives. Something easy and that I can't screw up!
Maybe I am being a little bit of a Point Prover here, but I decided to go a bit over-the-top. Black olives, check. Gourmet olives, got 'em. Marinated mushrooms, those weren't even on the list and I got those too. I want to show that I am highly capable, thankyouverymuch.
Don't feel bad...TJ and I made the turkey and stuffing for his mom's this year and it was SO DRY! It was reminiscent of the scene in Christmas vacation where they start to cut into the turkey and steam comes out and black meat crumbles away. Next year I bet they'll ask us to bring olives....
ReplyDelete-Jenny
Jen- You are very brave to take on a turkey. You have to start small, like hors d'overs the first year, maybe rolls (from a bakery) the next year, perhaps something a little more challenging like a salad the third year, and so on. Let your skills build. Baby steps. Baby steps. Maybe I shouldn't have brought the gourmet olives, now that I think about it. Now people actually expect something from me!
ReplyDeleteI'm actually laughing out loud reading your comments. The younger generation in our family has never been expected nor asked to do much of anything around the holidays except to show up. I think I may have brought a bottle of wine or two, but that is the most I have contributed to our family festivities. I shutter at the mere thought of having to take over the family tradition of cooking the entire meal. Both my Mother and Aunt Wendy were responsible for hosting a major holiday by my age. Wendy, Thanksgiving and my Mom, Christmas Eve. They also both had two young kids at the time and were cooking for 30 or so people. They are still to this day doing so. I guess they feel, if it ain't broke don't fix it. I'm sure that is why they feel the younger "inexperienced" ones should just stay the heck out of it for now!!!!
ReplyDeletetoo funny! i was our designated family "olive bringer" for 30 years and it used to bug me that they all figured i couldn't cook. enjoy it while it lasts, jess. today i cook the whole dang thing all by myself - with dan's help - and let mom bring the olives... she's certainly earned it ;)
ReplyDeletexoxo, deb