Those of us in charge of the Thanksgiving feast never learn. We know it is the fourth Thursday of November, yet we wait until the Wednesday before to do our shopping. Really, will the food be that much fresher waiting until 24 hours before preparation? I think not, but still I wait. I think secretly I like the feel of all those people around me and the carts charging into one another as we seek out the evaporated milk. I never buy evaporated milk but now and Christmas.
What puzzles me is that I can shop for the entire meal in the same amount of time as the woman who is bringing just a few dishes to the meal. What is with shoppers who stroll, pick up many items off the shelf and study them and then put them pack, and then go to check-out with 10 items in their cart! If you go on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, then be a pro at shopping.
The debate over fresh, frozen, or free range turkey should have happened weeks ago. I always advise reserving the bird. With so many stores in town, it still seems the case can be bare when you go to reach for your Tommy Turkey. It is not easy to thaw that creature in a manner of hours, and it is not wise to cram him in the microwave to rush things. Buy the pumpkin pie. Go ahead and pass it off as your own. They are fussy and not worth the effort. Plus, I find the guests go for the French Silk pie from Perkins anyway. I always find fresh whipped whip cream a necessity. My brother says, "Hey, if you do that I can't take the can and shoot it in my mouth." He turned 60 this year. Grow-up, brother.
Shopping is bad enough, but the evil thing to do is haul it into the kitchen and put the food away. The family can sense when you are pulling up,and they become invisible. It is worthless to call ahead as that just makes them take off. Once everything is organized for making the dishes, I suggest leaving the kitchen and do what makes you happy. I put on classical music and read. This is how I prep for the marathon of cooking. It is much like the runner who has their ritual before the race. The only thing is when the runner gets to the starting line no kid yells from the t.v. room, "Hey Mom, when are you going to have dinner ready tonight?"
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