There Still Will Be Pie

No need to pretend
that all of this is normal.
Tradition is not
needed to enjoy the taste
of each other’s company

Photo by Alex Loup on Unsplash


Liner Notes for this Groove:

Thanksgiving was never a big deal for me growing up. Oh sure, my mom sometimes tried her hand at American favorites like turkey (the horror… the horror…) but it wasn’t exactly her forte. I never felt bad about the lack of typical Thanksgiving fare, even when we had enough newly arrived family members to gather with on the last Thursday in November.

This is not the case with my husband’s side of the family. Their spread is the stuff of legends. Most of the members of his family are amazing cooks (including him). I didn’t even think I liked turkey until I got married. There were never even any of the heated political discussions I heard happened around other tables. I do recall one slightly conservative (for this family) brother in law getting gently roasted by his wife and then teenage daughter, but that’s about it.

This is the Thanksgiving celebration my kids grew up with. I wondered how much of the typical spread I needed to provide in order for it to feel special. So I was a little surprised when my Darling Youngest came to me with a gleam in their eye about purposely making it weird.

Nothing is normal about this Thanksgiving, so let’s lean into it. We’re not going to try to top Aunt Michele’s stuffing (whew… because that would be a tall order). We’re going to lean into the weird that is 2020 and make food that feels like a celebration to us, whether it’s traditional or not. Darling Youngest and my husband have been bonding over finding recipes to try (looks like bone marrow will be on the table).

We’re still figuring out a main course, but I know there will be one traditional thing on the table, sweet potato pie. I’ve never made one before, but a Facebook friend was kid enough to pass along their tried and true recipe. I can’t wait to enjoy that.  

Song Choice: Staying Alive by the Bee Gees

This post was created for Poets and Storytellers United's Weekly Scribblings prompt, Celebration.




36 comments:

  1. That pie looks amazing! And I totally love the idea of enjoying the taste of each other's company. (Thanksgiving always seems a little strange to me as it's not a tradition here, but it sounds like fun. I guess we have our own slightly sus holidays, like Anzac Day and Australia Day, but they involve more drinking and speechifying than feasting.)

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    1. LOL, there are definitely parts of the celebration I could totally do without. But I'm glad that we are safe and that my husband is an IT guy when we eventually bump up to to a Zoom meeting glitch.

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  2. Will miss my mom's wild rice stuffing, but at 84 she's taking no chances this year. I'm thinking a trial pie run can only be good - you know, just to test it. By eating it ;) ~M

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    1. LOL, Darling Youngest thinks the same! My husband's folks are older too, so it's just for the best we do something a little zany for our meal while meeting with them via Zoom.

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  3. Being a mere man I can only admire mother and wife for their expertise in cooking. I cope in the kitchen but masterchef Iam not!

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    1. I am lucky that my husband is an excellent cook. I don't do too badly, but he's like an artist.

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  4. Your celebrations sound wonderful, Rommy. As you know, we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in the UK, but we have similar fare at Christmas, although my husband and I usual have a downsized vegetarian version. Last year we drove down to my daughter’s before Christmas and spent a few days with them doing Christmassy things, and we were keen to make in an annual thing, but Covid has put a stop to that for now. We’ll have to do it via the Internet. I love the thought that there will still be pie, and you’ve whetted my appetite for sweet potato pie! I agree that ‘Tradition is not / needed to enjoy the taste / of each other’s company’.

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    1. At this point we're all old hands at Zoom meetings now (though Eric will likely need to help some of the folks who aren't all that tech savvy). I'm so psyched to try the pie recipe! I hope I can do it justice.

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  5. I can already taste the (Pumpkin, please) pie.

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  6. "Weird Thanksgiving" -- I predict it will become an annual tradition!

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  7. Happy Thanksgiving. Its is not so muc a tradition here in T&T more so an empathy

    Much💝love

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    1. It's a strange holiday for me even in a normal year. But the kids love the extended family time. Thank goodness for Zoom.

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  8. Oh, I love your piece, Rommy! It's delightful, made smile, and served as a great inspiration...

    Though we don't celebrate Thanksgiving here, I'm already thinking about how weird this Christmas is going to be. Wishing you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving, in advance. :)

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    1. Thanks, Khaya. LOL, I know it will be a very memorable one.

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  9. Let there be PIE! Yes, and I am leaning so far into the pie most likely will fall into the whipped cream topping. Cheers Rommy, I enjoyed reading this.

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  10. It sounds as if you still plan for all family to be together, Rommy, which is not the case for many. I love sweet potato pie and all the traditional things that are Thanksgiving, but our group will be very small, and perhaps not so many accompaniments for the turkey.

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    1. Oh not at all! We'll be seeing people outside our household via Zoom only. But since we only have to worry about dinner for the four of us, we're taking liberties with what people think of as standard fare.

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  11. My daughter asked if I'd be hurt if she didn't come for Thanksgiving this year. Nope! 1 - her brother would just as soon ignore it anyway 2 - easier for me! 3 - she has a boyfriend that just might "be the one," and they have their own plans. That's they way it should be once you fly the nest, make your own traditions!

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    1. Probably a much safer option too. My kids are on the edge of that. Darling Eldest misses his college life, and I can't say that I blame him.

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  12. Isolation times have reshaped everything we do and are. We can dwell on what feels lost, or we can emulate your approach and find our own kind of special. I bet this year's celebration will be memorable. And your sweet potato pie will be yummy.

    My Piano Man asked for pernil and pasteles en hoja. We didn't use to celebrate Thanksgiving. But it was one of my little brother's favorite holidays--anything with a lot of food in it was his favorite, lol--so we've been celebrating it for him. I think I will add a sweet potato casserole to the feast. Pies and I have never danced well together.

    May next year bring better things (and in-person celebrations) for us all.

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    1. Eric is trying to figure out if we can pull off duck, or BBQ, or fancied up turkey burgers.

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  13. My pies baked for Thanksgiving are pumpkin and pecan. Family is divided on taste. This is a holiday I miss my parents most. The turkey and family has shrunk in size.

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  14. This year has made rollercoaster rides regular. I am not a fan of pies but if it looks like that, I would probably change my mind.

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  15. Love this idea! I think the only thing the two of us are cooking is James' mom's potato salad...and maybe, if he needs to get in the kitchen, cornbread stuffing. And the pie...is pumpkin ice cream with Reese's pieces. :)

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  16. Beautiful poetic rendering. I think I'll be roasting chickens. Turkeys are not my forte either.

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  17. My grandson's wife has tested Covid positive, so our holiday is reduced to the three of us. We will fix the traditional turkey mashed potatoes, green beans and corn casserole, and deliver half of it to their front porch with love. We are hoping we can be together for Christmas.

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  18. I love your kids' idea of a weird menu. I think you're going to have lots of fun and good food.
    Mine will be traditional food sans any family. This makes me a bit sad but glad we're trying to stay safe.

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  19. Howdy very cool blog!! Man .. Excellent .. Amazing .. I'll bookmark your web site and take the feeds additionally? I'm satisfied to seek out so many helpful information here in the publish, we need work out extra techniques on this regard, thanks for sharing. . . . . .

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  20. A beautiful thought....Company of friends and loved ones is priceless. Probably that is the reason why this pandemic has been so difficult for all of mankind...it has barred us from meeting our friends. Loved your writing. :-)

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  21. This is, simply just a great story! Its real reality. Is that redundant? That other stuff, the turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole (big ick), etc. etc. is not reality. Its a following. Its a rut we are in. Weird menu is good. Refreshing. Kudos to Youngest Darling. Yep. Bourbon salmon here! Sadly though, no pie!

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  22. I bet your pie tasted amazing!!! I love your story! Big Hugs!

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