It is that time of year when we like to gather together with family and food and celebrate all for which we are thankful. This year is a bit more of a challenge due to the COVID and various restrictions imposed by the governments. However, we are resilient and we are making due and coping with the situation, still finding ways to appreciate family and the food that adds to the experience and fuels our memories for years to come.
Today is a far cry from Thanksgivings of my youth. In those days we would either load into our station wagon and head to my maternal grandmother's house on the farm or we would host the family at ours.
It has also been a long time since I have had to sit at the "kid's table" in the kitchen while the adults took the dining room. It was honor when I was finally "promoted" to that status, like being called up to the big leagues.
One thing that has stayed consistent is the food. The traditional Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings has always been my favorite; so much so that I would ask for it as my birthday meal. My mom, being the trooper she is, would prepare it in the heat of July in a house without air conditioning, cooled only by box fans in the window. The star of the show, in my opinion, was the "Schoener Family Filling," a combination of bread, onions, mashed potatoes and seasoning. I am not sure which branch of the family originated it, I just know now that it is a Pennsylvania Dutch dish. However, our recipe is nothing like the ones that I have seen online or in cookbooks. There is nothing like and it is a staple at the Thanksgiving table.
Besides the health and welfare of our family and friends, I think we call all be thankful for the fact that we no longer have to secure the turkey on our own. Now it is as simple as visiting the a grocery store. Otherwise, we might be eating a lot more "tofurkey."
Wishing everyone a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!
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