Monday, November 19, 2007

A Mitter Thanksgiving

(or, not what your Momma never fixed for a holiday)

I am pretty excited. For the second time since moving here I have single friends who don’t have family to spend the holidays with!! Which means? I GET TO COOK. I find it slightly humorous that Dr. Esq said, “Oh, why do all that cooking stuff. There are some meet up groups that are going to pick a restaurant to eat at and then go out to a movie. We could do that.” He is lucky to still be breathing.

The WORST Thanksgiving I’ve ever had was the one where my fiancé’s Mom declared that the only good Thanksgiving was a Thanksgiving from a restaurant. I was suspicious to start with – and begged to be allowed to cook if she didn’t want to – but to no avail. Since we lived in Phoenix visions of amazing dinners danced through my head. Maybe dinner from Christopher’s? (now called Christopher's Fermier Brasserie) or from Lon’s at the Hermosa, or Don and Charlie’s (not my idea of fine dining, but still a Scottsdale tradition)? Reluctantly I agreed. You know, the whole keep the peace this is going to be your new family thing.

HOW STUPID AND YOUNG AND NIEVE WAS I???

Let me tell you … they TRIED to convince me “Sizzler” was “very nice”. Perhaps it was the instant atmosphere change to sub-zero weather, but the fiancé quickly realized THAT wasn’t going to fly. I’m sure behind my back there was some negotiations. I was appeased with the promise that “we’d go somewhere nice with table clothes” … as that seemed to be the only point of contention they could grasp.

I’m sure dear readers you can imagine my “unmitigated joy” (lol – Mitter’s Un-mit-igated Joy!) when we pulled up at a TGIF's. I wanted to say ‘WTF’ … but instead ordered double scotches throughout our entire “delightful” hour-long ordeal with factory bread, canned gravy, pressed turkey product, limp vegetables, and imitation whipped cream topping my frozen pie crust “dessert”. Thank GOD for Glenliviet, or I would surely be writing this to you from behind bars.

So … onto the menu for THIS Thanksgiving which I presume will surpass that bleak day 21 years ago.

We’ll start off with cheese and crackers. I have delegated this responsibility, but have every confidence there will be no “cheez” out of a can, or “cheese product” crossing my threshold.

Dinner will consist of:

Spinach-Pear Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

Apple-Cranberry Compote

Apple Cider-Brined Turkey with Savory (vegetarian) Gravy

- stuffed with -

Colby-Jack,Poblano and Corn Bread Dressing

Sautéed Green Beans Almandine

Algerian Carrots

Vanilla Sweet Potatoes

- and -

North Carolina Oyster Casserole

Dessert is also being provided by one of the lovely guests. I am sure it will be a thousand times better than that rubbery, fake, slimy tasting pie all those years ago.

Once again I realize how lucky I am to have Mister Guitar, Sustainable Girl, Wesley, and Dr. Esq. as friends and have this opportunity to cook for them.

Indeed, God is good and I am thankful for my life.

5 comments:

Joseph H. Vilas said...

“Oh, why do all that cooking stuff. There are some meet up groups that are going to pick a restaurant to eat at and then go out to a movie. We could do that.”

Oh god damn.

MitMoi said...

I know. Can you imagine a friend of mine saying such a thing??

Clearly ... between the Las Vegas proposal and this sentence it is clear I am wise to reject his "offers"! :)

I will however consent to feed him, should he show up for dinner.

Gina Eaves said...

My Mit, My Dear!!!! Oh, how AWESOME your Thanksgiving dinner sounds! If I wasn't going down to God's Country for dinner, I'd be BEGGING at your door! Yes, you are VERY lucky...but your friends are VERY lucky as well!

Anonymous said...

Well I guess you are not going to be in our area for Thanksgiving. Sorry you won't be here to take advantage of the "redneck" party at our house. After a fabulous lunch we will all (21 of us) gather in the back pasture to shoot skeet! Yes, an old family tradition on "turkey day".
Last year "the other redhead" beat out her brothers and all the others in the skeet shoot!
Will miss you!
<3 and Happy Thanksgiving

Geggie said...

I had a hamburger in NYC for Thanksgiving one year. It was ok becuase we'd been to the Macy's parade.

I'm spending it in Asheville, NC this year and I've been very bad and haven't made reservations yet. It may be hamburgers again this year.