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Tuesday, November 25, 2014

THANKSGIVING 2014
A Tribute To My Mom 
Elizabeth "Betty" Kaemerer
1918-2005
Elizabeth "Betty" Kaemerer
1918-2005
Mom sat down at the antique piano 
 in the parlor of the Schminck Memorial Museum 
and began playing Bach, Beethoven, Chopin. 
The same music I heard many nights when I was young as she played after the kids were in bed 
and waiting for my Dad to come home from his midnight job.
Afterwards, Sherrain, the curator, dressed us in period clothing... worn long ago
by mothers and daughters from a time long gone by.

The same songs are playing on my Kindle as I consider what to prepare for 
Thanksgiving 2014 feast in a couple of days.
Mmmmmm ... nice warm memory of one day in our lives.

Thanksgiving memories:
Mom preparing for Thanksgiving days in advance:  chopping, dicing, baking,
stuffing and a little "tiddly" close at hand and ever present cigarette dangling from her lips. 
Thanksgiving feast almost ready .... only waiting for one last tradition.
With cigarette always at hand while stirring and basting
the ash grew
and grew
and at just the right moment
the ash fell
SPLAT
into the gravy.
"Dinner's ready!"  
with Mom's long awaited 
Ash Gravy stirred to perfection.

"More gravy Howard?" I seem to remember her saying.
Whenever we were with her for Thanksgiving she gave the honors
to Eldon to add the final touch of the ash from his cigarette to her Ash Gravy.
......................................................................................................
Colorful leaves are just about done falling .... 
drifting off to nurture the earth for next spring.
Another Fall celebration is at hand.
Thanksgiving 2014

And I'm going to have company for Thanksgiving 2014.
Jill and Gary will be my guests!

They had an early Thanksgiving with their family
last weekend
with a gigantic turkey and all the trimmings.

Hmmmmm ....
what can I fix that will be equally feasty and scrumptous? And just the right amount for only three people?
First thing that comes to mind is
applesauce.
APPLESAUCE?
 you might ask.
Yeah! Made with fresh apples from my friend Lorrie's tree.
...........................
"Did you hear that Ducky and Pheasant  .....
she's not fixing a Turkey for Thanksgiving this year!
I wonder how Turkey feels about that!"

"Well ....." Turkey said in a wee voice,
"I'm curious to hear about that!"
"But what will she cook instead?
Perhaps a 
duck
or goose
or swan
or quail ......
or a bucket of small birds ....."

"Definitely not a CHICKEN .... we taste like turkey......
pardon me, Turkey, for saying so ... chicken is more tender. But much smaller!"
"I agree," peeped Long Neck Chicken. "And our 
necks are too skinny."

"Did you hear the news Ducky? 
Monica isn't fixing a turkey for 
Thanksgiving this year," Swan echoed the rumor.
"Smart of her not to fix Duck .... we're very dry and not much meat on our bones," agreed Ducky.

"Get the giblets out of your beaks ....
speak UP .... I barely can hear you
off here in the bathroom," hollered
Sally Swan.
mumble.... grumble.... gripe gripe gripe
"I always hear the news last .... so far away from the kitchen!"


"Peep ... peep ... chirp .... chirp....Did you hear that Mother Bird?"
Father Bird asked. "Monica isn't fixing a turkey this year ..."
"Yes dear ... I heard. Surely she won't fix a bucket of tiny birds instead!"

"Let's not panic ...... but watch what she's about to do," 
 Turkey said calmly from her perch above the sink.
And they did.

"Looks like apples to me," said Big Red Hen. "Maybe
she's going to stuff the apples into the dressing ....
but what will she stuff the apple dressing into?"
CUT .... CUT ... PEEL ....PEEL ... CORE ....CORE  
PLOP PLOP
BOIL BOIL

SMOOSH ...... SMASH .....POUND AND STIR
ADD SOME SUGAR AND CINNAMON
AND IT'S DONE!

And that is home made applesauce at its best!
To be served with
homemade cranberry sauce
baked beans
scalloped potatoes
vegetables and rolls
and 
dessert
(Jill and Gary are bringing the dessert)
Oh .... I almost forgot!
Served with a baked 
tenderloin pork roast!

Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Memories
Thank you God for our blessings!
(no Ash Gravy this year .... nobody in our family smokes anymore!)