Well I think we were planning on Thanksgiving dinner (Nov. 24) in the evening. This is somewhat unorthodox. I shall explain.
Now, usually - at least where I come from, where we are gun-toting and God-fearing - Thanksgiving dinner is at about 12 or 1, "dinner" being a term we Texans often use for what people in other countries like California (or England) call "lunch". This leaves plenty of time for eating, feeling bloated, and watching real football in the afternoon. There is always a game on TV during Thanksgiving, and one may find after years of 'training' that to watch men brutally crush one another aids the digestion (it is more civilized than Rugby, which occasionally draws blood - the horror!). Rooting for the Cowboys after dinner (when they are playing) is required in Texas, followed, or occasionally interrupted by, passing out on the Lay-Z-Boy. At this point, the remote control tends to fall to the carpet - take care less'n a toddler come over and chew on it. Somehow childern abound at Thanksgiving, even amongst the unmarried and they get bored with the adults rather quickly, turning to their own forms of mischief. But I digress.
Around 4 or 5pm is time for seconds, usually more dessert. Speaking of, "pudding" is invariably a custardly substance that comes out of a box marked: JELLO in big red, sans-serif letters. Dessert - be it pudding, pecan pie, pumpkin pie, or otherwise - is usually destined for an encounter with CoolWhip (see picture above), a ready made "whipped topping" of which it is mandatory to keep a tub in stock, should guests request it. This does not mean necessarily that it is edible or that it need be. But traditions must be guarded. Breaking with tradition, however we'll not have any CoolWhip since they are still inspecting the shipment at HM Customs and Excise.
We plan however, to have other delights on hand this year, though we'll not be serving the traditional Thanksgiving Turkey for two reasons. First, that they aren't usually very tasty anyway, unless a senior matriarch, ( e.g., grandma) has laid hands to the poor thing - and my partner doesn't qualify yet, thankfully. Second, that they are hard to cook, which is kinda related to the first but I had to come up with at least two reasons. Therefore, we are likely to have a perfectly respectable Thanksgiving ham again - another good ham this year I hope, accompanied by his old friends, the baked sweet potatoes. We shall not want for starch! It would be un-American.
If there aren't leftovers, we will have failed utterly, as it is mandatory to send off the guests with Tupperware containers brimming great helpings of food that one cannot again bear to look upon. We plan to bless our guests with the same. Happy Turkey-day to all.
