Thanksgiving Traditions
Tyler Florence used to have a show on Food Network where he would help people who were trying to recover a long, lost recipe. People would ask for help on recapturing Grandma’s Beef Stew or some other childhood favorite. Taking information about the person’s ethnic heritage, foods available in the location that they lived, and other family history, he’d come into a person’s home with two recipes. One would be a proximity–or best guess–on how the person’s grandmother might have made the dish and then he’d give his own take on how he likes to prepare the dish. I couldn’t find the show listed on the Food Network, so I don’t think its still on the air. The closest I could find was something called “Rescue Chef.” Since it’s Thanksgiving week, I started thinking about “lost recipes” and other traditions that have gone by the wayside. My Aunt Jo always talked about her mother’s, (my Great Grandmother Anna Ruth Buchanan Sullivan’s) Ambrosia Salad. The recipe was so special that she even had a specific dish that it was put in. My Aunt Jo inherited the dish and when you entered her home, she’d point up to the top of her cabinets to the large ceramic bowl. I have never tasted my great grandmother’s Ambrosia Salad.

A Truly Golden Thanksgiving
Tomorrow will be a really special day! Yes, because it’s Thanksgiving but also because it will commemorate 50 years of marriage for my parents, Jim and Donna Heath. | ||
Looking through my photo album I’m amazed at how young and innocent my parents looked. I can’t help but be astounded at how far we’ve come when I look back at the events that happened in 1957:
After getting married my parents promptly began their life, not even taking the time to have a honeymoon. My Dad joined the military and after several moves, ended up in California. There, they reared a family of six kids. While we weren’t well off in the financial sense we were very blessed with lots of love for each other. My parents dedicated themselves to their children with Scouts, Little League, music lessons, camping trips, swimming lessons, school plays, fishing excursions, dancing festivals, school sports, all while working full time–all the usual activities that fill up a life time. And now, during a time where they should be living a quiet retired life, they are raising a second family with three rambunctious teen-aged boys! For some time, it has been a trend to blame our parents for all that’s wrong with us, but when I look back at our lives I have to admit that my parents not only did the best they could, they did a HECK of a lot. I look at my brothers and sister and am so proud of how they turned out and, while we each have faced challenges, we’ve been able to meet them with determination and graciousness. All of which is due to my Mom’s and Dad’s parenting skills, who taught us that it is our differences that make us valuable and that no matter what happens we are family first. Even though it’s been a very difficult year for all of us with the loss of both my grandmothers, both of my parents’ mothers, I realized I have a lot to be thankful for on this special day, starting first with my parents. So, tomorrow, when I say my prayers of thanksgiving, they will be at the top of my list! Happy Thanksgiving Every One! |
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Love, April |
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