Connected Through Tradition

Here we are, smack in the middle of November and the holidays are literally weeks away. This means all of the holiday foods are coming as well. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s (followed quickly by Valentine’s Day and Easter) are filled with all of the glorious smells and tastes that take over our homes and tables.

These holidays are filled with foods that have become traditions in all of our families. I started thinking about all of the foods we make for each holiday celebration and simply thinking about each of them brought so many memories back. I felt like I could see my grandmother’s and grandfather’s in the kitchen cooking. Hear them laughing around the table. These are fond moments and I think that is why we treasure our traditions of food.

I thought I would share some of my family holiday food traditions with you, and the people who brought them into my world.

We are a turkey family for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. There is just something about having it for the main meal, but then also having leftovers. After decades of working in the health food industry, my mother’s influence finally rubbed off on my and I now make bone broth with the carcass after each meal. The health benefits are incredible, and no part of the bird goes to waste. I love thinking about my parents making the turkey and knowing the I never liked gravy (still don’t), but I loved the drippings. My mom or dad would always put aside a tine cup of turkey drippings before making the gravy so that I would have something to drip my turkey meat into (dark meat, please). I love this memory for lots of reasons, the best is that sometimes it is in the simplest of ways that we speak love the loudest to those around us.

That said, we all know that it is the sides that make the meal. Am I right or am I right!?

Aside from my mom, I remember cooking with my Nannie the most. She would always pull a chair up so I could stand on it at the counter, right next to her, and watch what she was doing. God bless her, she let me make a disaster in her kitchen. My cousin and I were her only grandkids and I love that she instilled in us the love of good cooking. Two things you could count on Nannie making each year were Divinity and Fudge. I have yet to find Divinity that tastes like hers, and unfortunately, we don’t have the recipe. I swear she kept it in her head! I’m just glad I have the memory of watching her make candy. I smile every time I think of it.

In our family, we don’t have a holiday meal without a relish tray. That came from my Nannie as well. There is nothing truly earth-shattering about a relish tray, but one thing I have noticed that most are missing (and maybe it is a Texas thing) – green onions. I feel like we were the only ones who had green onions on their relish trays. There have been changes and additions to the tray over the years – like dips have been added – but it stays much the same. Cringe if you must, but I remember FONDLY celery ‘stuffed’ with spray cheese or cream cheese; black and green olives, baby pickles, carrots, and radishes all placed in a beautiful rainbow on a crystal platter. My mom did the same, and now I do as well.

We used to be a mashed potato crew, and while we still make a very small bowl for the few outliers, we are more of a Potato Casserole crew now (which I love because, ew, gravy!). It started back when PJ was a baby and just continued. Some people use hash browns to make this dish, not our family. We use boiled, grated potatoes (hello burnt fingers!). Here is just something about fresh being the best. Add in sour cream, cream soup, cheese, green onions, more cheese, throw it in the oven, and YUMMO!!! And it doesn’t hurt that this is a great dish for leftovers!

One of my most favorite memories with my Grandma Williamson was snapping beans. There is just something about sitting with 2 bowls and a dish towel in your lap and snapping the fresh green beans. We would sit and watch Joker’s Wild or Wild Card on the television and chat while we snapped beans together. I love that she took the time to teach me, to talk with me, and to instill in me a love for fresh produce. I cannot smell fresh green beans without thinking of her – and yes, I do still snap beans…no holiday required, this happens whenever I buy them. She also taught me how to make apple butter and can jam – as well as yell out the answers at the game shows on television.

My Grandma & Grandpa Shew were both amazing in the kitchen. They both let us cook with them – although they loved to serve. My grandpa’s gift was in cooking and serving his family and friends. There was no denying his love for you when he made you food. Grandma taught me the Stovepipe Bread recipe when I was younger and I still make it every time we have Potato Soup (I mean, warm bread with butter…yes, please!). If you don’t know what Stovepipe Bread is, it is a wonderful bread recipe that is baked in small coffee cans, and it looks like it came out of a stovepipe. Grandpa made steel-cut oatmeal with so many wonderful things added in – breakfast was a treat with him. He also taught me how to make Orange Fluff – which we have on every holiday. Now, most people will cringe when you tell them what is in it (how can orange jello, mandarin oranges, cool whip, and cottage cheese taste good), but I’m here to tell you – it is THE BEST!!! And every time I make it, I see his happy smile, and his face that could have been Santa’s twin, and my heart sings.

I wish I could say that this next one is a tradition I love – but it has to do with pies, pecan pie in particular. I am not a fan of pecan pie. Like, NOT A FAN. Even typing the words makes me queasy. I know that it tastes wonderful (how could pecans not taste wonderful) but it is the texture that sends me running to the bathroom. The tradition has been that the men, my dad, my husband, and my son, have all taken GREAT delight over the year of trying to make me gag, or worse, actually throw up. I’m certain one year it was so bad I used some 4-letter words towards them. And I don’t regret it!! Alas, aside from the pecan pie, pumpkin is always served, and our daughter-in-love is an adventurous chef so fun desserts, taste orange rolls, and other treats are sure to make their way to the table.

Another great tradition our immediate family has developed over the last 5 years is enjoying Moscow Mules. We have them at every holiday meal - and the fun is finding new recipes for them. I think our group favorite is a Caramel Apple Mule. Anything with caramel drizzled on it has to be good, right!?

So, while I was typing these words about food traditions it hit me what makes them so important, other than the good tastes. It is connection. These foods connect us to the people of our past. Those who went before us, who have left a legacy for us to live into. And they connect us to those who will come after us, we will leave a legacy for them. Connection, through food, through flavor, through tradition, at the table.