Table Trimmings
Posted Sun, 11/04/07
I've never claimed to be Suzie Homemaker or akin to Martha Stewart on the domestic front, but I know my likes and dislikes very well.
I cannot go to bed until I've cleaned and freshened the dogs water bowls (one upstairs, one downstairs) for the second or third time for the day; or until I've sifted Kiki’s litter box for the third or fourth time; or until I've washed my face, brushed my hair and cleaned my teeth.
I cannot abide undercooked meat; cooked spinach (although I love fresh baby spinach in salads), Miracle Whip (I'm a mayo-girl all the way), liver, veal, sharp cheese or tomatoes on sandwiches (unless it's a BLT).
But I do love pasta, fish, and chicken. Teriyaki chicken is on the top of my best list, along with Almondine Sole, and any al dente pasta dish with very little sauce. My favorite snacks are typically salty: roasted, salted and shelled sunflower seeds, dry-roasted peanuts, pistachios, cashews, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, slivered almonds, and pine nuts (in season). I'm not much of a sweet-eater, but in the last year or so I've taken a shine to the Take-Five candy bar from Hershey's. I like the mini-versions, but limit myself to one or two per week.
Where am I headed with this? I recently completed a book about my take on the American holiday known as Thanksgiving (which occurs in just over two weeks), where I give over typical fare for the day but also offers alternatives for those of us (myself included) who are simply weary and bored to tears by the same old selection every year (turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, et al).
I originally wrote the book as an article a few years ago, but never displayed it. I did some general clean-up on the piece, bringing links current, adding graphics and designing my own simple web page template.
If you're in the mood, try Thanksgiving with Food Fare. If not, do carry on with turkey and all the trimmings.