Well, the morning radio has no stories about vast numbers of people showing up at local area hospitals with food poisoning, so hopefully it is safe to admit that we fed about 90 people yesterday, in the culmination of a 2-month build-up of turkey stock creating and turkey gravy making.
For most of those two months the work is done in people's homes, with activity getting more frenetic during Thanksgiving week. About cooking turkeys, I survived my crash course and am now something of an expert (six turkeys and three breasts in 48 hours). On Tuesday night we set up the 8-foot tables and get out the extra chairs. Then linen table clothes are laid, and the tables are set.
On Wednesday night, the celery is chopped, the stuffing is made, and the potatoes are peeled and cut up into pieces to make them easier to boil.
Other things happen on Wednesday night, but by then I was so tired I can't remember them.
Starting at 8:30 Thanksgiving morning, I load up the car with frozen turkey stock and gravy. If you've ever sent us Omaha Steaks, you've played a role in this part of the adventure.
Then the baked breads (cranberry and pumpkin) and various pans and utensils get loaded in and we're at the scene of the crime by 9:15. Other folks start arriving soon afterward, and the cooking gets underway. Here, four colorful Kitchen-Aides are used to mash potatoes.
As we get closer to meal time, the "jello salad" is put out and the tables are made ready. You can see the "jello salad" here. This is something straight out of the 1950's, and there's general agreement that this year was its last appearance. It looks pretty, though (except for that blech poured on top of it).
The assembly lines are formed, the doors are opened, and the Big Show begins.
I pretty much hate Thanksgiving until the doors are opened. Then it's wonderful to watch the terrific folks who have given up a part of their holiday to do this little amazing thing.
Then it's clean-up time.
Suellen worked really hard on this, and it came out fine.
Just want to make sure: Did I happen to mention that I cooked six turkeys and three turkey breasts?
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