My dad is from South Texas and at Thanksgiving my Grandma always made a big pot of pinto beans. tortillas, and tamales along with the turkey dressing and mashed potatoes. Mama hails from Arkansas so it was cornbread dressing, giblet gravy, fried Arkansas Black apples with butter. My DH's family has to have cheese grits and hash brown potato casserole with their Thanksgiving dinner.
Does everybody have special dishes that is unique to their family or cultural group? I would love to read about the dishes and the traditions, especially what was handed down by the elders.
Traditions
Normally we have scalloped oysters on Thanksgiving along with the turkey, potatoes and gravy, dressing, veggies, rolls, cranberry salads, etc. This year we stayed home, so just two of us can't eat all of this and our menu was a lot more simple. Maybe we will have the scalloped oysters this weekend when our youngest daughter and family are here.
Scalloped oysters, now that sounds different. Do you make them like scalloped potatoes only using oysters? Yes, I think you must have some this weekend. lol Just DH and myself here too. Had to really watch myself to keep from making too much food. As it is I won't be cooking again until Sunday.
We always have had scalloped oysters too. They are layered in a casserole with heavy cream, cracker crumbs and salt and pepper. The other things we always have in my family are:
Turkey, of course!
cornbread dressing made with butter, celery, onions, sage;
sweet potato dish made with cream, eggs, and sugar that has a wonderful brown sugar/pecan top;
giblet gravy
cranberries
pumpkin and pecan pies
A couple of dishes of DH's German heritage family are homeade noodles and hot (spicy) rice.
Its very interesting to see the different traditions that are not only regional, but also inherited...
My scalloped oysters use a lot of real butter too. Probably more butter than 1/2 and 1/2. I save the cream to make real whipped cream for the pies. LOL!
Oysters are best from Acme Oyster House in the Quarter in New Orleans, yum!! Loretta, from which area is your Arky family located?? I'm in southeast Arky, but I'm a LA girl, born in the Quarter in NO. In all truthfulness, I prefer my oysters raw and from Acme. We will be in NO next week for our annual trip, I begin to hyperventilate about the time we pass Fat City, it's like going home, despite the fact that I've lived in Arky since I was two. I suppose I'm the only one with those kind of ideas, huh??
My mama's people are from around Camden My sister lives in DeQueen. If DH's football team goes to a bowl it will probably be in New Orleans and he told me yesterday we would be there for sure. I love raw oysters too. With lots of horse radish, ummm ummm. Oh and ice cold beer. I know what you mean about going home. I have not lived in Texas for 12 years but when I cross the Red River almost get tears in my eyes.
RAW oysters..........Acckkkk. I dearly love oyster stew, but no other way!
We had turkey, ham, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, dressing(celeyu/onion), noodles, veggies, pies, etc. Won't be hungry for another year, at least we shouldn't be!
Loretta, I grew up in Crossett AR, near Camden. We call it Cam-dam-den, ha!! That was forty something years ago when we played football against Camden. We also played DeQueen, isn't that a great name for a hometown, DeQueen, I love it!! Which team is your hubby following, TN, TX, other?? You should have made reservations already, Sugar Bowl is the big game and reservations go quickly. Hey, your Red River happens to me when I get to Jackson MS, whew, I can hardly breathe, and by the time I get to the LA border, I'm in heaven. If you get to NO, you have to go to Acme Oyster House, the oysters are the best in the world, shucked at the counter and the horseradish will blind you, I'm sure you know what I mean, super fresh, over the top. If you like crab, the world's best crab cocktail is next door to Acme, at Felix's, super!! Now, tell me when your mom was in school, assuming she grew up in Camden...
My mother was born in 1935 so she must have graduated in 1953. Her maiden name was Yates.
My husband follow The University of Memphis. Why I do not know but I am not allowed to make fun of his team even if is my alma mater.LOL If I never saw another football game it would not break my heart. But I do love to eat and NO does have goooood food so I go too. I will have to check out the Acme and scarf down some oysters. An added advantage is the horse radish clears out sinuses and ears. Heck I like it when it almost brings tears to your eyes. UMM UMM! Oh goodness it is late I better hit the sack!
Loretta if you get that close to me you better make time and meet me. I am 2 hours from NO or less depending on how heavy my foot and the traffic is.
edited to say Grandmother always made oyster dressing. Gross me out!!! and Turkey ala King with the left over turkey which was so yummy. She was from Metarie and boy could she cook.
This message was edited Dec 2, 2004 11:12 PM
Gretchen, we make the same sweet potato dish with pecan and brown sugar topping.
Oh boy, do I love it, Cala -- I could eat a big bowl of it right now!!! Of course, its more dessert than side dish LOL!
I was already thinking on that Donna. They are going to a bowl but in Mobile. That's still pretty close though. I'm just going to drive down to the coast in the spring. There is nothing I hate worse than going to football. For some reason everytime I go to one it is either freezing or raining. lol
Mobile is even closer(45 min.) Just come with them and spend the day with me or I could meet you there and we could find something to do. have a huge flea market I haven't been to in years. Coming to the spring swap the first Sat in April in Florala??? Take Crestview, FL exit and go right I think about 30 minutes down the road. I go left so you should have to go right since we are coming in from different directions??
For Thanksgiving, my mother has always fixed turnip greens with ham hock and homemade macaroni & cheese with real cheese in it. Of course we always have the traditional turkey, dressing, sweet potatoe souffle, and cranberry sauce. And then dessert wouldn't be Thanksgiving dessert without good ole pumpkin pie and banana puddin'. Yum Yum--I guess you can figure out which part I am always ready to eat. lol
Well, Loretta, DH & I both grew up in Texarkana, lived in N. O. for 23 years, and I'm less than two hours from Donna. Y'all could come on over here.
Kay
Wow, Kay, I was born in NO and now live in southeast Arky, Dermott. Where is Poplarville MS??? Of course, I know where Texarkana is located. Maybe you and I and Loretta should meet in a convenient location and discuss our addiction - ya think??!!
I think that would be marvelous. Ya'll give me to the end of the week and this semester will be over. I am finishing up my project for one class and taking final exams this week. About all I have been doing for the last week is studying and typing my little fingers to the bone.
Loretta
Loretta, and Kay, how far are you from Cleveland MS??? It's a great place to shop - I'll check the map to see where you two are located. I'm in southeast Arky. I probably couldn't do it until after the holidays, but if you two set up a time/date, I'd do my best to be there. Good luck on the exams!!!!
Poplarville is about 60-65 miles north and slightly east of Lake Pontchartrain. Do you know where Bogalusa, LA is? We are located about 20 miles east of Bogalusa. That's probably a good way from SE AK, SherryLike. Where is Cleveland, MS? I don't really shop any more except for plants. All my clothes are jean or shorts and T-shirts.
Y'all all need to come here! Donna and I visit back and forth some already, and we enjoy other plant nuts. 'Ain't a thing to see here in the winter but dead grass, but we can find something to do. I keep telling myself, "Self! You really don't need any more plants!" But wouldn't it be fun to find some good nurseries to visit?
Oh Loretta, study hard and then take a rest. That makes me tired just thinking about exams.
Kay
ROTF, whew, I would say I certainly DO know where Bogalusa LA is located, Kay. I just thought I was the only person in the world that did or I would have mentioned it, LOL. My daddy was born in Enon, LA, snuggled between Bogalusa and Franklinton, LA. My mother was born/reared on the Pearl River in Jackson, and my daddy was born/reared on the Pearl River in Enon. I'm about 4 hours from you and I'm not sure how far Loretta is from me. Cleveland MS is approx one hour, due east, from me. Nice town, nice shopping, nice people. I cannot believe I'm oh so close to meeting brug people in person. Wow, what fun!!!
I am about 6-7 hours from the Gulf Coast and probably 2 hours or less from Sherry. After the holidays is better for me too.
Sherry we could probably meet on a regular basis. It's not that far.
I hope we can all work it out. It would be a nice day just all getting together. I'm about 1 1/2 hours southeast of Kay. It is a nice drive
I think JanetOS said her family is from Bogalusa also. Small world.
My Grandma only cooked once a year at the holidays.
My family never had regular dressing with the Christmas turkey. Instead, we had Grandmas Dressing Balls.
She used the prepared Herb Dressing with TONS of onions and celery and rolled an oyster in each of the balls. The "balls" are cooked slowly and turn out crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside. Grandmas balls have become part of my families holiday tradition.
Yep she is Jen
I've enjoyed reading this thread. I have a great story about ACME Oyster Bar and my dd when she was 12 (she's 16 now). She and I were in NO for a weekend and she discovered she absolutely loved raw oysters. Sunday for lunch we went to ACME and sat at the bar. We each ordered a dozen oysters and the shucker was totally impressed that Elena loved them so much. He would give her a HUGE oyster, and then give the rest of us the normal sized ones. Then it was "Honey, you just tell me when you're ready for another one." and give her another huge oyster. You should have seen everyone's eyes everytime the shucker would shower Elena with her new favorite food. We still laugh over that.
That's one of those stories you retell over and over then laugh every time like it was the first time you heard. I guess my favorite part of big holiday meals is listening to the stories about when we were kids or our parents. Your gramdma would tell about the time your Dad tried to use a umbrella to jump off a two story house Then of course your brother has to tell your most embarrassing moment as a kid or your grandma brings out the pictures of you sitting on your little trainng potty cause it was so cute. lol That is where you heard about the people who are gone and pick up on the family scandals if you listen close enough. lol
Rolled dressing balls with an oyster center, now that's an unique family recipe. Bet ya'll look forward to them every year.
I'll start checking my calender, maybe spring break or before school starts after the Christmas break.
This message was edited Dec 8, 2004 11:02 AM
I love your story meltn. Great stories here from everyone.
Okay, y'all! I'm waiting to hear the plan and looking forward to it! Until then, if it's not before the holidays, 'hope you all have a WONDERFUL Christmas and new year.
Hugs,
Kay
Hahaha, looks like we should meet at Acme!!! We just returned from the Quarter and a week of raw oysters and they are better than ever. We agree with Elena, pins!!
Christmas tradition South Texas Style, before the holiday get the whole family together and have everyone sitting around the table talking having a good time, trading stories, telling jokes and "Making Tamales" ............ I can almost smell'um and hear the laughter of everyone.......
The best ever............
8o)
Dee