A Time For Turkey, a Time for… Pasta?
Posted by Russ Communications on November 22, 2011
Based on the story “My first Thanksgiving with White People” by LZ Granderson
Thanksgiving has been held at my parents house for as long as I remembered, the place where my grandparents and what ever aunts and uncles could make it that year would converge for one giant meal followed by days of amazing sandwiches.
While new dishes and ways of preparing the meal were always coming and going the basic formula was always the same: turkey, stuffing, greens, and my moms home made cranberry sauce that tasted different every year. One never really thinks about how ones Thanksgiving rituals, or those of any holiday for that matter, differ from others.
My experience of cultural differences did not occur between racial lines as in Mr. Granderson’s story, but instead across the Mason Dixon line. In college I use to date a girl who was only the third generation American, her family coming over from Italy in the great Elis Island rush. My family on the other hand could trace its heritage back to at least the revolutionary war, and was now deeply rooted in the south.
We seemed to disagree on a lot of issues but one thing about her that stood out to me was the peculiar Thanksgiving menu her family had every year. She would tell me of food that I had never heard of, and while I made strange faces at words like manigot and prosciutto, her eyes would light up in fond remembrance of the foods that made her Thanksgiving special. I realized that my family had strange southern traditions for Thanksgiving, like raw oysters and cheese straws to hold us over until the big meal, but I mean come on, pasta for Thanksgiving? Just didn’t seem right to me.
I never made it to one of her Italian Thanksgiving dinners. Looking back on it now, I wish I were a little more enthusiastic about hearing about her family traditions that were so different from mine. One of the best parts about being in the United States is the ability to explore others cultures, to experience things from around the world. Sure this is a melting pot of sorts, but the soup is always better when you can taste the individual ingredients.
So this holiday season, try something new, and share with others the great tradition and food that make your family special.
