Saturday, November 29, 2008

The Ease of Tradition

After this Thanksgiving, where we shook everything up and tried some new recipes, I know the real reason why traditions are maintained: they're infinitely easier!

Although it was a breath of fresh air to try something new - did you know if you boil cranberries, sugar and fresh-squeezed OJ long enough, it gets gelatinous all on its own? - using all-new recipes definitely added a layer of stress to the festivities, at least for me.
  • Will these potatoes turn out?
    (Sure, but a little more salt wouldn't hurt.)
  • Does the stuffing need more chicken stock?
    (Yep!)
  • How long do you cook a double batch of maple-glazed carrots?
    (Less time than you think.)
In the end, there were no major disasters: it was all edible and rather tasty.

And thanks to our guests who brought a fabulous selection of desserts, it ended on a sugar high.

But in the end, the most important thing was the gathering of people we care about!

2 comments:

Kitty said...

true, true, there's nothing like cooking a recipe you've already done. The first time always has some glitches

Glad everything turned out well!

Anonymous said...

We blindly try new recipes every year, but having 4 new things at once was a bit much!

Sounds like your Thanksgiving was a good one, too!