"A Special Treat"

Today, I deliver my blog into the capable hands of my daughter, Anna.

Enjoy.

-----------------------------
Last month my dad asked me to be a guest blogger on Halloween. Halloween is by far my favorite holiday and boy, do I have some good stories to tell. Sadly my October 31st this year was hijacked by the Target Christmas campaign, when I decided to take a two-week assignment as the assistant wardrobe stylist.

So maybe next year, he will give me a second chance to tell you my stories of failed homemade costumes, the neighbors whose decorations made kids come from other neighborhoods just to see their creations, and which types of candy I prefer (and its not Tootsie Rolls).

So here I am on my dad’s blog, on Thanksgiving week, guest blogging about my second favorite holiday. Why do I love Thanksgiving? First reason is stuffing. The best food there is. And this holiday guarantees that I will be eating it.

Second reason, pie. Unlike the first reason, I like pie because I get to make it, and I am good at it. Ever since I can remember, I was helping my mom bake the pies on Thanksgiving. When mom was the reigning pie baker of the kitchen, we would make pumpkin pie and apple pie. We’d make the crust from scratch and those who have made piecrust know that it requires a certain touch.

When I took over the task of making the pies on my own, I discovered I had this touch. I used the tricks I learned from my then hero, Martha Stewart, to master the art of moving the crust from the table into the pie pan without the crust cracking. The thing about crust is it seems easy. Its just flour, a pinch of sugar, butter, and water (some may dispute this and say there is an egg involved, but not in my pies).

The reality of making piecrust is that one wrong move, and it all falls apart. Too much flour, its too dry; too much water, and it turns into paste; the butter has to be chilled or else it won’t sick together, you overwork it and its ruined.

As the pie baker, I also got to choose which types I made. I replaced the apple pie with chocolate pecan, sorry dad. And the rest was history. Every year I make my Pomerantz award winning pies. That’s a title I gave myself, there has never been a contest involved.

Third reason I look forward to Thanksgiving is the company. There are only four “regulars” at our Thanksgiving table: My mom, dad, sister, and me. The rest of the chairs are filled with a revolving door of guests who have either come there to try my award winning pies they have heard so much about, or they’ve got no other place to go. As I said before, the title was self-proclaimed, so the latter reason stands to be the truest.

We have tried to establish traditions at our Thanksgiving table but none of them have ever stuck, except for the big papier-mache turkey in the middle of the table. (I used to ride it when I was little.)

The past few years, the Tellers have been our Thanksgiving companions. Morgan-Jo Teller is my best friend from Sarah Lawrence College. Her posse consists of her dad, 2 brothers, and her older brother’s girlfriend who happens to work as a clown at parties.

Their tradition is that they preorder the collectable Jones’ Cola Thanksgiving Edition, and bring them as an offering to our Thanksgiving feast. You might not be familiar with Jones’ Cola, but this special collection of beverages contains flavors like “Mashed Potato Ale” and “Turkey.” I have never before or after seen my dad make the face that he did after sampling the “Gravy Soda.”

Unfortunately the Teller’s have moved back to New York and we are left alone at our table again.

Or so we thought...

Cousin Michael called and asked if he, his wife and their 2 kids could come out from New York and spend Thanksgiving with us. Yes! Not only is Michael one of my favorite cousins, but this means more people to admire my pie-baking skills. Also my 97-year-old grandmother recently moved here from Chicago, so she will be joining us as well. This incited my uncle Shelly and his wife Pamela, to fly in from Chicago and also be in attendance.

Then, my boyfriend Colby decided he wouldn’t be heading back to Ohio for this holiday season. So we invited his family here. Adding his mom Deanna, dad Jim, sister Aliceson, her husband Chris, Colby’s brother Chad, and his fiancé Jessica to our extendable table. My sister’s friend, Kelly, although Canadian and not a patriotic participant in this American holiday, will be there too. And so will my friends Conor and Kate, not to mention my roommate, Darren.

22 people! Our table’s not that big! So we’re renting two more. Brave “Dr. M” will be doing all the cooking, and my sister will be making a supplementary apple pie. Maybe my dad will tell you how it goes in his next post, but no promises.

Thanks everyone for reading and thanks dad for letting me be the first ever guest blogger! Happy Thanksgiving! Hopefully you will see me next Oct 31st with some spooky stories.