Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
Musings on cats, travel, gardens and life
Memories of Turkey Day
When I was growing up my favorite part of Thanksgiving wasn’t the turkey. Neither was it the dressing or the sweet potatoes which are my favorites today but not then. What I remember most are the hors d’oeuvres and the wine flips and the trip downtown for football.
First the hors d’oeuvres, which is not only the hardest thing to spell, but also may be too grand a word for what we made. We started with crackers, then squirted on the cheese from a can. (Do they still have that?) Next, we added cold cuts like salami and pepperoni, topped it off with olives and pickles, and used a toothpick to hold the tower together. We placed them on a tray and delivered them to our guests in style. When it was empty we ran back to the kitchen to build the next batch, all the while enjoying a few direct squirts of cheese into our mouth. Tasty little treats they were.
But dinner was not yet, for while the turkey was in the oven, my sisters drove us to Seattle’s Memorial Stadium for Turkey Day, to watch their high school football team, the Chief Sealth Seahawks, play in the championship game. And I – the little sister – got to tag along with them and their friends. I loved every minute I was in the presence of those confident teenage girls and couldn’t wait to be their age.
The ride home was exhilarating if we won, as we shouted out the windows to the losers driving by, “Seahawks Rule!” Whatever the kids from other cars would yell back, we would always counter with, “who won the game?” and that would silence them.
I remember the year Chief Sealth lost to the Roosevelt Roughriders, 10 to 7.
The ride home was quiet, and we rolled up our windows. But by the time we made it back home, the sting of the loss was over, the turkey was ready, and its aroma filled the air. As we ate our dinner, mom pulled out the special beaded wine glasses and filled ours with 7-Up and a splash of wine, turning our drink a lovely pink (promise not to tell.) Next year we said.
Interestingly, it would be those same Roosevelt Roughriders that I would root for in high school, not the Sealth Seahawks, as we ended up moving to the north end right before my high school years started. But that is another story.
Happy Thanksgiving!
~ Susanne
Cats and Trails and Garden Tales 
You obviously have some good memories. Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you. That’s a good one from my youth! Will enjoy dinner with friends later today.
You have lovely memories, Susanne! Happy Thanksgiving! 😊
Thanks, John! Happy Thanksgiving!
You are welcome. 😊
I’ve never had cheese from a can but I’m curious. And I absolutely love turkey, yet we only have it once a year.
I love turkey too, but only have it a few times a year. It’s one of my husband’s favorite so I made it for his birthday earlier this month.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you! You too!
Great memories. Hope you had a good Thanksgiving.
Thanks, Graham. Had a great dinner with friends. Hope you had a good Thanksgiving, too.
Very nice, thanks.
Hehe! Yes they still make the squirt cheese in the can! My parents hardly ever bought it but when they did it was a real treat! Ritz crackers and the cheddar cheese were a favorite snack!!
I don’t think I’ve had it since! And it was definitely on Ritz crackers! 🙂
My parents would buy the Sociable crackers with the poppy seeds (for Bridge Club since the crackers were shaped like hearts, spades, diamonds and clubs) which were never as good as a Ritz!
Great memories of happy times. We only ever have turkey on Christmas Day, so that keeps it special.
Best wishes, Pete.
Thanks, Pete. When I hear, ‘Turkey Day,’ it always reminds me of the championship football game, since that’s what we called it. This year, I made turkey for Bob’s birthday earlier this month since it’s his favorite.