Trying to smell Thanksgiving cooking across the Atlantic
It really just hit me: I don't get to have Thanksgiving this year. I don't get turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, pumpkin pie--I have to stop there. I mean, I'd known this fact all along, but 24 hours before I would have been eating it was the official breaking point. Not only do I not get to eat the meal, visit with family, or watch football--I HAVE CLASS. I HAVE A PAPER TO WRITE. What a downer. However, CAPA (my "school" here) is not leaving us completely in tears. They have provided "a 3-course, very posh meal," held at the local Holiday Inn. And, staying as close to Americana as possible, it's a buffet. Get your stopwatches out. Ready? My fasting starts...now. Actually, I think I will eat as much as I can until then, expanding my stomach, but throwing up periodically to empty it out. You know, after typing that last sentence, I'll probably fast. This 'posh' buffet is exciting, but the menu is slightly less than desireable. Let's put it this way, nobody's going to leave saying 'boy, those Brits really know how to do Thanksgiving!' Well, I managed to wrangle myself a menu, and it looks like this (have snacks ready, this will make you hungr--well, maybe not):
Starters:
Assorted cold meats. I mean, I usually do open Thanksgiving with some deli ham I guess.
Caeser salad. Let's not kid around; nobody's filling themselves up with salad on Thanksgiving.
Waldorf salad. I think you have to be at least 40, or the child of an accomplished cook, to even know what waldorf salad is.
Hawaiin coleslaw. Oh those Hawaiians and their coleslaw. I guess the roasted pig was a little too ambitious of me to ask.
Three bean salad. The gastro-intestinal works will be under enough stress, might as well throw in some beans.
Hot dog and sauerkraut salad. Beans, maybe. Hot dogs and sauerkraut? My mind is tellin me no, but my body...
Mains:
Roast turkey with trimmings. As long as by trimmings we're talking potates and stuffing we're in business.
Cajun salmon. Sure, why not, Squanto was an accomplished stream fisherman I'm sure.
Roast belly pork. I'll make an exception just because it sounds delicious. But at my house, pork gets the axe.
Brocolli with cheddar bake. This one sounds enticing and horrifying all at once. Definite warning sign.
Zucchini and corn. Nice, need to balance with some veggies. I'll take one spoonful please.
Honey baked sweet potatoes. Now we're talkin.
Fragrant rice. Really, if the Native Americans and the Pilgrims shared one love, it was fragrant rice.
Desserts:
Freshly cut fruit. Probably not going to make the cut at this stage in the meal, in favor of...
Selection of desserts and tarts. As long as there's pumpkin pie, nobody will get hurt.
This is what I'm up against in this country. But, as Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks, I'll do my best to ignore the Brit's lack of respect for a sacred (well, not technically) holiday's patented menu and come up with some things I'm thankful for.
TOP TEN THINGS I'M THANKFUL FOR IN LONDON:
10. No matter how cold it is, you can always say "I bet it's colder right now in Minnesota."
9. The majority of people don't actually hate Americans. But they are a little jealous...
8. My boss's library card-I've used it to read seven books, five Shakespeare plays and four other plays.
7. Some newspapers are free and you get headlines like these from today's paper: "French women do get fat," "Hunt launched for chipmunks," "Man mugged for XBox as console goes on sale," and "Rapper 'used his hands to stop bullets.'"
6. The fact that there is a possibility you could have a conversation with a Norwegian and an Israeli at the same dinner table, all in English.
5. My iPod. I've never loved a possession this much.
4. Wireless internet. I am sitting in my room typing this, using my extremely generous roommate's laptop (I'm letting him use my alarm clock in exchange for free reign on the computer. It's fair.)
3. British class workload. So far, I've taken two tests, written one major paper and a couple short ones and given two 10-minute presentations. Oh yeah, I started later and end earlier than you do and had a week break in the middle.
2. Although there are only five television channels, they manage to show the crappiest movies at all hours of the day. I mean, the BBC showed "Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey," not even their "Excellent Adventure," primetime Sunday night. Movies I've watched in the last couple weeks: "Without Malice," (starring Corey Haim), "The Long Island Incident," "Sherlock Holmes in New York," "Thunderbird 6," and last night, "Phantasm 3." Seriously, imdb these babies. And tonight it's Jean Claude Van Damme in "Streetfighter."
1. The knowledge that eventually, I will return to the United States and live out my life there. Don't get me wrong, I love it here, but I didn't realize (sorry, realise) how much I love America. And our buffets.
Starters:
Assorted cold meats. I mean, I usually do open Thanksgiving with some deli ham I guess.
Caeser salad. Let's not kid around; nobody's filling themselves up with salad on Thanksgiving.
Waldorf salad. I think you have to be at least 40, or the child of an accomplished cook, to even know what waldorf salad is.
Hawaiin coleslaw. Oh those Hawaiians and their coleslaw. I guess the roasted pig was a little too ambitious of me to ask.
Three bean salad. The gastro-intestinal works will be under enough stress, might as well throw in some beans.
Hot dog and sauerkraut salad. Beans, maybe. Hot dogs and sauerkraut? My mind is tellin me no, but my body...
Mains:
Roast turkey with trimmings. As long as by trimmings we're talking potates and stuffing we're in business.
Cajun salmon. Sure, why not, Squanto was an accomplished stream fisherman I'm sure.
Roast belly pork. I'll make an exception just because it sounds delicious. But at my house, pork gets the axe.
Brocolli with cheddar bake. This one sounds enticing and horrifying all at once. Definite warning sign.
Zucchini and corn. Nice, need to balance with some veggies. I'll take one spoonful please.
Honey baked sweet potatoes. Now we're talkin.
Fragrant rice. Really, if the Native Americans and the Pilgrims shared one love, it was fragrant rice.
Desserts:
Freshly cut fruit. Probably not going to make the cut at this stage in the meal, in favor of...
Selection of desserts and tarts. As long as there's pumpkin pie, nobody will get hurt.
This is what I'm up against in this country. But, as Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks, I'll do my best to ignore the Brit's lack of respect for a sacred (well, not technically) holiday's patented menu and come up with some things I'm thankful for.
TOP TEN THINGS I'M THANKFUL FOR IN LONDON:
10. No matter how cold it is, you can always say "I bet it's colder right now in Minnesota."
9. The majority of people don't actually hate Americans. But they are a little jealous...
8. My boss's library card-I've used it to read seven books, five Shakespeare plays and four other plays.
7. Some newspapers are free and you get headlines like these from today's paper: "French women do get fat," "Hunt launched for chipmunks," "Man mugged for XBox as console goes on sale," and "Rapper 'used his hands to stop bullets.'"
6. The fact that there is a possibility you could have a conversation with a Norwegian and an Israeli at the same dinner table, all in English.
5. My iPod. I've never loved a possession this much.
4. Wireless internet. I am sitting in my room typing this, using my extremely generous roommate's laptop (I'm letting him use my alarm clock in exchange for free reign on the computer. It's fair.)
3. British class workload. So far, I've taken two tests, written one major paper and a couple short ones and given two 10-minute presentations. Oh yeah, I started later and end earlier than you do and had a week break in the middle.
2. Although there are only five television channels, they manage to show the crappiest movies at all hours of the day. I mean, the BBC showed "Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey," not even their "Excellent Adventure," primetime Sunday night. Movies I've watched in the last couple weeks: "Without Malice," (starring Corey Haim), "The Long Island Incident," "Sherlock Holmes in New York," "Thunderbird 6," and last night, "Phantasm 3." Seriously, imdb these babies. And tonight it's Jean Claude Van Damme in "Streetfighter."
1. The knowledge that eventually, I will return to the United States and live out my life there. Don't get me wrong, I love it here, but I didn't realize (sorry, realise) how much I love America. And our buffets.
posted by Kristie at 11:48 AM
3 Comments:
You've had Waldorf salad many, many times in your own home - you'll like it.
let us know how the saurkraut and hot dogs is....maybe we should add that to next year's Thanksgiving menu.
Ohhhh Nilsy. Saurkraut and bean salad in the same sitting. Sounds....fragrant. Hope your Thanksgiving was a blast :)
PS - be happy you were treated to a real buffet. In Praha a buffet consisted of you filling your plate up with joy, only to find out that they weigh the damn thing and charge you by the ounce. FOR EACH SERVING.
Post a Comment
<< Home