I read an article today in the November 2010 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine that made me stop and think for a minute. It was about passing down traditions for the Thanksgiving meal.
The person writing the article was a male and talked about how moms pass down their recipes to their daughters not their sons, and that her holiday masterpiece would die out with her, a family heirloom gone missing..
So he asked his mom if she would teach him to make her Thanksgiving meal and although somewhat bewildered, she did happily. That next Thanksgiving he prepared her dinner for their family that she had made for years but had since passed the turkey baster on to her daugther-in-laws.
He recalls the looks on his parents faces when the meal was served and how delighted they were. Then while cleaning the old roasting pan that had been in the family for generations he asked his mom if she would leave it to him someday. Very pleased and proud that he would want to continue this tradition she said "All right, if you'd like."
So it made me think. I already have the identical roasting pan that my mom uses. Afterall her turkeys were always delicious so why make any changes now. My mom to this day, at 88 years old, makes a challah stuffing for the turkey. We have all loved her stuffing for as long as I remember and now my kids love it too. In fact, my son looks forward to the upcoming Thanksgiving meal right after we have one because of my moms stuffing. He loves what I make too but there's just something about her stuffing.
So years ago I asked my mom for the recipe which I have filed away safely. I desperately want to make it to insure I have it just right but, I don't dare take that glory away from her on Thanksgiving. I'm superstitiuous and if I made it while she was still here on earth I'm afraid I would jinx her. I'd never forgive myself.
So I'll just keep it tucked away and know that someday it will be my turn to prepare it along with all the other fixins. I hope that my kids will also want the recipe to pass down to their children along with ones that they've grown to cherish that were mine.
What recipe or recipes do you have each and every year that you'd like to be sure you get, so that you can pass down to your family for generations to come? Please share it with me and don't forget to ask for it this year. Unfortunately you never know when it will be too late.
