Today's MOZEN: Thanksgiving 2017

F LoBuono

When I was a kid, Thanksgiving at my grandmother's house in Brooklyn were feasts of extraordinary quality. My family combined the best of Sicilian culinary arts with the new found American traditions. So, we had meals of seven courses or more. My grandmother, mother, and aunts would meet a few days in advance to visit the local markets to buy the freshest ingredients available.

Then, they went to work.

I remember sitting in the living room of the old townhouse, listening to the women solve all of the world's problems while they worked their savory magic. The result was nothing short of spectacular: fresh, crisp salad, soup with beans, meatballs and escarole, stuffed artichokes, more homemade meatballs, tomato sauce and pasta, various fresh vegetables, and, of course, the main course - roasted turkey. Wine, beer, water, and seltzer was readily available for everyone - yes, even the children, too. After dinner, fruits like grapes, bananas, oranges, apples, and, a Sicilian favorite, fresh fennel provided the next palate pleaser.  And, should that not be enough, there were a choice of traditional American sweets like apple or pumpkin pie and Sicilian ones like cannolis. Of course, you could wash it all down with coffee or espresso.

And, then there was the company.

My grandmother, mother, father, aunts, uncles, and cousins were all there - often upwards of 20 people. The adults sat at the "big table" in my grandmother's dinning room while the kids were relegated the one in the basement, their squeals of joy floating up the basement stairs. We were, indeed, one, big, happy family.

But, those days are long gone. At least for my immediate family. My grandfather passed my years ago as has my father. My cousins went on to create their own families and made new memories. So, my mother, brother, sister and I will dine together on food prepared by someone else and brought to my sister's house. None of us have spouses or children, so it's just us. We'll spend a few hours together and share our delicious prepared meal. Then, as I have done for the last 17 years, I'll head to work.

But, there is still much to be thankful for. There always is . . .