Everything Must Go!

Our refrigerator unceremoniously gave up on us this weekend.  This is a long trend of appliances dying just before a major holiday.  We should be used to it.  I went to a warehouse sale and bought a scratch and dent for cheap(er) because I want to stick it to the man.  And because I own a truck.

I brought it home and got it unloaded.  We got it into the house, under duress, and now it's keeping its cool, making ice and dispensing water like a champ.  Long live the refrigerator!!!

Thanksgiving isn't the same as it used to be, and five years from now it won't be like it is now, and so on. 

But let's talk about some recent sad Thanksgiving related news.

Alice Brock, the Alice of Alice's Restaurant - the ultimate Thanksgiving song, died last week at the age of 83.  Arlo Guthrie made a career out of a story that was derived from a holiday spent with her.  Well, that was the jumping off point of the story - it's really a story about an examination for military induction during the Vietnam Draft.  It's a song about justice, it's a song about freeeeeedom, it's a song about love between the brothers and the sisters, all over this land.

Sorry - I got a little off-track, there.

The summer before 5th grade, I became obsessed with Alice's Restaurant, and I memorized it.  I still know it, pretty much by heart.  It's an odd thing for a kid in 1985 to learn, but it has served me well over the years, because I am not the only one who knows it.  And my fellow Alice's Restaurant and Arlo Guthrie fans have become friends over that time.  It's interesting what a good novelty song can do.

I don't know that I'll listen to it this year.  It depends on where I am, and when.  Some radio stations around the country make a habit of playing it at noon each year, and it's a great distraction from the chaos of Turkey Day prep.

I personally have not had to cook a turkey in ages.  I often threaten to buy one after the holidays and cook it for soup, sandwiches and whatnot.  But have I done that?  Again, not in ages.  I do love a good turkey sandwich, though.  Not deli meat, but off the bird.  Here is my family's formula for a good post-Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich:

2 slices of white bread - the kind with no nutritive value.  We call it plastic bread.

Cover one slice with mayonnaise

Cover the other with Durkee's Sauce (see note)

On the mayo slice, add thinly sliced cranberry sauce (the canned jellied kind) to cover the bread

On the Durkee's side, add thinly sliced turkey.  I prefer white meat, but you do you. 

Put the sandwich together and cut into half - diagonal is prettier, but whatever, man.

Note:  Durkee's Sauce is reminiscent of a cold Hollandaise, or a mayostard or mustayonnaise.

(Fun fact - Jay Johnston, the man playing Abe Lincoln in this clip, is now serving time for the January 6th attack on the Capitol)

Now, there are other options.  This one is harder work, but delicious.

Start by making a Mornay sauce.  For the cheese, Cheddar.  As sharp as possible. I think Gruyere might also be good, but Cheddar.  Go with what you know.

Toast two slices of rye bread.  Add thinly sliced turkey (warmed is better), then top with as much Mornay as you like.  Can you really have too much?  I've never seen that happen. 

This one my father made.  They used to serve it at Rich's Department store - I feel like there was a men's dining room or men's club room where it was served?  So, not the tea room or lunch counter.  I don't know  - my reliable sources are all dead and gone.   But my father could, and would, rock a Mornay sauce.   

Anyway - if you don't have the turkey, just keep moving - nothing to see, here.

I also like making ham salad from leftover ham.  That one is easy.

Finely diced ham, mayo, mustard and diced hot/sweet pickled jalapenos.  Mix well, eat however you can get it to your face - though saltines work well.

I like food.  That's the big takeaway.

Have a good lead-up to the big day, and if we don't talk again before then - gobble til you wobble!