Love and Thankfulness

When I think of Thanksgiving traditions I think of LOVE. My family and friends don’t really have traditions when it comes to particular foods at Thanksgiving. We practice the tradition of TOGETHERNESS! We feel it is important to not be alone and for everyone to get together and have a good time. We are all spread out all over the country and we do our best to join one another in the name of love and have a meal. Thanksgiving is a mixture of friends, family, and new friends.

When it comes to food…WE GO IN! We tend not to lean towards the traditional Thanksgiving fare because, to be honest, we end up having that same food a month later for Christmas. Plus, we are a mixture of different nationalities and childhood traditions that we each bring our own contribution to the table. For instance, I am Jamaican and I often get asked to make a traditional Jamaican dish whether it may be Beef Patties or Ackee and Saltfish. Last year, my aunt hosted and prepared Southern Cuisine such chitterlings with hog maws in addition to ham and collard greens. So as you can tell, being from the islands and being raised in the south has its advantages and provided for an interesting spread on the table.

This year we are getting creative. I live in North Carolina but I was raised in Florida and so were most of the people in my North Carolina circle. One of the main things that we complain about missing is the ability to go to any corner in Florida and have there be a Crab Shack, Crab Joint, Crab House, etc. So this year we are having a Crab Boil/Seafood Feast. We will have crabs, shrimp, fish, crawfish, and all the sides we can come up with that accompany seafood. Let’s not forget about dessert. We will have cake, pies, etc. because who has a feast without dessert?

My point in sharing this with you is that Thanksgiving is about the LOVE you experience with those around you and being thankful for them and all that you have to be thankful for. Create your own traditions and enjoy yourselves.

For any questions, comments, concerns, or even recipes feel free to contact me at keakurviekulture@gmail.com  One Love! Happy Thanksgiving!

Family, Food, and More Family & Food...(My Family's Thanksgiving Traditions)

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Picture courtesy of Google image search

When I think of Thanksgiving, I think of the Wednesday before in the kitchen helping my mama make her signature German Chocolate Cake and my signature Mac-N-Cheese. When I was younger my job was to read the recipe, keep my mama company, oh and to grease the cake pans. To this day I am the BEST cake pan greaser this side of the Mississippi, not a piece of cake has ever been left in one of my pans! ;-) I have always loved the day before a major holiday more than the holiday itself because I enjoy spending the time with my mama in the kitchen helping her cook and bonding.

I come from a large family, my granny is one of eight children and all eight of them believe in getting together for the holidays. So my granny and her seven siblings have always gathered up all their children in met in their hometown for Thanksgiving, this is a tradition that has continued on every year and every year it grows bigger and bigger, it is now so big that we have to rent a banquet hall to host our annual Thanksgiving dinner. Our dinner consists of two turkeys, two hams, three pans of dressing, a variety of sides (including my Mac-N-Cheese), and a dessert table that would rival any small bakery's selection. 

Now some people come for the food, but I love the family atmosphere of it all. I love seeing cousins that I only get to see on holidays and catching up with them. I know this seems crazy in the age of technology where you can find anyone on Facebook but it's just not the same as sitting down at a table away from the parents and sharing the juicy details. It takes us back to a time not so long ago where our biggest worries in life were what we were going to put on our Christmas list and if we were going to get it or not. Every year I cherish the moments with my great aunts and uncles, I listen to their wisdom and enjoy their stories of the simpler times of when they were growing up. I guess I'm just nostalgic like that, I like to think that I get it from my granny. 

As always my email is carkurviekulture@gmail.com. I would love to hear what your family's Thanksgiving traditions are, comment below or shoot me an email.