We've been here a little over 4 months and it seems like every other week has been a different holiday. Singapore National Day, Hari Raya Puasa, Deepavali and others. While it has been fun to learn about the different cultures we are interacting with on a daily basis at some point you just want/need a taste of home. In this case, literally. Luckily there were signs that a big one was coming. The weather may not have been changing (it never really does here) but there was Christmas music in the airport, "winter flavors" at Starbucks and Cold Storage had an endcap full of items to make pumpkin pie. Christmas may be closing in, but you have to go through Thanksgiving to get to it.
Could there really be a more American holiday than Thanksgiving - setting aside the obvious comment about pilgrims for the moment? The whole point of the holiday seems to have turned into seeing how much food you can eat before passing out in front of the TV with a football (American Football that is) game on, then waking up thinking "hmmm, time to eat again, I only had two helpings of dessert last time." If you're really hardcore you even go change into some "comfy pants" to help the cause out. To top it all off one of the biggest shopping days of the year that previously started the day after Thanksgiving now starts Thanksgiving evening. And you know what? Even with all that (and maybe because of it) it has always been one of my favorite days of the year.
We of course couldn't spend it with family this year, but we were lucky enough to have some good friends hosting a large group for Thanksgiving dinner. Each of us had been assigned to bring a dish to pass and since Sarah is in the throes of finals week I pulled cooking duty for our family of two. This is how I found myself laughing at the absurdity of me pealing potatoes on the porch on 90 degree Thursday afternoon, wearing shorts and a t-shirt, listening to PTI podcast discussing the biggest sports turkeys of the year. Don't ask me why, but we had actually packed a potato masher. So other than having to purchase some dairy products from the store (which we had not yet done in all the time we have been here) I was all set to crank out some garlic mashed potatoes.
When we arrived it was almost overwhelming to see the amount of food that had been spread out. This was great from an eating standpoint, but all of Sarah's school friends had been highly intrigued by Thanksgiving dinner. Now we had full photo documentation of all the trimmings. Even though most of the people there weren't American everyone had gotten it right. Turkey, multiple garlic mashed potatoes (one being ours) cranberries, green bean casserole, broccoli casserole (Paula Dean style so you know its good for you) multiple stuffing (one being a southern chicken recipe) sweet potatoes and then the desserts! Someone brought a cake that looked waaaaaaaaay too much like a turkey. Yes, the photo at the top is actually a cake! I mean we're talking cake boss level of talent. Pumpkin pie and pumpkin cheesecake - amazing.
We practically rolled home afterwards (above was plate #2). There is no way either one of us had eaten that much since our going away party in the States. We left with a prize though.... leftovers! One of the best parts about Thanksgiving and we were able to continue that tradition here. A few weekend meals that only involved a microwave and a taste of home besides, doesn't get much better than that.Lots to be thankful for this year. New friends, good health and new adventures. Good luck to all those shoppers back home - some of whom are probably done already.
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