In Spain, of course there is no Thanksgiving, which is unfortunate because Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE holiday!
I love thanksgiving so much because there isn’t the pressure that Christmas carries- pressure to get gifts for everyone, finding the perfect gift, shopping, decorations etc. Thanksgiving is about a good time and good food- and that is what I am all about!
What was one downfall about thanksgiving in Spain was that I still had to go to work Thursday and Friday! What a bummer! So because the 4 of us had to work on thanksgiving and go on with our Spanish lives consisting of teaching English, tutoring, and conversation partners, we decided to hold our Thanksgiving on Friday night. I quickly took charge and Addie was my sidekick. We quickly formulated a 15 person guest list- whoops! Eventually we had a final count of about 12 guests.
The big challenge was the Turkey. None of us had ever done a turkey before, and they only place I knew to start- was to buy one. Now here in Spain you can not just go to the supermarket and get a nice clean and frozen one days before. So I had to go to the Carniceria (meat store) up the street called Pollos Planes, a chain which specializes in birds. Did they have a turkey? No, but I could order one and have it the next day. Perfect, Ill take a 4 kilo bird (8.5 pounds- because Although we’re 12, we don’t want leftovers, and Addie and I aren’t the biggest fans of meat, but what’s thanksgiving w/o a turkey?)
So the next day I arrive at the Carniceria just before closing time, an employee sees me walk in and in spanish, asks me “Hey beautiful, are you the girl for the Turkey???” then when I bashfully say yes, she starts yelling to the girls in the back “Hey, the girl for the Turkey is here! Get the turkey! The turkey!”
Shit… I’m the turkey girl in town.
Well, the day of thanksgiving comes. And I had to work so I was nervous all day. Addie and Nora started cooking earlier (Nora and I had spent the night before chopping veggies and prepping food for 3 hours) . Then When I got home, I whipped together the stuffing, a veggie dish, and a little of this and that.
Then I take out the bird. My stomach immediately got queasy. I carefully cut off the bag with scissors, fighting back the urge to run away and cry. But I was determined, because this was my first thanksgiving, I CANNOT fail in the kitchen!
We unveil the bird…. And there are still feathers on the poor thing! This was horrible. Then I saw the captivity where I was supposed to stick my hand to clean the thing…. I really at that point almost barfed.
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| clearly I am not as thrilled as Addie about the turkey prep |
Thank the good Lord for my loca Latina Adaliss, who was THRILLED to stick her hand in the poor bird and remove her organs and hack away at the neck.
When Adaliss was done completing al her life goals by removing turkey guts while listening to Shakira, I took over again and washed the bird and patted her dry.
Then we stuffed her, flossed her legs together, seasoned her, and googled where to put the themometer. (We did a lot of google-ing for this turkey! We went in almost blind!)
I had calculated that a 9-pound bird needs 135 minutes, plus 30 because she was stuffed. So I decided to give it 3 hours in the oven. Not true. Our Spanish oven sucks, so it took 4 or so, I cant even remember because I was freaking out that we still needed to reheat all of our sides, and it was already 8 pm!
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| Andrea and I. Andrea is the daughter of the teacher I work with- they have become like family! |
After calling my father to confirm that the breast should be white, and not dark like the legs, and she finally hit 75 degrees Celsius, I took her out, and we threw in the sides. Everyone marveled at the miraculous bird, it was all of our guests’ first thanksgiving!
Next step, I designated Nora to google how to carve the bird. But luckally Rosemarie came in, and she had carving experience so she took our little knife and cut it up.
Finally, we could eat our semi hot food. The 12 or so of us sat down, and in Spanish, I thanked everyone for coming, and please pardon if the food sucks, it was all of our first effort at thanksgiving. Then addie spoke about being thankful, and we went around the table and in Spanish said what we were thankful for. I could have cried how perfect it was.
Then I took a bite of my food… and I really could have cried because of how DELICIOUS everything was!
Everything was PERFECT (the green beans could have used an extra minute or 2 in boiling water, but it was nice to have a crunch!)
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| Noras delicious sweet potatoes! |
Then we brought out dessert. Almost everyone brought something gourmet over. My friend Andrea brought over a DELICIOULS chocolate/vanilla bakery cake that was MOUTHWATERING, Gabi made a chocolate cake, Melissa brought over a Raspberry topped cheesecake, Ruben made a lactose intolerant friendly cake, Rosemarie brought banana and pumpkin bread and more sweets, and last but DEF not least… Francesco and his father brought this HUGE turron cake!!! I almost died when I saw this monstrous plate deliciousness!!
All in all, Thanksgiving was a challenge in many ways, being away from home and not spending the day with my family, removing the heart of a dead turkey and plucking off the last of the feathers, and cooking an assortment dishes for 12 while still enjoying myself.
I had a lot to be thankful for this thanksgiving, and it goes further than just being here in Spain. Even though I could not express all of it in Spanish, I found this poem that sums up why I give thanks this year… For personal growth, character building, and creating myself.
BE THANKFUL
Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don't know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you're tired and weary,
because it means you've made a difference.
It's easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.
~~Author Unknown.~~
Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don't know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you're tired and weary,
because it means you've made a difference.
It's easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.
~~Author Unknown.~~
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