Holiday’s are about food, family and friends.
I remember the holidays of my childhood being full of Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and cousins. I remember that the women were always in the kitchen. They would make food, they’d put food away, then bring food out again less than three hours later. Which would entail putting food away again - except for the food in to-go containers. (My siblings and I fondly remember turkey and potato chip sandwiches eaten in the car after many Thanksgivings)!
Some jobs, I only remember one person doing. My Uncle Bill would always cut the turkey and Grandma Dowden was the best at getting all the leftovers off the turkey bone. Mom never touched the grill. That was Dad’s domain. Grandma Bruington made the pies, Grandma Dowden made the cakes, and nobody could make peanut brittle like Aunt Verdel.
Well, times have changed and we all live too far apart. We still get together, just not like it use to be. Most holiday’s, for us, include family member’s who have traveled to be with us. We also have friend’s that have helped us to form our own family holiday traditions.
We are the food house. Both my husband and I love to cook and fortunately we love to cook different things. He’d never make bread or pastries and I really rather not do the quick sautés or work with a deep fat fryer. I am the one who frets over the table looking just right and Fred is focused on the food presentation. People have learned to come to the Rieck house hungry.
Over the years our cooking has evolved. We were some of the first groupies of the Food TV network and were more than game to try complicated recipes and full menus from Gourmet magazine for a party of 20.
Now it’s more about being with our guests and in smaller numbers. We still do complicated recipes, we just approach the whole meal differently.
We love to entertain. Especially the holidays and we have learned to do it with our own style – American Style.
I remember the holidays of my childhood being full of Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and cousins. I remember that the women were always in the kitchen. They would make food, they’d put food away, then bring food out again less than three hours later. Which would entail putting food away again - except for the food in to-go containers. (My siblings and I fondly remember turkey and potato chip sandwiches eaten in the car after many Thanksgivings)!
Some jobs, I only remember one person doing. My Uncle Bill would always cut the turkey and Grandma Dowden was the best at getting all the leftovers off the turkey bone. Mom never touched the grill. That was Dad’s domain. Grandma Bruington made the pies, Grandma Dowden made the cakes, and nobody could make peanut brittle like Aunt Verdel.
Well, times have changed and we all live too far apart. We still get together, just not like it use to be. Most holiday’s, for us, include family member’s who have traveled to be with us. We also have friend’s that have helped us to form our own family holiday traditions.
We are the food house. Both my husband and I love to cook and fortunately we love to cook different things. He’d never make bread or pastries and I really rather not do the quick sautés or work with a deep fat fryer. I am the one who frets over the table looking just right and Fred is focused on the food presentation. People have learned to come to the Rieck house hungry.
Over the years our cooking has evolved. We were some of the first groupies of the Food TV network and were more than game to try complicated recipes and full menus from Gourmet magazine for a party of 20.
Now it’s more about being with our guests and in smaller numbers. We still do complicated recipes, we just approach the whole meal differently.
We love to entertain. Especially the holidays and we have learned to do it with our own style – American Style.