This past year, I celebrated Thanksgiving in Florida, in the house in which I had spent the previous 50 Thanksgivings. The young couple to whom I had sold the house two years ago had decided to use it as a rental property. My sister and I rented it for our Thanksgiving gathering with our sister-in-law and her guy! There was much to be thankful for.
People: It was comforting to celebrate this holiday in familiar surroundings with family and friends. A long-time friend, who along with his wife, had been previous guests at our holiday tables in Florida, is an expert pie-maker and he contributed not one but two pies to the festivities.
Places: A much-loved house, renovated and improved for gathering family, friends, and neighbors.
Pies: I am always thankful when there are great pies for dessert (and someone else has made them!). This year there were both a pecan and an apple pie! The pecan pie was rich and nutty, and the apple pie showcased a double crust. One of the guests commented that he usually does not like crust, but this one was delicious. The pie-maker’s secret is substituting a couple of tablespoons of vodka for the water called for as the liquid in the crust. It was interesting to note that people quickly put their names on the pie they wanted to eat the next day when we reprised the dinner using our leftovers. It was an ongoing feast for pie-lovers.
