Friday, May 13, 2011

Traditions

"Acción de Gracias!" That's Spanish for "Happy Thanksgiving!" This is a time of the year in which my family and friends from all over the state come and visit us and partake in a pot-luck style bonanza of food in which we all bring our favorite dishes. Typically, this event is held at our house and my mother cooks up her famously seasoned Turkey that is so moist, it keeps everyone coming back and travelling all the miles, year after year. This is a traditional event that is certainly based around the food and because everyone brings their own favorite dishes, the variety is an endless row of salty, sweet and even combinations of those two flavors. It's an event that  brings our family together, and many friends of the family as well.


In addition to the tasty Turkey that my mom cooks every year, she also makes Tamales. This is a dish that veers against the normal "Thanksgiving" type foods and falls back on the Mexican roots  that I have in my blood and brings a bit of a Spanish flair to our holiday tradition of Thanksgiving at our house. It's great that these unique combinations of food are served together on such a joyous day in our house full of people we love and care about. It's foods that bring our family together. It keeps us all close and coming back, year after year, after year. While my mom is full Mexican, my Dad is white, so being part Mexican really gives me the appreciation of these spicy Spanish foods that I've grown up with my mom creating my entire life. I love to be able to enjoy the more traditional, "American" type Thanksgiving turkey (and the huge amounts of other foods my family brings) as well as the Tamales. Some people may think of it as an odd combination of foods to be served on Thanksgiving day, but it's a combination that I (and the rest of my family) have grown to love and look forward to time and time again.