Do we get marks for trying? E for effort if not excellence?
Yes, we do try and try again as the saying goes. But don't expect us to try again again, if you follow. No! One again is enough.
You may recall that we were less than enthused about our Thanksgiving turkey dinner ordered from a local hotel. It was expensive enough, and we didn't much care for it.
Being slow on the uptake, I suggested that we order two servings of the Christmas dinner offered by a local service club. Well, bless their hearts for trying, but it wasn't very good with thin, runny gravy, lumpy potatoes, and hard carrots.
The stuffing wasn't bad, and the meal was not terribly expensive, and considering that they were amateurs, I am not really complaining,
What I am doing, however, is saying that we won't do it again.
It doesn't work. Perhaps our past, home cooked, turkey dinners were just too good by comparison. Also, turkey dinner, whether for Thanksgiving or Christmas is meant to be a family feast. Turkey for two just isn't right.
That is a double strike if you will: poor fare plus missing family.
The meal came warm although we still needed to nuke it a bit..
20 comments:
So you have celebrated Christmas already? I have ordered a dinner like that from our local grocery and it was truly delicious but not in little serving. Just like a regular turkey dinner with enough left overs. I guess it all depends on who does the cooking...or maybe depends on Covid??
YOur meal reminds me of the meals we were getting at the retirement community we just moved from. When we first moved there the food was exceptional. Like going out to a fine restaurant every night. Chef changes and price increases lead to poorer quality. Then pandemic and no more dining room service only meals delivered to door. We are so thankful that we decided to move.
How disappointing! My vegan friend is happy to have captured a rather low cost to-fur-key...a couple of pounds of tofu with some flavoring. I tried one once and it was enough for me. Being into plant-based eating has never been "let's see how many ways we can make fake meat" for me. Fake meat is fake. I find I once bought lots of those patties, and they sit in the freezer, never eaten. I think turkeys should come small so you two could have a smaller bird, with minimum fuss and left overs...or maybe that's what roast chicken is for. Maybe just wait till next year and have a big celebration with all your family...something to think about!
I don't eat turkey that often. I made frittata for Thanksgiving, and we are ordering Chinese food and pizzas for Christmas.
It is darn near impossible to prepare food A, in mass quantities and B, that has to be transported across town along with dozens of other meals and keep it tasting great.
However, we went ahead and ordered a gourmet meal earlier on in the pandemic to support a local charitable cause that we like and ate the substandard food just the same. I call it "taking one for the team".
We sometimes go out and help deliver cooked meals to the needy on Christmas day and though it will not be the greatest food they've probably had delivered, they are always appreciative of someone bringing them a meal in the cold of Christmas morning. 'Tis the season.
That is disappointing. My small turkey breast was excellent at Thanksgiving and I'd like to help restaurants out by ordering. Then I don't because it's too much effort. The George C. Scott version is my favorite. He is such a Scrooge like Scrooge.
I'm trying to think of something to make for Christmas dinner that would seem special, but ... since I don't much care what I actually eat, it's more about making something special for my taller half. We shall see. I'd try your deliveries idea if I could! I don't think we have that option out here in the boonies. The only way the day will be special in any way for me is if my son has to leave the group home over the holiday (so staff get the day off) so I can have him out here. Otherwise it's just me and Scott; just another day.
All the best to you and Sue, and your kids and grandkids (on Zoom?).
-Kate
Well, I have to agree with all you write ... even to your choice of Holiday movies. Since I am alone (two sons living near by) it will seem strange too. I offered to make the Christmas dinner and we will all have plenty but will not be together to eat it ... the covid scare being very high in North Carolina, so we're following all the protocols. However,
HAPPY HOLIDAYS to you John and your wonderful family and hopefully the new year will bring much needed changes.
That's a shame about the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. I only ever ate turkey once so wouldn't be able to tell a good one from a bad one... how about a small chicken with home roasted carrots? I hope you are able to see your family at Christmas. I lost track of what restrictions are in place where.
Yes, we get dinners like that and we eat them without joy. Yours didn't' look too bad. What was wrong with the carrots.
I was thinking that I would make some of my grandma's stuffing for dinner on the 25th. That might perk up the day.
I tend to agree with you.... almost every turkey dinner we have tried outside of home made was not really great. Maybe you may want to try a small turkey roll. They are usually about 4-5 servings in the frozen section of the grocery store and are quite good.... not as good as a full turkey but close and easier for just two people and some left for sandwiches. :).
Your cat is adorable!!!!
PipeTobacco
We are still doing all of our own cooking, sharing it somewhat between all of us. Hopefully nobody will start hoarding food again, as we are in lockdown now and Europe seems to come to a standstill again.
We cook a turkey breast and make all the trimmings. It is great stuff.
Your holiday meals did sound disappointing, not just because of the food, but because the spirit of the holiday was diminished by the lack of family togetherness. Despite being just 2 for both holidays, we will cook a meal and then have a lot of leftovers for the days afterwards!
We have already watched White Christmas and Holiday Inn and a couple versions of A Christmas Carol, including the one with George C. Scott which we really like. A more comedic treatment was given in Scrogged with Bill Murray, another from our holiday DVD collection. We have actually managed to watched nearly all the holiday films in our collection, except Die Hard
It is so hard doing meals for many for take out.
I am so sorry.
My two attempts at purchasing the festive meal have been disappointments. And one was from Bob Evans! Stay home and be festive with your own fixins'.
Did not look very appetizing!
I watch It's A Wonderful Life and A Christmas Story every year. Anything past that is bonus watching. I do really like the George C. Scott version, though--and many other older movies--but I always watch my two favorites.
Merry Christmas! Almost there. :)
Disappointing fare, indeed! I hope you'll fare better on Christmas Day.
We have to feed the elders before we are shoved back into lock down, so turkey will be cooked here.
I love White Christmas. Now to find it on the tube.
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