Ordeal By Meal - Eric

My ordeal by meal comes with a story about the holidays, particularly thanksgiving and Christmas.  Every other year my mom has to work on Christmas so I spend it often with friends and their families until my mom gets home and we would have our dinner.  Over the years I've spent them at Jewish, Ukrainian, American/English, Irish, and Italian households, all with their unique dishes like weird soups, sausages, salads and other sides, there is still a common trend.  Each of their dinners consisted of stuffing, mashed potatoes, bread and of course a rather large turkey (or in some cases ham).  Personally, I do not eat turkey or starches (it’s a preference taste wise) so there for the main dishes are never appealing to me.  Each household also shares the common trend to offer me the prime first cuts of the turkey and helping of the trimmings.  I know I would not be able to eat the food that I consider dry and suffocating but I know I cannot insult the families who graciously invite me and slave to cook.  I also know I'm starving and I cannot wait for my second dinner with my mom and dad later without getting sick, so I devised a plan.  Every year I simply suggest that the family is gracious for inviting me and that the family should take their share first.  I also tell them the TRUTH that I am eating with my parents later so I should really stick to lighter/not filling foods like the meat and starchy things so I stick to the always safe side salads. This luckily always works and avoids me choking on the nasty dryness of turkey suffocating my breath.  When I finally get home, may parents and I have our dinner?  We have a salad from a bagged lettuce, deviled eggs, red beat eggs, a pistachio pudding fruit salad and our main course of either lasagna or breaded chicken breast.  Luckily my parents share the same taste or lack thereof for turkey and its trimmings so dinner is never a compromise. 

In addition I have a small side story.  When I went to my Ukrainian friend's house, they understand my excuse to eat later and not partake in their main dishes, but I couldn't think of an excuse when I was told I have to clean some of the dishes.  I cleaned them out of respect but I can honestly say I never went back their for a meal again.