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Manere Parare
The creation of the Callaway family Thanksgiving dinner.
In 1938, at the age of 6, my mother was told she would not be joining my grandmother and her sister, immigrants from Britain to the United States living in NYC. The U.S. government had halted immigration from Europe in light of a looming war. She was told she would have to stay in Clydebank Scotland and live in a catholic orphanage. You see, my Irish grandfather was in the British merchant marine and would be going to sea and would be unable to take care of her in a traditional manner. In 1941, the city of Clydebank was destroyed by the Luftwaffe. My mother survived the two waves of bomb attacks but the orphanage was destroyed along with most of the city. The children of Clydebank were evacuated to the Scottish countryside to stay, in many cases, with foster parents. It was there that she met Mrs. MacIver.
Mrs. MacIver became a surrogate mother to my mother. Among her chores at the MacIver household was assisting in the preparation of family meals. Mom learned to cook the old-fashioned way, rolls from scratch, basting the foul all night while roasting at a low temperature to preserve moistness. There was no Bisquick. These methods were honed and improved by my maternal grandmother who taught my mother her own methods of original southern cooking.
Amplus Gratis
I can never forget our family Thanksgiving dinners. Our family was of a mixed religious background. My mother was raised Irish Catholic and my dad was a Methodist. The feast was spiritual, comforting and unforgettable. It was the product of a family history of deprivation and struggle mixed with different religious traditions. The message was that we have come out of this period of strife and are moving on to a better life. It was a meal that was superb and a treat to the senses. The recipes for these dishes are now lost, but the memories shall remain. If only I could have some gravy.
Blessed be the memories of those we love and by the grace of God have enriched our lives. We carry them with us through love and may in so doing walk with Christ. Amen.
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