A Southampton Thanksgiving

Art’s mother (Ada Belle Price) cooked the Thanksgiving meal in the kitchen of their house on Cooper Street.  Her sister Gertrude (Art’s Aunt Nin) helped out.  Recently married to Ray Lawrence, Aunt Nin and Uncle Ray lived across the street at the Werner family house on the corner of Cooper and Halsey Street.

Thanksgiving dinner was –

Turkey

Cranberry Sauce

Stuffing

Mashed Potatoes

Gravy

Sweet Potatoes

Creamed Onions and Turnips

Pumpkin Pie and Mince Pie

Art's parents Ada Belle and
Arthur Price and his sister Dorothy.

Dinner was served in the late afternoon, usually around 4:30.  In addition to Uncle Ray and Aunt Nin, Art’s Uncle Sam and Aunt Helen would usually join them for dinner.  Art’s sister Dorothy arrived home from SUNY (State University of New York) Plattsburgh the previous night.

* * * * *

Did June join the Price family for Thanksgiving dinner in 1949?  Maybe.  We don’t know.

We do know that a problem arose at June’s first Thanksgiving with Art’s family.

The story is that June had a traumatic experience at her grandparent’s poultry farm in Connecticut sometime during her youth.  Whatever she saw, she came away hating the sight of cooked poultry that still looked bird-like.  She could eat slices of chicken or turkey, but hated seeing the bird carcass

Art had grown up attending Thanksgiving feasts where his Grandpa Werner would dramatically carve the roast turkey at the table.  Art’s father continued this tradition following Grandpa Werner’s death.

In deference to June, this Price family tradition was dropped.  With June present, the turkey was discreetly carved in the kitchen then brought to the table in nice white slices, not looking bird-like at all.

© 2010 Lee Price