Why do we eat so much mush on Thanksgiving?

[cabanafrau]

Every cole slaw recipe I've ever made called for a small amount of sugar with the exception of one that was supposed to have a robust vinegar taste to it.

Even the one I make with the vinaigrette style dressing with celery seeds calls for a little bit of sugar. Traditional German style cole slaw calls for some sugar. I just tailor it to use as little as possible so it tastes balanced, definitely not sweet -- and so it's healthier.

 

[Christine]

Many years ago, my mom made a big change in the Thanksgiving food for this very reason. She felt like everything was mush or in a cream sauce or soft. We'd have:

Mashed potatoes
Carrots and Turnips mashed together
Green Bean Casserole
Creamed Lima Beans
Wet stuffing/dressing

Now we due fresh green beans or a cold broccoli salad. Roasted carrots. Ditched the green bean casserole years ago.

 

[amberpi]

You don't put sugar in Cole slaw???

My grandparents ran a sort of fast food place for years and later on a catfish restaurant. Both very successful. One of the favorite things was Grandma's Cole slaw. Cabbage and carrots, sugar sprinkled over (she knew exactly how much) and it sat to let the juices come out of the cabbage. She then added mayo and a tiny amount of milk. It wasn't overly sweet but just right and so good.

Oh, that would be a huge "no" for me. I already don't eat most cole slaw due to the mayo factor (I'm not picky, but I HATE mayo and it's by products) the idea of mayo and sugar, god no. My family felt the same way. The funny thing about food, (I love weird stuff for instance, uni is one of my favorite things on the planet, but haven't eaten a hot dog since childhood) is that what one person loves, another hates. It's also what makes these kinds of threads so darn fun!

 

[TipsyTraveler]

Every cole slaw recipe I've ever made called for a small amount of sugar with the exception of one that was supposed to have a robust vinegar taste to it.

My favorite cole slaw that became my go-to recipe has a handful of raisins tossed in so there is a little sweetness, but it doesn't call for sugar. I don't doubt that many recipes may include sugar but, again, that's something I would automatically omit because I don't think it needs it. I always leave out that random tablespoon of sugar that dough recipes sometimes call for too, because I don't see the point. It's just fine without.

 

[luvsJack]

Oh, that would be a huge "no" for me. I already don't eat most cole slaw due to the mayo factor (I'm not picky, but I HATE mayo and it's by products) the idea of mayo and sugar, god no. My family felt the same way. The funny thing about food, (I love weird stuff for instance, uni is one of my favorite things on the planet, but haven't eaten a hot dog since childhood) is that what one person loves, another hates. It's also what makes these kinds of threads so darn fun!

Oh definitely! Actually I tend to say I don't like mayo and I don't when it's just plain mayo. Adding sugar or something to it or when it's used in chicken or tuna salad, I like it. Dh eats mayo on everything like a dressing of sorts. Dd otoh, won't touch it at all. Even sandwiches she will eat plain, just meat and bread.

As for the original post--we have all the traditionals that do tend to be mushy but good. I like to add a side dish or two with a different consistency. Roasted acorn squash, roasted brussel sprouts and/or baby carrots. But honestly it's the same old stuff that gets eaten the most. we do have a big salad.

 

[kimblebee]

I don’t eat coleslaw but I know my moms homemade dressing has sugar in it.

 

[NYCgrrl]

My mother cooks meatballs in equal parts grape jelly and ketchup.

Is she from the Midwest?

I used to belong to a now defunct mostly womens' forum and some of the ladies used to tell how that dish (sometimes w/ ketchup sometimes w/o) was a regular for entertaining. At first I thought it was on par with the running snipe hunting joke they used to pull my leg with but but no they were deadly serious.

On the other side they thought I was joshing when I posted my several course dinner dishes complete with written menus. Until one of them visited NYC during the holidays, came to my house for dinner and reported back that I weally weally was serious thus evening the score, LOL.

Gosh, I miss those people and communicating on FB is just not the same.

Thanks for the walk down memory lane.

 

[luvsJack]

What?! No! (I know you weren't talking to me but I'll answer anyway. ) That's the type of thing I would automatically omit the sugar from if I saw it listed in the ingredients because, "That must be a typo -- who puts sugar in coleslaw?"

Oh wow. Funny how it can be so different for different people. I would be looking at a recipe without and asking "where is the sugar?"

 

[NYCgrrl]

Texture is an important component of my meal planning so I always balance the mush with the crisp.

As for cole slaw, yes I still use sugar in it but not sugah, LOL
A lil bit goes a long way towards balancing the vinegar for my way of thinking.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

Is she from the Midwest?

I used to belong to a now defunct mostly womens' forum and some of the ladies used to tell how that dish (sometimes w/ ketchup sometimes w/o) was a regular for entertaining. At first I thought it was on par with the running snipe hunting joke they used to pull my leg with but but no they were deadly serious.

On the other side they thought I was joshing when I posted my several course dinner dishes complete with written menus. Until one of them visited NYC during the holidays, came to my house for dinner and reported back that I weally weally was serious thus evening the score, LOL.

Gosh, I miss those people and communicating on FB is just not the same.

Thanks for the walk down memory lane.

No, not from the Midwest. She used to make them with ketchup and beer, but then a coworker (I don't know where she was from) told her she could use grape jelly instead and she switched it up because that was somehow more respectable than beer or some such. All I know is, gag.

 

[cabanafrau]

Is she from the Midwest?

I used to belong to a now defunct mostly womens' forum and some of the ladies used to tell how that dish (sometimes w/ ketchup sometimes w/o) was a regular for entertaining. At first I thought it was on par with the running snipe hunting joke they used to pull my leg with but but no they were deadly serious.

On the other side they thought I was joshing when I posted my several course dinner dishes complete with written menus. Until one of them visited NYC during the holidays, came to my house for dinner and reported back that I weally weally was serious thus evening the score, LOL.

Gosh, I miss those people and communicating on FB is just not the same.

Thanks for the walk down memory lane.

Well of course, Midwesterners do consider a spork a complete setting of flatware -- after all, one really only uses the knife to pick their teeth with anyway.

 

[amberpi]

Is she from the Midwest?

I used to belong to a now defunct mostly womens' forum and some of the ladies used to tell how that dish (sometimes w/ ketchup sometimes w/o) was a regular for entertaining. At first I thought it was on par with the running snipe hunting joke they used to pull my leg with but but no they were deadly .

My first husband was from the Midwest, his family was so lovely, but "I like to starve" as folks from the country here say, when we went there. I had one of those meatballs once. ONE. They would also bake casseroles with mayo in them and then couldn't believe when I could pinpoint it. My ex knew it was bad. We started eating huge fast food meals whenever we'd be away from the house! I introduced them to tn Christmas punch for the holidays and they took to making all kinds of whiskey drinks so things were ok after that!

Btw, when I'm consulting I'm in NYC all the time, can I get an invite?

 

[NYCgrrl]

My favorite cole slaw that became my go-to recipe has a handful of raisins tossed in so there is a little sweetness, but it doesn't call for sugar. I don't doubt that many recipes may include sugar but, again, that's something I would automatically omit because I don't think it needs it. I always leave out that random tablespoon of sugar that dough recipes sometimes call for too, because I don't see the point. It's just fine without.

The carrot slaw version I grew up eating always had raisins in it but when I made it for DGD who wuvvs raw carrots (and raw Brussel sprouts..I was prepping the sprouts they were still uncooked, freshly washed and she grabbed one and stuck it in her mouth before I could say no. She spent the rest of the afternoon begging ,cajoling, pleading for more; strange child) she pronounced it inedible. I did mention she was strange, right? .

 

[cinnaminny]

Because food is love and love is squishy

 

[PollyannaMom]

I think it's just because casserole-type things travel and reheat well. It's hard to keep crispy things crispy when everyone is bringing them from different directions and trying to arrive about the same time.

 

[L&Lfan]

This.....I don't really think there's some kind of mushy food conspiracy.

 

[usnuzuloose]

This is the only acceptable cole slaw for mayo-hating me and my family. The nana - sugar with mayo type - just got left in the bowl. My mom started making a vinegary version and it's awesome. No sugar.

ETA: I was just on the phone with my dad talking about that cole slaw and how it wasn't crunchy and was kinda wet, so it was also mush...which I thought was a riot.

I love crunch in my meal somewhere...

 

[Disneylover99]

I love crunch in my meal somewhere...

That's what potato chips are for.

 

[NYCgrrl]

My first husband was from the Midwest, his family was so lovely, but "I like to starve" as folks from the country here say, when we went there. I had one of those meatballs once. ONE. They would also bake casseroles with mayo in them and then couldn't believe when I could pinpoint it. My ex knew it was bad. We started eating huge fast food meals whenever we'd be away from the house! I introduced them to tn Christmas punch for the holidays and they took to making all kinds of whiskey drinks so things were ok after that!

Btw, when I'm consulting I'm in NYC all the time, can I get an invite?

Hehehe. As soon as I find an apartment that will fit my dining room table invitations will flow again.

I'm actually a lil depressed this forthcoming holiday period because we wont be hosting due to the fact that most of our entertaining stuff is in storage and space constraints. Going to Disney for the December holidays was the best antidote i could think of.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

We don’t do casseroles. The only mushy things are mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes if we have them. Everything else is fresh and unmushy.