Last night Julio's parents hosted another beautiful Thanksgiving dinner. They joined in this tradition, unheard of in Spain, last year by hosting friends who were visiting from Texas. I had met Julio two weeks earlier on a hike in the Madrid Sierra. He thought that as an American living alone in a new country, I would want to join the festivities. He was right, and this year I feel even more nostalgic for home as the holiday season starts, so celebrating Thanksgiving with his family and a few of my American friends was perfect.
In preparation...
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| Key vocabulary for slideshow and Bingo game |
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| Fall colors in the park near the school |
Julio's mother, Lola, is an amazing cook, and she took on all of the typical Thanksgiving dishes. The only thing I prepared was dessert - a pumpkin bundt cake (I don't like pumpkin pie). Julio licked the whisk. :)
The only place to buy the key ingredients, like canned pumpkin and cranberry sauce, is the American store downtown called "Taste of America." One small can of pumpkin costs 3 euros ($3.75).
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| Taste of America: buy peanut butter and cranberry sauce! |
Thanksgiving dinner
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| Lola's beautiful table setting |
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| Love the creative centerpiece! |
Julio found a video of the Macy's Parade on YouTube and put it on the TV so the Americans would feel more at home. His sister, Carmen, is the decorative mastermind. She's behind the "vegan turkey" centerpiece and the autumn leaf/popcorn candles.
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| Look who's in the parade - Bob Esponja !!! |
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| Carmen and the amazing chef, Lola |
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| One of the appetizers: chicken broth in individual mini-bowls |
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| Lola carves the turkey |
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| The stuffing was one of the best I have ever tasted |
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| American friends Elyssa and Dylan with Carmen and Lola |
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| Molly and Julio (Sr.) |
Julio was eager to show the Americans his holiday bonus, which, in Spain, comes in the form of typical food and beverages. Instead of a cash bonus, Spanish companies give their employees
cestas de navidad, or Christmas baskets, filled with gourmet items.
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| Julio (Jr.) and his cesta de navidad (Christmas basket) |
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| The cesta booty |
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| My beautiful pumpkin bundt cake, with cream cheese frosting on the side |
It was a beautiful evening and everyone enjoyed themselves. An unforgettable Thanksgiving.
Unrelated curiosities
I was shopping in Carrefour (a large supermarket/department store chain in Europe) in the hardware section, and I saw this curiosity: a hiding place for money or valuables in your house, Spanish style. Of COURSE they use a super-sneaky fake can of olives.
And last week we went to the cinema to watch "Interstellar." We go on Wednesdays, when the tickets are only 4.50 euros. There is never enough parking and the street is too narrow, so all the cars park with half of the tires on the sidewalk! It scares me, and I'm glad I don't have to drive or park.
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