Men v Women: Who cooks Thanksgiving dinner?
Inspired by Karen Resta's essay on her grandmother and mother's cooking at Thanksgiving, I was wondering...is Thanksgiving dinner still primarily cooked by women? How many men do all the planning and prep? Any couples share? My husband stays 20 feet away from the kitchen at all times, and I like it that way, haha!
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22 Comments:
That's a good question. In my family, my mom does all the cooking but my dad carves the turkey.
Hillary
Chew on That
Chew on That at 5:08PM on 11/19/07
There is no way my husband would be any help with a meal on this scale. He has no sense of timing and doesn't take suggestions well. If he could use a power tool in there, he'd be ok, on familiar ground, but he's better off entertaining the other men and the kids on another room while we women drink wine and cook.
Often the men offer to wash the dishes, which is hugely welcome.
moibec at 5:43PM on 11/19/07
I cook for my family (tally one vote for the guys). My mom assists (and by "assists" I mean wander around the kitchen attempting to trip me) and my sister/nephew/brother in law are banished to the living room where, with any luck, I can send Mom to entertain them. They get called into service when it's time to get things out of the kitchen and on to the table.
I gotta find a way to con them into doing dishes someday...
corycm at 6:32PM on 11/19/07
My mom cooked while I was growing up, but I (a man) have since taken over the preparations for the family feast. She still makes the stuffing and hangs out with me all day, though :-) She even jokingly refers to herself as my sous-chef!
Dominic
the zen kitchen
dvchurch at 6:38PM on 11/19/07
the ladies cook and the men carve.
ceforrester at 7:14PM on 11/19/07
I make the Thanksgiving dinner. My Mom always does her signature dishes though. And my Dad and I always do the mashed potatoes together!
StudentStomach at 7:50PM on 11/19/07
thanksgiving in southeastern nc with my family was great. all the women would definitely "hook it up" in the kitchen while all the guys would hang out in the living room, drink bourbon and watch football. the fare was phenomenal.
fast forward to the present.
i live down the coast about four hours and don't get to spend thanksgiving in my hometown and i have also taken a liking to cooking. my folks come down and we spend the holiday together in a very different way than we did back home. i cook everything except my mom's famous oyster dressing. score one for the guys!
jonestripp at 9:30PM on 11/19/07
At my house, we hark back to the 1950's so for Thanksgiving it goes without saying that I will do everything. If I am lucky my husband or brother will carve the turkey. I hope to raise Izzy to be more enlightened! He will be the most helpful male present!
izzy's mama at 10:44PM on 11/19/07
When I was growing up I had three sisters and never even thought about helping to cook the food.
When I took up cooking as a hobby 2 years ago I started to help my wife, not just with setting up the table etc. I began doing some of the cooking (deserts or bread mostly, my specialties) I still leave most of it up to her. She has acquired skills as an Italian mother of three grown kids and she doesn't let me have much say in her kitchen,
She is well experienced at cooking for a big group. I am only learning but I am more than able and willing to help her prepare the food, even offering some advice on newer dishes or techniquesshe is not experienced in cooking like brining. Also new to me but I am the kind of cook that studies about the technique before trying it. I usaually have some sucess when I put some study into it.
haglered at 12:30AM on 11/20/07
My husband is my sous. He will be by my side helping and taking abuse.
He is also the brine master. I make the brine and then he handles the actual brining. He is our sommelier. He is the "c'mere and taste this and tell me if it needs anything".
He is the "run and go get me...". I love that man!!!
JerzeeTomato at 5:20AM on 11/20/07
I cook because I can. I was married to a chef and he cooked for a living so he didn't want to cook T-Giving. More fun for me...LOL.
I reluctantly will let someone bring a dish to my T-Giving and God help him or her if it's not a tried and true family favorite dish. This year, my BF is making mashed potatoes and one guest is bringing Deviled Eggs (for hors d'oeuvres). Another guest, an accomplished cook, offered to bring some type of dessert but I know her food is pretty risk-free...LOL.
chiff0nade at 8:52AM on 11/20/07
My Dad did most of the work for Thanksgiving dinner, while my Mom focused on a few of the sides. They made a pretty good team in the kitchen. When I am making Thanksgiving dinner I don't want anyone else in the kitchen, but have learned to yield a bit and accept some help with the sides.
FoodBoy at 9:00AM on 11/20/07
Since I'm the primary every day cook, I'm also the T-Day master. However, my husband's job may the most important. He lovingly tends the Brinkman smoker where our turkeys are smoking to mahogany perfection! Oh, and he keeps the sink free of all the dishes I dirty. The teenagers get after dinner clean up duty!
Library Lady at 9:31AM on 11/20/07
we split the cooking, although he always, always, always makes the turkey. it's his pride and joy.
french tart at 9:54AM on 11/20/07
I'm normally the every day cook in our household but at Thanksgiving the wife and I team up.
Colorado Jim at 11:10AM on 11/20/07
We're a team! My husband is a fantastic cook, but this year he's crazy-busy with work, so I'm doing the bulk. But I love to do it, and usually we're pretty 50-50, so I'm happy to do the heavy lifting this year. He'd do the same for me.
CookiePie at 11:23AM on 11/20/07
This year we are going to MIL's house with a couple of SIL's doing the bulk of the cooking. I have several items I have been requested (that reads ordered) to bring. But when dinner is at my home, or if I am the one in charge of the meal wherever we happen to be, my dh is my second in command all the way. The man can peel, take out trash, wash, taste, offer opinions, go out for ice, and pass along my requests (ok, orders) with the best of them! And make me laugh and not take things too seriously while doing all the above.
coffeefrappe at 11:37AM on 11/20/07
We are about 50-50 in our house, both my husband and I love to cook so it is usually not an issue. My parents on the other hand it is always my mom and my dad would carve the turkey.
Sarahrm at 1:00PM on 11/20/07
grandpa or grandma cooking Thanksgiving dinner, I go grandpa. He is awesome in the kitchen and the food taste excellent.
xiomara at 2:13PM on 11/20/07
It is a team effort this year in my household. I'm cooking the turkey and stuffing; my wife is doing the potatoes and green beans; my mother-in-law is doing the pies, cranberries and sweet potatoes; and my father-in-law is keeping my 21 month old son out of trouble.
jpolk at 2:19PM on 11/20/07
my mom
mecl67 at 6:36AM on 11/21/07
It's a team effort in our apartment as well. My husband will do the apple cake the day before, and I'll do some of the apps. The day of, we'll do the stuffing and turkey together, then the sides (tho I'll probably do most of them while he cleans and sets the table). For the last minute prep, the gravy is his department, and I do the mashed potatoes.
Growing up, my mom did everything except carve. My, how far we've come. Still... I wouldn't dream of depriving the man of the house of carving duties.
Dee at 9:07AM on 11/21/07