My First Thanksgiving

My first Thanksgiving wasn't with family. It was in an elementary school classroom labeled a “party” since tradition tells us it’s “thanksgiving dinner,” not “thanksgiving lunch.” We ate pumpkin pie with whipped cream on top, had servings of turkey and mashed potatoes, and shared what we are all thankful for. I got a taste of what I thought Thanksgiving would be like in a more Americanized family and was excited to try something different from the all-to-familiar Chinese dishes I ate at home.

The following Thanksgiving, my mom introduced her own flair to the Thanksgiving holiday. Replacing turkey with a dip chicken recipe passed down in her family with watercress soup instead of mashed potatoes, we had our own version of bringing together family through a shared palate of timely, delectable dishes. Dip chicken (not to share too much because it is in fact a secret recipe!) takes just as much time and preparation as one would take to cook a turkey. As a family, my sister and I would make the dip, while my mom would prepare the chicken and soup. It felt like everything I imagined Thanksgiving to be.