The Times Food section had an interesting article in their Wednesday Food section.It's about the upcoming and the Covid 19 vaccine controversy. What's a home chef to do? can we have the big dinners will two or three tables like we used to?
It used to be you shouldn't discuss sex , death pr politics at any table. as they have for centuries, these subjects can make for uneasiness or anger/ Now there's another problem with those of us who have been inoculated and those who are adamant against it. Do we set rules? Or isolate the unvaccinated at a kind of children's table , far from the rest of the party. Then there's the question of would doing such separation be an insult? Keep in mind that catching Covid and the delta variant are not as severe when you're vaccinated. You can mix people if you want and if they want.If someone wants to sit alone with a tray table in the living room let them. It's one less headache and everyone is happy. What about kids and babies? Kids from the ages of five to eleven are getting them. The little ones are usually placed at the traditional kid's table while the babies are usually sleeping in their carriers.You may encounter some parents who don;t want their infants near the unvaxxed kids. This can be tricky. An easy fix would be have the vaccinated kids siting with their folks while the ones who aren't sit with their folks at separate tables.
Another idea is having a Thanksgiving barbecue or tailgating party. This allows for people to sit far away from each other.If the weather where you are is warm, then consider this. You can rent or have family and friends donate card tables where they can sit . It's even a great milieu for deep frying a turkey too. This has t be done outdoors anyway. It will make for a memorable holiday dinner. Set up a long buffet table with gravy boats and sides. It can be cleared away for dessert to hold a variety of pies. For this also have a coffee urn along with a hot water carafe for tea. This last can be bought at Walmart. also set up the dessert table with sugar and sweetner packets along with creamers and cans of whipped cream for the pie. The food can be served on sturdy plastic dishes that can be saved or thrown away. Chinet has the best plastic dinnerware for this. What happens if you're in a colder climate or there's rain or even snow?You could cut down the guest list or to avoid snubbing, have the dinner with the immediate family pod and then invite guests over for dessert. Stagger the times so you don't have a crowded house.
Thanksgiving may be tricky this year but there are ways to get around it. It's just a matter of diplomacy and logicistics There are ways to make everyone happy and satisfied with holiday meal and dessert.