Yesterday was Thanksgiving and as I survey the stemware that has to be washed this morning, I am reminded of when we started having such elaborate holiday dinners.

Back in 1992, my husband Carl and I attended a conference of the Association of Anglican Musicians in Portland, Oregon, where the featured speaker was Jeff Smith, also known as The Frugal Gourmet. According to Wikipedia, “Jeffrey L. Smith (January 22, 1939 – July 7, 2004) was the author of several cookbooks and the host of The Frugal Gourmet, a popular American cooking show…. He graduated from the University of Puget Sound (UPS) in 1962. In 1965, he graduated from Drew University in New Jersey, which ordained him a minister in the United Methodist Church. In 1965, he became a chaplain at the University of Puget Sound. In 1966, Smith married his wife Patricia “Patty” Smith, and had two sons named Channing and Jason. Patricia is credited with originating the nickname “Frugal Gourmet”. Smith served as a chaplain at UPS from 1966 to 1972. In 1972, he left the university to open and run the Chaplain’s Pantry Restaurant and Gourmet Shop, a deli and kitchen supply store in Tacoma, where Smith and his students also offered cooking classes to the public.”

What I remember from his address was that he proclaimed, “We have forgotten how to feast!” He characterized American Thanksgivings as eaten in a hurry, and not savored, then held up an aluminum TV dinner tray as the most lamentable object in the room. I believe he then launched into a discussion of how feasting began, and how a meal could progress over several hours instead of gobbled up in twenty minutes.

[Unfortunately, there was a scandal involving Jeff Smith, as you can read here. Jul 27, 1998 — Four days before he was to face trial in Tacoma, Wash., “Frugal Gourmet” host Jeff agreed to pay an undisclosed sum to seven young men.]

Still— ever since 1992, our holiday meals have been a progression of courses, accompanied by interesting conversation and washing the dishes in between. For example, yesterday, my guests were told to come about 1 pm. We had a long period of pupus (hors d’oeuvres) with Veuve Cliquot champagne (thanks to my neighbor Kelly).

Then we moved to the dining room, and my guests sang the grace, “Come thou fount of every blessing,” while I accompanied them on the organ, ending with Joel Martinson’s catchy setting of the tune, NETTLETON.

The soup course was next.

The salad course was next.

We took a long break before the main event, and it was not until 5:00 pm that we ate butterflied turkey with traditional gravy; sausage, apple and cranberry dressing; fresh green beans with bacon, mushroom and onion crisps; creamy mashed potatoes; cheddar biscuits; and honey-infused cranberry relish.

By the time we finished the main course, dessert did not come until 7:30 pm, and my guests did not leave until 9 pm with the kitchen nearly cleaned up!

What, no pumpkin pie?! Normally, one of our guests brings a pumpkin pie, but this year, our guests decided to bring alternatives. They were every bit as delicious!

And this is typically how we celebrate the holidays. I was telling my guests that for 37 years, my husband Carl did all the cooking and my only responsibility was to wash the dishes. Since he died 8 years ago, though, I have attempted to carry on the tradition.

A veritable feast!