My friend Jen Barnett (shown at right with me) shared this Thanksgiving tale in her Freshfully company newsletter. It’s reprinted with her permission.
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Girl, I know you did not just ask me if my rice dish was appropriate for Thanksgiving.
Thirteen years ago, I lived in Knoxville and was dating a guy there. I wasn’t much of a cook yet, but I had a few go-to staples that I’d learned from my mom. One of those was a tasty, foolproof rice dish (that was anything but local …).
A few weeks before Thanksgiving, my boyfriend handed me his cell phone. “It’s my mom; she wants to invite you to Thanksgiving.” I took the phone and thanked her for the invitation. I offered to bring something and mentioned that I could make a rice dish, for example.
Now, when someone offers to bring something to dinner, I think there are three acceptable responses:
- “Honey, we’ll have enough food to feed the Chinese army. You just bring yourself and your appetite!”
- “Ooh, that sounds wonderful. Thank you!”
- “You know, we are covered up with side dishes this year. Could you bring a dessert/bottle of wine/salad?”
Her response was, “Well, is it appropriate for Thanksgiving?”
And later, “Aunt Jenny will probably just throw it in the trash.”
Then finally, “Is it spicy? Maybe the kids will eat it.”
Girl, nuh-uh. You can ask me to bring it, or you can ask me not to, but you cannot ask me if it is appropriate for Thanksgiving. It’s not like I offered to bring chocolate chip pancakes!
Various aunts started calling to see if I was really bringing “some rice dish” to Thanksgiving dinner. It was scandalous.
Over lunch that week, I shared the whole crazy tale with a friend who worked at the local CBS affiliate. She asked me for the recipe and made it for the station’s Thanksgiving potluck, where it was devoured by staff. (Obviously. It is delicious.)
The station’s on-air chef asked for the recipe, and she gave him the back story. The next day, his segment was called …
“Dishes that Are Appropriate for Thanksgiving,
Featuring Jen’s Dandy Rice.”
I went on to marry a different guy, and we’ve gotten to play host for Thanksgiving for the past 2 years. You can bring anything you want, so long as I can serve a big free-range bird. And the rice dish.
Rice photo: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (CC)
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I was tickled when I read this story in her newsletter a few weeks ago. Jen is a gifted storyteller, and this tale not only recalls a funny holiday incident but also shows some of her local food brand values at work.
When you tell the story of your brand, make it as warm and inviting as hers, as if y’all are all gathered around the Thanksgiving feast.
