Page 4 - Florida Sentinel 11-17-17

Feature
Sentinel Readers Talk About Traditions Of Thanksgiving
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
As we approach Thanks- giving, we all have special ways we celebrate the holi- day. Some of those ways are steeped in tradition, while others may just take the day as it comes.
Some Sentinel readers shared their answers to the question: “As the designated cooks get older, does the tra- dition pass to the next gener- ation or has it changed?”
RICKY WILLIAMS
Ricky Williams said,
“It does in my family.”
MS. TONYA LEWIS Ms. Tonya Lewis said,
“When I came up, tradition was passed down by the eld- ers. They prepped you to keep the tradition going. As time is passing, no one wants to cook or don’t have time.
“They are ordering or hir- ing catering companies to prepare their family meal, which to me, takes away from the family tradition and sentimental moments.”
REV. KAREN SIMS
Rev. Karen Jackson Sims said, “As the family des- ignated cook, I am working hard to change our tradition. We have a very large family and it means cooking for 30+ people.
“As the family members age as well, I’ve given them all a family cookbook with our recipes ~ now everyone can bring something. The impor- tant thing is that we all still come together with one an- other.”
FRANK REDDICK
City Councilman Frank Reddick said, “In my family, I am the designated cook for all meats on Thanksgiving with other family members as- sisting with other food items. I guess I will be the cook until I am physically unable to keep it up. I’m not getting any younger.”
DR. SAMUEL WRIGHT
Dr. Samuel Wright
said, “In our family, my mother, Rovina, would be the primary cook, but some of the responsibility was shared by my sister, Lolita, and I.
“From that day forward, we have taken on more re- sponsibility when it comes to Thanksgiving. The tradition has been passed on to our gen-
eration. I must admit that Mama did her job well!”
DANNY GREEN
Danny Green said, “Yes, tradition will go on. I hope some of the younger genera- tion learn from their parents. The younger generation does not like to cook. Most mem- bers of this generation are mi- crowave cooks.”
ROSS ANDERSON
Ross Anderson said, “The key word is, ‘tradition.’ I feel that this generation has no concept of what that word re- ally means. I remember grow- ing up and being taught how to cook certain dishes and what it meant for the family to come together as a family.
“Nowadays it’s about going to someone’s house and get- ting a free plate of food and it doesn’t matter who cooked it and by the end of the day, the
family is fighting and arguing with each other. We all may want to watch Tyler Perry’s ‘Family Reunion.’”
MS. BONNYE CREWS
Mrs. Bonnye Crews
said, “Our family’s designated cooks of old have all passed away. Unfortunately for the rest of us, their “secret” recipes were buried with them. Nowadays, when we gather for Thanksgiving, everyone brings their own spe- cial dish. Mine is a holiday roast that is to die for.”
DR. WATSON DUCATEL
Dr. Watson Ducatel
said, “In my family, the pass- ing of recipes depends on the relationship between the elder and the younger family mem- bers. In some cases recipes have been passed on and in other cases they died with the person and the tradition changes. But we have been collectively working to pre- serve as much as we can.”
PAGE 4-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2017