I’m sure we have all had one or more holiday meal failures. Some were creative saves, others total ruins that even the dog wouldn’t touch.
In my roomie’s family, there were many instances of the grandmother forgetting the rolls in the oven until the billowing smoke made the big family aware. “OOOOh, the rolls!”.
I’ve had two oven failures at a holiday dinners; one time the roomie drove the prime rib to the MIL’s 30 miles away (round trip) to finish it off. The other was a spatchcocked turkey that was saved by cooking it on the bbq grill one Thanksgiving. Phew.
So, Christmas this year found my Yorkshire pudding forgotten in the oven. I have no idea where the timer went, maybe a grandie took it. It didn’t smoke or burn, but after cooking it for 45 minutes at 400° it was discovered. It resembled that light brown spray insulation stuff. It had risen beautifully but was so dried out. No dog here. “Ooooh, the Yorkshire pudding!” I won’t be able to live that one down, but the 18# PR was spectacular.
Any stories of your holiday food failures and creative saves?
We hosted my husband’s family for Thanksgiving many years ago - I worked until Wednesday night. Thought I had everything planned, but on Thursday when the turkey came out of the oven his sister offered to make the gravy. All I had was whole wheat flour for thickener. Not a hit.
One Christmas, shortly after I start baking, we hosted dinner for 20+ people, and I decided to make for dessert a cake that was finished with chocolate and marzipan, and that was supposed to resemble a pine cone. I even made by own marzipan. One look at the finished cake and my wife ran from the room, laughing and claiming that it looked like a torpedo! Still, it tasted great!
Dogs I know and people food don’t mix
Steal the turkey, the plate of cookies, etc. I mean I’m drunk but I thought I cooked 4 steaks not 3. There are no limits to the kill zone. None. Shame nonexistent.
Hopped up on begged treats mercilessly crop dust dining room. The little one was devastating this Thanksgiving.
Big one allegedly sniffed bros’ MIL’s crotch a few Xmases ago (he didn’t)
I could go on
I was invited to a Festivus party a couple of years ago, and decided to make chicken liver mousse. The previous time I’d made it, it was spectactular: airy, light, delicate, delicious.
This time not so much. It looked like dog food, never quite settled, and I frankly should’ve left it at home. I don’t think anyone touched it. Yikes.
Not a holiday, but my daughter’s 7th birthday, our artistic/pastry master friend made a beautiful Dora the Explorer cake for her. My wife got a picture as our friend proudly displayed her amazing cake. She slanted it a touch more, for the perfect photo, and there it slid off the board and Dora took went face first onto my kitchen floor. Bunofasitch!
If you haven’t had a food failure or two you probably are not cooking enough!
10-2030 second rule in your house? Happy birthday DaBadger’s daughter. It happens to all of us, at least once.
