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Who knew that it was shameful to eat off of paper plates, or sip from a plastic cup? My translated post about Thanksgiving appeared in TOP LJ all day yesterday, and the comments were just a feast for the soul and mind! Many people immediately commented on the fact that my family eats off of paper plates, not porcelain or china! This is a sign of bad taste and a lower class upbringing, of course! We are poorly educated American rednecks! :)) Apparently after slaving over the oven all day cooking for 40 people, many Russians would prefer to stand at the sink in the evening for hours loading the dishwasher multiple times or hand-washing precious porcelain than demean themselves and use disposable plates and cups! My family certainly owns nice porcelain, but we don't feel the need to eat off of sparkling plates at such huge gatherings. Does the food taste different if it's served on a fancy plate? I don't think so. :) Other common observations in the comments:

(1) "It's horrible that everyone in your family is sitting at different tables! Why aren't you all seated at one long table?" Let me remind you that there are over 40 people at this feast, and my family does not like formal, stuffy gatherings where everyone sits in the same place for hours at a time. We like to get up and move around, talk to different relatives, go outside for fresh air....

(2) "Did you pray before the feast, or has America forgotten God?" No, I don't pray. Not at Thanksgiving, or any other day. I am not a religious person,  and don't believe prayer solves anything. However, there are plenty of holy people in the USA who pray daily and definitely at Thanksgiving. Don't worry, faith and religion is still very strong in the USA. :)

(3) "What slobs! Everyone is wearing their shoes in the house!" YES! In the USA, it is not customary to remove your shoes as soon as you enter the house, especially in a place like Virginia where we don't get much snow. Each time I visit Russia, I must remind myself to immediately remove my boots when entering my friend's apartment. For me, it's something unusual and not a personal habit. I wear my shoes inside the house all the time, as do many Americans.

(4) "Why don't the children sing, dance or read stories at the table?" The children are outside, playing in the nice weather, not sitting in the house singing, performing, or reading prose to the adults. We usually gather and sing Christmas songs during our December holiday celebration, which I will try to show you.

(5) "Why do you ask people to write comments in English! This is a Russian speaking community."  I'm exhausted over the English vs. Russian language hysteria that so commonly arises when my posts appear in other forums. I can't understand the problem, when a kind reader spent hours translating my text into Russian so it could reach a mass audience, yet people still complain! :(

Based on the comments, Russia is the most highly cultured nation, using the best porcelain, dressing in ball gowns and discussing deep and weighty subjects such as politics, literature and the fine arts at all holiday gatherings. :))

I don't claim that my family represents all of America. Of course, there are highly sophisticated and elite families who eat off of beautiful porcelain, have fancy table settings and even maids that prepare and serve their meals. But this is not my family. We are ordinary, middle-class folks, and most of my relatives are blue collar workers. We don't feel the need to dress up and impress anyone. We are surrounded by each other all the time, and to me this is the most important part of Thanksgiving, or any other celebration. Not prayer, not songs, not porcelain. Unconditional love - the highest form of spirituality!

Do you think it's shameful and unacceptable to eat off of paper plates? Is it really important to use porcelain or expensive china at holiday gatherings?
IMG_8084

Let's end with the most amusing and delusional comment to the post from my LJ enemy "lenkaolenka," please enjoy! :))

"Старая добрая Шенон со своей скрытой идеей ударить побольнее русских в то время, когда в экономике не совсем хорошо.

Мой бывший Американский муж был Мастером праздника Благодарения. Шенон права: это праздник еды. О еде начинают думать задолго до праздника, потому что это отвлекает от проблем, которыми кишит жизнь, теле и интернетный эфир. Еда - это смысл и утешение.

Как правило, все блюда этого праздника состоят из сахара, крахмала (кукуруза, картофель), муки, шоколадного порошка с небольшим количеством дешевых, чаще всего консервированных овощей (стручки гороха).

Количество еды обратно пропорционально качеству, вкусу и полезности. Поскольку мясо индющки само по себе очень сухое и невкусное, то его заедают громадным количеством "клюквенного варенья" и других сладких блюд, в которые кладется немысленное количество кукурузного сиропа. "Ветчина" - это нечто пересоленное и бесвкусное. Поэтому для нее нужно варенье. Традиция!

Еда еда и еда этого праздника - единственный повод для собрания. Сначала все о ней говорят, потом ее постоянно вталкивают и обсуждают одновременно, потом лениво переваривают. Потом разговоры о деньгах, ценах и предстоящих распродажах.

Все!

Песен не поют. Книги и фильмы (как и политику) не обсуждают. Просто переваривают еду и вспоминают, каким каждое блюдо было вкусным и необыкновенным.

Сначала это для русской души интересно. Ждешь какого-то таинства. Но его нет. Есть еда. Как будто втретилось большое количество очень примитивных особей, все счастье которых заключается в наличии большого и сытного корыта.

Мой муж никогда не готовил на праздник макароны с сыром.
Это - блюдо на случай безработицы. Сыр в этом блюде - дешевый заменитель с некоторым привкусом сыра. Это не такой сыр, который представляют себе россияне! Да и птица вроде ножек буша. От долгого чревоугодия еда постоянно подогреваемая в течение теряет вкус и пищевую ценность. Она похожа на кухни для бедных и бездомных. Но сытная. Она дает ощущение безопасности.

Вот как мы обращаемся к тортикам, если нас обидели, так бедные люди в Америке набрасываются на еду.

А потом телевизор. Да. С сытыми пустыми глазами.

И наряды обсуждать, и любоваться - флиртовать - оценивать фасончики никто не будет. Как будто ты в хлеву и тебя откормили. И у тебя небольшая передышка перед новым ударом кнута.

Да... никто не танцует и не поет. Не играют в какие то общие игры. Никто не делится сокровенным даже в кругу своих. Никто не вспоминает индейцев и историю. Все заедается сахарной бесвкусной клюквой."

You can read the other 900 comments to the post here. Welcome to all of the new readers in this blog! I'm glad you're here! :)


Page 1 of 3 << [1] [2] [3] >>

Date: 2015-12-03 05:10 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] onkel-hans.livejournal.com
Is the first one a mirror photo? - Knives on the left, forks on the right. But the name tags at each place!

Date: 2015-12-03 05:12 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com
No, this is taken from Google images. My family's tables are much bigger, but also filled with paper plates. :)

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Date: 2015-12-03 05:13 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] theodorexxx.livejournal.com
It's not worth to feed trolls and justify yourself. I ate from paper plates. The only problem is that it's full of chemistry == not good for health
And here is the reason why your LJ enemy hates America -" Мой бывший Американский муж"
When she insults you she insults her ex in her mind. I'm sure she often calls him but he declines her calls so she channels an anger of an unsatisfied woman in LJ.

Date: 2015-12-03 05:14 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com
She insults herself because her stupidity and envy shines in every comment. I thought you hate these family gatherings? What do you do for New Year's celebrations?
Edited Date: 2015-12-03 05:15 pm (UTC)

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Date: 2015-12-03 05:15 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] oblomius.livejournal.com
Россия is a country where everything is not-russian denied. This is a country where there is still eaten with a shovel.
Image

Date: 2015-12-03 05:16 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com
And what is the purpose of being fed with the shovel? I've seen posts about this tradition, but don't understand it!

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Date: 2015-12-03 05:20 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] irsenas.livejournal.com
:)))
Russian like to discuss other and teach how to live)))

Date: 2015-12-03 05:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com
I think it's the same for all humans. This is part of our basic nature. :) But I still do not understand what is so shameful about paper plates when you're feeding such a mass amount of people? Suffering - this is part of the Russian soul, and I guess this includes standing over the sink doing a lot of dishes. :)

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True!

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Re: True!

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Re: True!

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Re: True!

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Va-t-en!

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I am just the opposite!

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Date: 2015-12-03 05:22 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] inveraray.livejournal.com
Honestly i hate plastic And paper dishes And it really taste different for me when i eat from "proper" Dishes.

Date: 2015-12-03 05:23 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com
Okay, it's interesting. For me, there is no difference unless I'm eating a steak or meat that must be cut. Then, I use regular plates. But we carve the turkey and ham before they are placed on the buffet table, so a strong plate that can handle a knife isn't necessary.

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Date: 2015-12-03 05:25 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kichiro-sora.livejournal.com
Sadly - you are right. ManyAll russians would prefer to wash dishes after slaving all day preparing food. Actually preparations often start the day before. And dishwasher machine is still extreme novelty in Russia...

I remember when I was a kid, for big holidays, like BD and NY my mom would start preparing dishes and salads the day before, than, more or less cooking all day until guests arrive, and after guests leave she'd be washing plates long into the night. Guests would bring nothing, and there was no paper plates. Now there are paper plates, but this tradition is so deep in every russian, that it's not easy to break.

When I moved to US we quickly accepted guests-bring-dish tradition, and we use (nice) disposable plates for big events. It's just making sense spending more time talking to people and less time cleaning... But as you found out - russians from Russia - will not look keenly on this shameful behaviour :)

Date: 2015-12-03 05:37 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com
We also start cooking the evening before for our Thanksgiving feast, and there are tons of dishes to do from the preparation and cooking. So, that's why we don't want to be bothered with even more dishes after everyone eats. By that time, we're all exhausted, full and want to take a nap. :)

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Date: 2015-12-03 05:25 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rina-grant.livejournal.com
I can't believe you actually received all those comments! I'm terribly sorry. These people are a disgrace to their own culture. They have their own system of very basic "values" and are deaf and blind to everything else.

Date: 2015-12-03 05:37 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com
It's ordinary to receive so many comments when I write about ordinary American life in that community. I guess it sends their mind into a frenzy, because the picture I paint is very different from what they see on TV.

Date: 2015-12-03 05:25 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] justadreamer.livejournal.com
Ой вэй! Дорогая Шеннон, неужели вы ещё не поняли, что больше всего наш русский народ любит учить весь остальной мир как нужно жить )
Edited Date: 2015-12-03 05:26 pm (UTC)

Date: 2015-12-03 05:38 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com
And they accuse America of doing the same!

Date: 2015-12-03 05:27 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] moskitow.livejournal.com
OMG! I missed all the fun! Didn't pay attention to "my-one-day" since I've already seen the pictures here in the blog.....
Maan, how dare you, Shannon, not to slave in the kitchen first, cutting for hours delicious salads made out of little cubes of overcooked vegetables, bologna and pickles with lots of nutritious mayo and then washing loads of china dishes by hand (because dishwasher is for lazy girls who would never get married to a nice russian guy!) :)
And your male relatives don't drink lots of vodka and argue about politics for hours while women are serving them and cleaning up? What a boring party.....
The worst part is that It's so easy to turn into a person like you :) I, myself, use paper plates now(and oh, horror my mom in Russia is doing the same thing now, she learned it from me) and make all these american dishes instead of a winter salad. Shame on me.....
Good reads.

Date: 2015-12-03 07:40 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com
:)) I prefer to make life simple. I can think of a dozen things I'd rather do than stand and wash dishes at the sink!

Date: 2015-12-03 05:27 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 1kompozitor.livejournal.com
Для хорошей компании всё равно где собраться и из чего есть.

П.С. Почему-то во всех странах в интернете очень любят писать всякие пакости. И это не только в России. Видимо здравомыслящие люди любят общаться в живую.

Date: 2015-12-03 05:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rina-grant.livejournal.com
В общем-то да: когда не видишь человека в глаза, его так легко облить грязью.

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Date: 2015-12-03 05:28 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] alex winter (from livejournal.com)
вот то, что американцы не снимают ботинки дома, меня всегда поражало, конечно. грязь ведь всё равно разносится. недавно смотрел фильм с вуди алленом, где он лежал в кровати в кедах, будто так и надо.

Date: 2015-12-03 06:54 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] onkel-hans.livejournal.com
В Америке нет столько грязи, как на Московщине.
В Америке даже в госпиталь заходят, не снимая шубы и сапог.

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Date: 2015-12-03 05:28 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] redheadrat.livejournal.com
There are only two reasons for preference of porcelain dishes to paper or plastic.

First is the heat retention qualities. Food temperature and taste get affected by the plate used, but in order to exploit this, you really need to warm or cool half the dishes depending on the food that is being served.

Second is about paper plates getting soggy from the juices and the sauce. This can get annoying, but can also be mitigated by using higher quality disposable plates.

A good point.

Date: 2015-12-03 07:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] onkel-hans.livejournal.com
I new a Jewish woman from Russia whose husband was a pretty good cook.
The held a "Russian" store then decided to expand and opened a restaurant,

It turned out a complete failure, although the meals were good.
The waitresses brought the meals on cold plates which killed the taste.
The waitresses stank sweat (as is usual with the Russians)

I was invited on a Jewish wedding party and bar-mitzva, enjoyed the food immensely.
Yet, after half a year they had to close the shop.

Re: A good point.

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Re: A good point.

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Date: 2015-12-03 05:29 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] logofilka.livejournal.com
I am glad you had an entertaining experience!
Though, I truly believe that the food served on a fancy plate tastes better (it does not discourage me from using paper plates at large gatherings, but I love china and porcelain).

Date: 2015-12-03 07:05 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com
It's always amusing and interesting to be an American writer in the Cyrillic sector of LJ. :) Comments definitely make my blood pressure rise sometimes, but there are many nice folks also. We must take the good with the bad to survive in RuNet. :))

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To a logophiliac:

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Date: 2015-12-03 05:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] elinelisky.livejournal.com
I like porcelain and china a lot, but I think this is not important. This is just what decore you want to see.
Edited Date: 2015-12-03 05:34 pm (UTC)

Date: 2015-12-04 01:51 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com
I also like it, and we use such plates for smaller dinners, but not for big feasts like this.

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Date: 2015-12-03 05:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mb-b.livejournal.com
As for me, I mostly eat off paper towels (unless the food doesn't lend itself to it -- soups, salads etc.) Right now, I'm fasting anyway.

And I can heartily second the following statements from above:

"Russian like to discuss other and teach how to live"
"they have 2 treats at the price of one: they get fed and get to bite the feeding hand too. only in america!"
"its called 'sour grapes' soviet garden variety"

...Just remembered: Americans run out of the house with just their socks on! That, in my opinion, beats wearing street shoes inside. And I'm not even mentioning raw mushrooms in the salad!
Edited Date: 2015-12-03 11:50 pm (UTC)

Date: 2015-12-04 01:52 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com
Haha! And some Americans wear pajamas to the store! :))

Yankey-doodle came to lift ...

From: [identity profile] onkel-hans.livejournal.com - Date: 2015-12-04 07:22 pm (UTC) - Expand

Date: 2015-12-03 05:45 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] polet-fantazii.livejournal.com
Sorry you got so much trolling and nastiness in response to your post.
Unfortunately, lots of people have horizons with a width of their hat brim. They can`t digest the thought that different cultures have different values and different ways of doing/interpreting things.
Hey, I am a Russian expat, I know the culture, but every time I post something that brings LJ traffic my way, I get just as much crap and stupid judgment as you did.
An average american party is different from an average russian party, this is true. But it is stupid to hate difference just because it is different. At the end of the day, Russians at the parties still do the very same things - they drink (much more then americans), eat lots of yummy (and unhealthy) food, and talk.
For some people it is hard to understand how out meat jelly, salo, and beef tongue may be equally or more disgusting to some other cultures than mac`n cheese.
I enjoyed your post and I hope you keep posting more. You have a large loving family, and that what matters at the end of the day.

May I tickle you a bit?

Date: 2015-12-04 12:25 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] onkel-hans.livejournal.com
The differences are the beauty of life! Take boys and girls! They are definitely difference, the major difference being anatomical - boys have bellies, girls have tummies!

Russian expat means you go on considering yourself Russian national and keep their passport while you do not have citizenship of the country you live in. Otherwise you are either immigrant or emigrant depending where are you looking from.

"meat jelly, salo, and beef tongue" really look very disgusting for Americans. We eat pure meat that is in abundance and despise secondary edible carcass parts. You will not find here even the delicious English oxtail soup nor the famous steak & kidney pie! Maximum you can get is Braunschweiger!

Then there hardly is a most unhealthy food than mac`n cheese. ;)

Russian talking at the parties? But what is the purpose of parties? We are not "hungarians" nor drunks. We get together primarily to talk!

Please do not take me seriously, I am just pulling your leg after a salmon fried on a pan and a glass of a blanc-de-noir ;)

Re: May I tickle you a bit?

From: [identity profile] polet-fantazii.livejournal.com - Date: 2015-12-04 01:03 am (UTC) - Expand

Re: May I tickle you a bit?

From: [identity profile] onkel-hans.livejournal.com - Date: 2015-12-04 01:29 am (UTC) - Expand

Re: May I tickle you a bit?

From: [identity profile] polet-fantazii.livejournal.com - Date: 2015-12-04 01:54 am (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com - Date: 2015-12-04 01:54 pm (UTC) - Expand

Date: 2015-12-03 05:51 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] elinelisky.livejournal.com
Some people wants to looks like a kings, they are uses stuff, but don't have good manners.

Date: 2015-12-03 06:02 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] notabler.livejournal.com
I don't understand why you decided to participate again there? I thought, you had have experience with posting particularly in this LJ community, where gathering so many people just to troll and humiliate other. Not only you, everyone there had there exactly the same approach. I think you've done that just for your own amusement ))). I have read your post and comments and was quite surprised that there were also a lot of nice ones. Nowadays I have a new game: compare the Russian and British comments in online sources and enjoy I am in UK

Date: 2015-12-03 06:19 pm (UTC)
From: [personal profile] oblomskaya
Gosh, I thought it's my personal game. One could really start collecting the RU/EN comments. Like, recently, I stumbled upon some Russians tearing someone's crocheting apart (they have a special community for that, and some pieces DO deserve trashing, I admit). And then immediately afterwards there was a Buzzfeed article on someone's self-crocheted wedding-dress. The most critical (English-speaking) comment sounded like: "Well, the main thing is that the bride likes it". It made me tear up.

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From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com - Date: 2015-12-03 07:01 pm (UTC) - Expand

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From: [identity profile] notabler.livejournal.com - Date: 2015-12-03 07:12 pm (UTC) - Expand

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From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com - Date: 2015-12-04 01:56 pm (UTC) - Expand

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From: [identity profile] notabler.livejournal.com - Date: 2015-12-04 05:08 pm (UTC) - Expand

Date: 2015-12-03 06:13 pm (UTC)
From: [personal profile] oblomskaya
I just wanted to write to you in your previous post about Thanksgiving, how sorry I am about all those inadequate commentaries from my compatriots, when I saw this posting. Many of them are obviously paid trolls anyway. But paid or not: It looks that the degrees of narrow-mindedness and of snobbery correlate nicely - as usual.
Upon a different note: Thanks a lot for that peanut butter cheesecake recipe! It turned out very good.

Date: 2015-12-04 01:57 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com
You made the peanut butter pie? No worries about those comments, I'm used to them after writing on LJ so many years. However, I was surprised a simple topic like a family celebration caused so many ugly comments and trolls.

(no subject)

From: [personal profile] oblomskaya - Date: 2015-12-04 05:28 pm (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com - Date: 2015-12-04 05:43 pm (UTC) - Expand

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From: [personal profile] oblomskaya - Date: 2015-12-04 06:02 pm (UTC) - Expand

Date: 2015-12-03 06:17 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rosa-morena1.livejournal.com
There are too many people in tha community who are sitting and waiting the posts like yours. Just to say something unpleasant :) Plus now the americans are enemies for russians (together with ukranians, turkish etc.) so it was a good chance for them to fight sitting on their sofas:))
Edited Date: 2015-12-03 06:18 pm (UTC)

Date: 2015-12-04 01:59 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com
Sure, the mere mention of the word "America", "USA" or "Americans," is an invitation for trolls and bots on the Kremlin payroll to infect a post with poison, bile and political nonsense, even if politics has nothing to do with the topic of the post. This is just the price I pay for being an American blogger on a Russian platform. Thanks for your support! :) There are many kind, intelligent and interesting people on LJ as well - these qualities describe most of my readers. :)

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From: [identity profile] ultra-epifan.livejournal.com - Date: 2015-12-08 10:10 am (UTC) - Expand

Date: 2015-12-03 06:18 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] olgorius.livejournal.com
Thank you for entertainment! So much fun in comments. )

Date: 2015-12-04 01:59 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com
I'm glad you were amused! :) Have a nice weekend!

Date: 2015-12-03 06:31 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] yarowind.livejournal.com
>> Does the food taste different if it's served on a fancy plate?

I think yes:) plus 20-25% :)

>>Is it really important to use porcelain or expensive china at holiday gatherings?

All dependent on the people. If for you it's not important - don't worry:)

Date: 2015-12-04 02:00 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com
Yes, it's not important to me, and I don't worry. It's just interesting to discover what causes some people to become so upset. :) Happy holidays to you and your family!

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From: [identity profile] yarowind.livejournal.com - Date: 2015-12-04 08:40 pm (UTC) - Expand

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From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com - Date: 2015-12-04 08:41 pm (UTC) - Expand

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From: [identity profile] yarowind.livejournal.com - Date: 2015-12-04 08:41 pm (UTC) - Expand

Date: 2015-12-03 06:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] elena-88888.livejournal.com
To my opinion you have quite normal attitude as inside your family (including to making the life much easier) as to this blog independently what furious and stupid people present ))) So be happy ! :))

I enjoy you post and these comments ;-)))

Date: 2015-12-04 02:00 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com
As the blog becomes more popular, we have more diverse opinions here in the comments. I think this is good, and entertaining, as long as people don't become too abusive or rude.

Date: 2015-12-03 06:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pin-gwin.livejournal.com
Hey, Shannon, I am suspecting that you are a mental masochist - sure you know the trolls will come, and still exposing yourself over and over. And each time you are getting so sincerely surprised :))))
On a matter - I will use disposable plates on the go or for children gathering or party, however I feel it a bit downgraded style for a family or close friends assembly. I have full set of real dishes in my house so why to keep them unused? Also, I feel porcelain plates more stable so I will not flip it over by accident ( I can). Olenka does not like turkey, it's up to her - in the US it is like pumpkin - a holy food. Nothing wrong with it. We use young breast part, it is much more expansive, but it has less waste and easier to bake.
But what is really surprising me here - that much of attention people are paying to food and related services. That's was a surprise to me, and it still is. May be, it is just my personal thing, but I would rather eat something quick and simple and do something after it, rather than spending time cooking and eating and cleaning. And talking about the sauce. What I would agree with her, that here some additives are making natural taste of ham, turkey and other things sweetish which is killing all natural taste. It is hard to find on the shelves without that starch or corn juice added.
In fact, I am sorry that our downhill areas do not work on Thanksgiving and a day after. But we were skiing on Saturday!!!
And, again, ---> why do you read olenka's BS - is it masochism again?

Date: 2015-12-04 02:03 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com
Well, we are the same. I don't want to spend so much time in the kitchen, that's why at our family gatherings we do "pot luck" style, where each person brings a dish so one individual is not tasked with so much responsibility. It's great you were able to get out on the slopes and ski already! In DC, we have warm weather one day, and cold the next. It's really crazy! I showed lenkaolenka's comment here because she is the most delusional and idiotic person I've encountered in all my years on LJ. Her views and comments about the USA are totally false, esp. the comments she makes about my family, which she has no clue about. Partly, I do it to publicly shame her, but perhaps she enjoys the attention.

(no subject)

From: [identity profile] pin-gwin.livejournal.com - Date: 2015-12-04 03:31 pm (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

From: [identity profile] ultra-epifan.livejournal.com - Date: 2015-12-08 10:18 am (UTC) - Expand

Date: 2015-12-03 06:33 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] alexanderr.livejournal.com
yeah, paper plats and shoes. and ... zero vodka?? oh the horror
and not even a half ton of mayo on everything? omg

my wife made some pretty amazing beans, and I also
liked the prosciutto-wrapped asparagus

Date: 2015-12-04 02:04 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] peacetraveler22.livejournal.com
I also love asparagus! No vodka, but we had moonshine. This is even more deadly, but few people consumed it. As you can see from the photo, the jar was very small. :)
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