It's All Relative

The Success of Thanksgiving Rests In My Hands

I'm flying home to Redding tomorrow to participate in the Olsen Family Thanksgiving Festivities 2006. This year will more than likely be much like years past; lots of noise, complaints about the fairy rolls and vicious critique over Grandma's jello.

Grandma's Jello is never made except on Thanksgiving. It just isn't. But for good reason. This jello is not like some sick Utah, Relief Society jello. This jello is special, not only because it is jello perfected, but also because the time and preperation it takes to complete is so rewarding. Every year Grandma would bring out the jello and say "I just don't know about it this year." But her jello never let us down. Ever. And we loved her for that. As she got older, it became a little more difficult for her to do things, but she always came through when it came to the jello.

Apparently, I have been enlisted to tackle on the responsibility of producing Grandma's Jello this year. Why? I have no idea. Maybe because everyone else is too lazy (actually I am pretty sure that's the reason). Either way, it's rather intimidating.

Grandma's jello consists of raspberry jello, pineapple, bananas and whipped cream, but none of that Redi-Whipped crap in the can. No, this is serious handmade whiped cream with a touch of pineapple juice.

Sounds easy, right?

WRONG

Over the years, there have been those who have taken on the challenge of making the Jello, however the outcome is usually disappointing.

One Example of Grandma's Jello Disaster: It's Thanksgiving 1995. For some reason, we decided to hop in the green van and road trip our Thanksgiving to Provo, Utah, thanks to Jen. (Why she chose to live in Provo? I do not know, but we all make mistakes) Anyways, we attempted to create a Thanksgiving dinner as close to perfect as that icky apartment would allow , which included Grandma's Jello. I don't know who to blame this disaster on, maybe it was all of us, but it was indeed a DISASTER. The Jello attempt was pathetic, inexcusealbe really. The Jello didn't set, the cream was too runny and I think, I THINK someone forgot the chopped nuts. Looking back, we should have known better. Come to think of it, I believe this is where my loathing of all things Provo began.

Grandma passed away two years ago and since then the responsibility of who has to make the Jello has been quite the issue. My cousin Cara is probably the one who has come closest to mastering the recipe. Since I have been bestowed with the task this year, I am definitely going to have to call her up and get every detailed step. I am really nervous about this. Seriously. I have heard you have to start like 2 days in advance, use stainless steel bowls that have been chilled for a certain about of time and crush the pineapple until it's at a perfect consistency, all while chanting some achient Wiccan Jello prayer....or something to that affect.

We'll see how it goes.