Growing up & still living in my childhood home has always been a blessing, and every time I step into this kitchen, countless memories flood back. This isn’t just any kitchen—this is my mother’s kitchen. It didn’t always look like this; back then, there were no cabinets, but there was always a washer and dryer. Sure, it was a little messy, but it was well-used and filled with love.

My mom, an Italian American, never wrote down a recipe. Everything she made, from meatballs to holiday feasts, had to be remembered or learned by helping her. One of my roles was cleaning shrimp. Yes, I have this odd obsession with cleaning shrimp—I can’t explain it, but I love it. This kitchen was the heart of our home. Every holiday, every celebration, was hosted here. We would cram 18 people around our dining room table, which seems impossible now. But somehow, we made it work.

This house has history beyond my childhood. My father grew up here as well. So, this kitchen has seen the presence of my grandparents, and with each generation, it changed a bit. As my mother aged and her health declined, I started taking over some of the holiday preparations. When I got married and moved to my apartment, I took charge of Thanksgiving and Mother’s Day. My mom kept the bigger holidays like Christmas and Easter, but Thanksgiving was mine.

The first Thanksgiving I took over, my mom handed me something very special—THIS turkey platter. I have to show you this. It’s not the prettiest platter, but it’s my mom’s, and I love it. She bought it from a small tchotchke store on Utrecht Avenue in Bensonhurst. Everything there was mismatched, but this turkey platter was her choice, and now it belongs to me.

Whenever I cook in this kitchen, I feel my mom’s presence. I talk to her, especially when I’m trying to recreate her dishes. I don’t have many recipes written down, so I rely on my memory. This turkey platter is a testament to the love and traditions we’ve shared over the years. I even found out that someone else has a similar turkey platter bought from the same store, which makes it even more special.

That’s my story—my mom’s turkey platter and the beautiful legacy of love and cooking that lives on in this kitchen.

______________________________________________________________________________

This minisode was clipped from a LIVE virtual Show & Tale: My Favorite Thing (Kitchen Edition) at Historic Green-Wood Cemetery. I’m a regular host of events for G-W for the purpose of building deeper connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time.

______________________________________________________________________________

Join me at my next LIVE Show & Tales: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.com

And if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky, etc., and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.

You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/