Hats off to Roy Speer!
Please pass the seconds!
As long as any of the three older siblings of Brown-Tibbs clan can still sit down for a festive holiday meal, Roy's name is guaranteed to come up.
Oh, the tales do change a bit as the years go but not his reputation for cleaning up his plate, his seconds and maybe even his thirds and then dessert!
When each sumptuous dinner was served at our childhood home on North Boyer, Roy served as the gold standard by which all young, aspiring eaters set their marks after sitting down to the turkey table.
In those days, there was no "kiddies'" table, so we all dined together in the living room.
The story gets a bit murky these days in regard to whether kids were personally challenged by our mother or if they proactively took on the challenge themselves to out-eat Roy.
Roy lived on a farm over on Great Northern Road near the present site where country equipment resides.
If I recall correctly, Roy worked for the railroad, and during the years that he joined us at our holiday table, he was a bachelor. In my child's mind, Roy was tall and always rather distinguished looking with his bald head and rimless glasses.
Roy could eat, and eat he did after Mother spent a long day preparing those meals. My brothers, especially, did their best to keep up and maybe even out-eat Roy.
That's where some more murkiness associated with turkeys and the trimmings come. I can't remember if Mike and Kevin ever defeated Roy at eating, but I do remember it was always a friendly competition.
Mother also loved the fact that she didn't have too many leftovers to stuff in the refrigerator during the clean-up afterward.
Yup, Roy's name came up last night at dinner time. I'm thinking he must be pretty proud that he left his mark in our collective culinary memories.
We could have used Roy at last night's phenomenal meal, which included a traditionally baked turkey with stuffing and a deep-fried bird which once walked the neighborhood down Selle Road.
Thanks, Dr. Dickens, Trent and daughters that gobbler was a hit, as was everything else on the table, including the token small bowl of turnips, in honor of Mother.
Mother never missed a year of cooking up those turnips, mashing them and dousing them with butter, salt and pepper.
As with Roy, Mother will remain immortal with all family holiday meals cuz someone will always responsible for cooking up the turnips.
Her legacy also continues with the sheer amounts of delectables offered on the always magnificent and colorful table spread.
As I said, we could have used Roy last night cuz something has happened to our family tummies. For some reason, their storage capacity has diminished significantly in the years since Roy Speer eating competitions.
In our family, each subgroup contributes items they're pretty darned sure will bode favorably with all palates around the table.
Everyone outdid themselves, it seems, with the spread of turkeys, stuffing, mashed potatoes, avacado dip, sweet taters, fruit cocktail, assorted pies, relish trays, rolls, cranberry sauce, etc.
Tastebuds were at almost an historical high last night while most tummies were notably resistant on just how much they were willing to absorb.
No gold standard eating king named Roy Speer to motivate us to attempt to stuff several more bites in our mouths.
Though we did scoop a lot of ingredients back into containers soon after leaving the table, I think we all agreed last night's Thanksgiving dinner was one of the best.
Dinner was purposely timed for the 6 o'clock hour so that we could avoid too much lag time before the ZAGS tipped off at 9.
Well, there was still lagging and sprawled out lounging and even some napping and especially some groaning when, at 9 o'clock, the announcers said the game would start in another half hour.
Twas all I could do during that first half to keep from nodding off, but I managed cuz the ZAGS and the Buckeyes were putting on quite a shooting match.
When the ZAGS eventually led by double figures at halftime, I blurted to Bill, "Can we go home?"
"No pie?" someone said.
"No," I said.
One of my sisters cut Bill a piece of pie, and out the door we went. I have to admit that my eyes, helped on by my still full stomach, gave up within minutes of our return home.
So, the ZAGS continued to win a fine game without my help---and I'm guessing I wasn't alone.
I can't imagine what would have happened with the ZAG fan base at our house if we'd had Roy Speer to contend with at the dinner table!
Like the ZAGS, he was a champ in his own right.
Happy Friday. Thanks to the hosts at last night's lovely Thanksgiving meal.
GO, ZAGS! Tonight 8 p.m. PST ESPN2.
When each sumptuous dinner was served at our childhood home on North Boyer, Roy served as the gold standard by which all young, aspiring eaters set their marks after sitting down to the turkey table.
In those days, there was no "kiddies'" table, so we all dined together in the living room.
The story gets a bit murky these days in regard to whether kids were personally challenged by our mother or if they proactively took on the challenge themselves to out-eat Roy.
Roy lived on a farm over on Great Northern Road near the present site where country equipment resides.
If I recall correctly, Roy worked for the railroad, and during the years that he joined us at our holiday table, he was a bachelor. In my child's mind, Roy was tall and always rather distinguished looking with his bald head and rimless glasses.
Roy could eat, and eat he did after Mother spent a long day preparing those meals. My brothers, especially, did their best to keep up and maybe even out-eat Roy.
That's where some more murkiness associated with turkeys and the trimmings come. I can't remember if Mike and Kevin ever defeated Roy at eating, but I do remember it was always a friendly competition.
Mother also loved the fact that she didn't have too many leftovers to stuff in the refrigerator during the clean-up afterward.
Yup, Roy's name came up last night at dinner time. I'm thinking he must be pretty proud that he left his mark in our collective culinary memories.
We could have used Roy at last night's phenomenal meal, which included a traditionally baked turkey with stuffing and a deep-fried bird which once walked the neighborhood down Selle Road.
Thanks, Dr. Dickens, Trent and daughters that gobbler was a hit, as was everything else on the table, including the token small bowl of turnips, in honor of Mother.
Mother never missed a year of cooking up those turnips, mashing them and dousing them with butter, salt and pepper.
As with Roy, Mother will remain immortal with all family holiday meals cuz someone will always responsible for cooking up the turnips.
Her legacy also continues with the sheer amounts of delectables offered on the always magnificent and colorful table spread.
As I said, we could have used Roy last night cuz something has happened to our family tummies. For some reason, their storage capacity has diminished significantly in the years since Roy Speer eating competitions.
In our family, each subgroup contributes items they're pretty darned sure will bode favorably with all palates around the table.
Everyone outdid themselves, it seems, with the spread of turkeys, stuffing, mashed potatoes, avacado dip, sweet taters, fruit cocktail, assorted pies, relish trays, rolls, cranberry sauce, etc.
Tastebuds were at almost an historical high last night while most tummies were notably resistant on just how much they were willing to absorb.
No gold standard eating king named Roy Speer to motivate us to attempt to stuff several more bites in our mouths.
Though we did scoop a lot of ingredients back into containers soon after leaving the table, I think we all agreed last night's Thanksgiving dinner was one of the best.
Dinner was purposely timed for the 6 o'clock hour so that we could avoid too much lag time before the ZAGS tipped off at 9.
Well, there was still lagging and sprawled out lounging and even some napping and especially some groaning when, at 9 o'clock, the announcers said the game would start in another half hour.
Twas all I could do during that first half to keep from nodding off, but I managed cuz the ZAGS and the Buckeyes were putting on quite a shooting match.
When the ZAGS eventually led by double figures at halftime, I blurted to Bill, "Can we go home?"
"No pie?" someone said.
"No," I said.
One of my sisters cut Bill a piece of pie, and out the door we went. I have to admit that my eyes, helped on by my still full stomach, gave up within minutes of our return home.
So, the ZAGS continued to win a fine game without my help---and I'm guessing I wasn't alone.
I can't imagine what would have happened with the ZAG fan base at our house if we'd had Roy Speer to contend with at the dinner table!
Like the ZAGS, he was a champ in his own right.
Happy Friday. Thanks to the hosts at last night's lovely Thanksgiving meal.
GO, ZAGS! Tonight 8 p.m. PST ESPN2.
1 comment:
I am with Mom.. and that is exactly how I make mine..turnips is one of my fav.. but quit making it for Thanksgiving....too much protesting and no offers to help me.. eat it. lol.. So I have my reserve in the freezer.. just for me..lol
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