Greg Doering, Kansas Farm Bureau
My mom called just before dinner on a recent Sunday despite my visit the day before. That meant she likely had an emergent question if not a true emergency. Thankfully it turned out to be the former and the pressing issue was how many people from my household would be attending Christmas dinner.
Everyone needed to be counted so she could purchase the appropriately sized standing rib roast. I got off relatively easy since all I had to do was give an answer. My brother will be tasked with cooking the roast.
Rest assured I’ll be there in time to supervise and offer my expert opinion on the process.
Rare to medium is my preferred temperature for prime rib. Just a shade darker than bright pink is the best way to maximize the savory taste. But growing up it was mostly cooked to medium or beyond with the heels well done. The center of the roast was the only portion that still held any flavor.
Yes, I still hold a small grudge against family members who insisted on spoiling a great cut of beef by cooking it too long. Thankfully, food was merely a conduit for conversation during the holidays.
Circumstances rather than whatever dish is served make the meal. And Christmas dinner is no exception. I’d eat cold bologna sandwiches if it meant enjoying the company of family members no longer with us.
However, that tradeoff isn’t in the cards, so I guess I’ll settle for some prime rib and tell stories about the past to those who weren’t around to experience it.
Reminiscing has always been part of holiday festivities, whether it’s over drinks or at the dinner table.
It was in these storytelling sessions I first learned my parents were kids once, too. And maybe they weren’t perfect angels either.
Sometimes the tales were tall and others devolved into history lessons on how rough life used to be when coal ash had to be shoveled out of the basement stove or the lengths people went to staying cool prior to air conditioning.
These memories are still fresh in my mind despite being decades old now. I can see the drop-leaf maple table we sat around at my grandparents' house and feel the warmth of the crowded living room.
More of these impressions will be made over the coming days with my family as life briefly slows down to allowing us to enjoy each other’s company. I hope the same is true for you, as well.
And I should note there was plenty of stress and hard work that went into making these childhood holidays carefree. Trees, lights, presents and food don’t one day magically appear. I know not everyone is as fortunate to just be a kid around the holidays.
So, in this season make time for rejoicing and reflecting, whether it’s just a day or a whole week. There’s plenty of merriment to be had long after the presents are unwrapped or dinner is over.
"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.
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