Shabbat is not Thanksgiving

shabbatiscoming

Wed, Aug 09 2023, 8:07 am

Bnei Berak 10 wrote:

Nobody needs, that's correct. However one as supposed to eat better food than on weekdays in order to honour Shabbos. For me a soup wouldn't cut it at all as I do one course on weekdays.

We dont even usually have soup on shabbat Smile

Only wehen its really cold.
And I dont think the courses are what make it lichvod shabbat. I think its the food. And the foods that we are eating on shabbat, we dont eat during the week, only as leftovers Smile

Newcastle

Wed, Aug 09 2023, 8:33 am

sari00 wrote:

Without guests:
Chicken soup, gefitle, shnitzel, Cholent, deli roll, baked Chicken dish, sides are lots of salads, roasted veggies, potatoes, rice, string beans
Dessert ice cream and cookies, easy cake

Are you trying to say this is easy? Difficult?
Just menu suggestions?

BaltoMom65

Wed, Aug 09 2023, 8:55 am

Friday night- sometimes soup, chicken, 1-2 sides. Lunch- if no guests, just cholent, a side like deli or schnitzel, and a kugel. Sometimes a salad course. And I make my own challah and dessert. It's a lot. I understand how people find it overwhelming, especially in some circles where the pressure to be over-the-top is a real thing

naomi2

Wed, Aug 09 2023, 9:39 am

I agree the way we do it is too much. When I don't have company it's chicken 2 sides and easy dessert. Bought challah, choulent, salad, turkey
However when I have company I can't just serve that. Remember the thread about the guest who was only served choulent??
Shobbos is long and lonely without guests so I try to invite a lot and then I'm stuck with 5 hrs of cooking. The times posted on the other thread about how long it takes to make shobbos were surprising to me. I don't make that tons of food and I work efficiently and I buy challah and baked goods and it still takes 5 hrs. Not to mention cleaning up Friday night, before lunch, after lunch, and mostaei shobbos.

zaq

Wed, Aug 09 2023, 10:16 am

This whole "Shabbat as Thanksgiving" is just one more manifestation of the "gashmiyus inflation" of an affluent society. Exactly whom we are aping I don't know, whether it's the secular society or delusions of grandeur created by our very own acheinu B'nei Yisrael , but there is hardly any aspect of our lives that has not become exaggerated beyond recognition in recent years. The vort of today is more splendid than the wedding of yesterday, and today's wedding is less a simcha than a wedding-industry trade show. Yesterday's pearl has become today's diamond (how are they going to top that one next week?) Sheitels are less a statement of marital status than a statement of socio-economic status. Shabbat meals are banquets and banquets are showcases of gluttony and waste.

Just say no, ladies. What is needed is a grass-roots movement of those who are sick of excess, who understand the difference between "dignified" and "overdone," who are unafraid of the sneers of those still caught up in "vayishman Yeshurun," and are willing to lead the way to a simpler, yet more appreciative, way of life.

ora_43

Wed, Aug 09 2023, 11:23 am

I like that I'm on this thread like 'haha Shabbat doesn't have to be like Thanksgiving' when irl, I make me some complicated Shabbat meals.

I feel like I need to admit that here to be fully honest.

And it's not that I like food. I mean, I do like food, but I like efficiency more.

But one person is vegetarian, and one is on a restrictive diet, and one has food sensitivities, and one has no sensitivities and no restrictions and no ideologies around food and yet refuses to eat anything but potatoes and occasionally candle wax.

(I refuse to serve the candle wax)

Potatoes are on the 'food sensitivities' list, because of course they are.

We usually manage to get away with two salads, one soup, one chicken dish, one non-potato carb, 4 types of vegetables, and two desserts (one sugar-free, one an actual dessert). Oh, and of course potatoes.

And then fish, 2 more salads, 3 more vegetables, a carb, and more potatoes for lunch. And just one dessert, because you have to draw the line somewhere.

I think simplifying Shabbat is great. But I think it goes together with two more things: everyone helping out, and recognizing the value of what you're doing.

If you have 2 of those 3 things, you're probably good even if you can't get the 3rd to work. It's when you only have 1, or maybe none (eg a woman who works full-time and is expected to make a highly complicated Shabbat alone, like in the other thread) that it gets horrible and hard.

sequoia

Wed, Aug 09 2023, 11:30 am

ora_43 wrote:

We usually manage to get away with two salads, one soup, one chicken dish, one non-potato carb, 4 types of vegetables, and two desserts (one sugar-free, one an actual dessert). Oh, and of course potatoes.

And then fish, 2 more salads, 3 more vegetables, a carb, and more potatoes for lunch. And just one dessert, because you have to draw the line somewhere.

Well then… Wink

PinkFridge

Wed, Aug 09 2023, 11:34 am

Freezers. BH.
But we do have to appreciate how hard this is for someone who didn't grow into it. (And FFBs without kitchen experience count.) Not to mention the practical halachic aspects. It isn't easy.
But it can be simplified and demystified.

Shabbos night:
Challah (not every week, freezer)
Soup and kneidlach (ditto); bought croutons
Protein (freezer, or raw chicken prepped and frozen, or maybe prepped earlier)
Kugel
Vegetables. Fresh, marinated, roasted. Maybe two dishes.
Dessert (bought, homemade, hybrid, fresh fruit)

Not included but not terribly hard: Fish, dips.
Note: Even if you like something fresh, it doesn't have to be made erev Shabbos or late that afternoon.

Breakfast/kiddush: Cake, Shabbos cereal

Shabbos day:
Fish or
Liver/egg or
Salad with deli or fish or
Fruit soup/smoothie
A salad, dips to go with first two
Cholent
Store-bought kishke if desired
Deli roll, which can be made anytime and frozen. Or, deli platter/grilled chicken/etc.
Salads
Dessert

Shalosh seudos:
Your call. Bagels/challah and lox or spreads. Veg. like sald or crudites. Deviled eggs. Tuna. Ooh, salsa salad is fun. Cookies. Fresh fruit.

Etc.

realtalk

Wed, Aug 09 2023, 11:48 am

Bnei Berak 10 wrote:

It goes without saying Shabbos preparation do take time and energy.
Still a gioret is supposed to understand this before she undergoes giyur.
See it as a positive thing, thousand of women so Shabbos preparation, why shouldn't you be able to?

I'm a bt. Should I have not done teshuva at all because even simple shabbos prep is hard for me? For everyone saying it's easy, I'm guessing most of you grew up witnessing easy happy shabbos prep for around 20 years before doing it yourselves and did not spend 20 years with no frame of reference followed by a year of lavish shabbatons and then expected to do it yourself.

I'd also like to know how many people on this thread actually had Thanksgiving growing up to see/feel what bts and gers are comparing it to...

Raisin

Wed, Aug 09 2023, 11:49 am

I am sure if you are making thanksgiving for just you and a spouse and small kids, its pretty easy. Buy a turkey leg or half, make some mashed potatoes, no need to make 6 pies just pick one or 2 favourites. Plus, I am quite sure non kosher shops are full of ready made thanksgiving food for lazy people, just like Jewish shops slel challa, chummus and kugels.

I make dessert every week but I host a lot of people. I make and freezer but I still generally make a new one each week and have variety.

PinkFridge

Wed, Aug 09 2023, 11:55 am

Rappel wrote:

Homemade bread
2-3 courses
2-3 sides
Dessert

Repeat the next day

Do you really think that Thanksgiving is less complicated??

The thing about Thanksgiving is, in some circles, that's the ONLY day they cook. Xmas or Easter might mean buying a ham.
But in any case, especially Thanksgiving, there might be some potluck or delegating dishes.

Bnei Berak 10

Wed, Aug 09 2023, 12:00 pm

realtalk wrote:

That's absolutely not what I am saying.
FFB women also have a tough time with preparations too!

cbsp

Wed, Aug 09 2023, 12:33 pm

Bnei Berak 10 wrote:

That's absolutely not what I am saying.
FFB women also have a tough time with preparations too!

Yup.

realtalk, this Shikufitzky has a prominent place in my FFB kitchen. The ideal calm erev Shabbos prep happens maybe once a year in our house (and usually because we're not actually going to be eating at home or a similar scenario)

yamz

Wed, Aug 09 2023, 12:59 pm

naomi2 wrote:

Which thread was that? Would you mind posting a link? You got me really curious!