Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year. It calls for decorating your house in warm harvest-inspired earth tones, volunteering or being recruited to make a side dish for the family dinner and finally and cashing in your Christmas Club account (do people have those anymore?) so you can tear up the mall on Black Friday. Don’t forget the most important part of Thanksgiving: starting incendiary conversations at the table. 

For mainstream (i.e. ‘white’) culture, that could mean dropping a load of shocking news at the dinner table (I’m using my Christmas Club money to help fund a gender reassignment surgery, Mom) or starting an argument with your family about your differing political and religious beliefs. (Why shouldn’t I convert to the Jedi faith?) For black families, major holiday dinners are often madcap gatherings, punctuated with liberal helpings of ‘libation’ and raucous rounds of ‘Yo Mama …’ jokes. Not to mention confronting cousin Rolanda about the $200 she owes you after you paid her way in Atlantic city for your other cousin Sheila’s bachelorette party. 

Well, it’s high time that we modernize things. Take a gander at this hilarious clip from the old Ricky Lake Show. On this episode, Ricky discusses interracial dating, from the standpoint of people who are rebelling against family taboos, so that they can date interracially for the first time. Her guest Kai, dares the disapproval of her cousin Kobi, who represents a family that forbids it! Imagine if instead of publicizing her plans on a daytime talk show, Kai dropped the news at Thanksgiving dinner. 

Now readers, if you’ve decided to take the plunge and date interracially and you announce your plans at Thanksgiving dinner — or for bigger fireworks bring the guy home — at least show up with a little something to make the news go down easier.

I found this recipe, tweaked to my liking, in a book titled “Real Taste of Jamaica” by Enid Donaldson.  

CORN PUDDING

3 eggs lightly beaten

2 cups drained and cooked (or caned) whole kernel corn

2 cups milk, scalded

1 tbsp. butter, melted

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. nutmeg or cinnamon

Heat oven to 350 F. Combine the eggs, milk, butter and sugar and mix well. Stir in the flour a little at a time, then add the corn. Pour into a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle on the nutmeg or cinnamon. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Test for readiness by inserting a clean knife in the center of the pudding. If it comes out clean, you’re done. Let it bake for another 5 to 10 minutes if it needs more cooking. Let stand for 10 minutes, while the center firms up.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Let the onslaught begin!