Thanksgiving 1944
Chapter 24
It had been two years since Clara Wilder had kissed her husband (of less than a week) as he boarded the train at the Savannah Station. He left to begin his service to his country as a new doctor in the US Army Medical Corps.
She wrote to “Doc” daily and recounted the news from home. She wrote about their families, her work in the Red Cross Canteen Program, her Victory Garden and even the canning of fruits and vegetables gathered from his grandparent’s farm on the outside of town. All these activities kept her busy. She needed that. Anytime she would stop and think about her husband and the constant threat of danger he was in made her blood run cold. She could not shut her eyes at night.
Doc had been assigned to a mobile hospital that traveled to where the worst of the fighting was taking place. If Clara had known the true extent of the danger he was in, she could not have stood it.
He vowed to himself never to discuss any of the details of the war with her when he returned. Currently, he was stationed on the German and Belgium border where tensions were mounting to a fever pitch.
Back home, Thanksgiving was still being observed. “Celebrated” would not have been the right word because so many young men were in danger, but people were still thankful for what they had.
Thanksgiving had changed since the war. College football games had been cancelled. There were so few eligible men to play. The Macy’s Day Parade had been suspended. The rubber traditionally used in the balloons were needed for the war effort.
Doc’s seat at the Wilder table left an uncomfortable reminder he was not there. So, the family traditionally invited a man or two who was convalescing at the base hospital to join them. These were men who were far from their homes. The Wilders felt they would be grateful if someone did something similar for their son if the need was in reverse.
The Thanksgiving table and meal was set. Mr. Wilder offered a prayer of blessing and gratitude. The turkey was served and it was a luxury. Most of the birds had been purchased by the Army and sent overseas to the troops. But Grandfather Wilder kept a few just for the family. Also on the table was a stuffing made with the apples from the tree under which Doc had proposed to Clara. The table also had collards, cornbread, and homemade pickles. The real treat was the fig and pecan pie, The Wilder ladies had saved their ration coupons and pooled them together to have enough sugar for the dessert. The figs came from Clara’s friend Ada whose husband was fighting somewhere in the Pacific.
As they started to eat, an unexpected and sudden cold chill came over Clara.
The radio in the living room abruptly halted its seasonal music. There was an announcement the troops along the border where Doc was, had been heavily bombed. The area was known as the Hurtgen Forrest. This battle would turn out to be one of the longest and deadliest fought by the US Army.
Pecan & Fig Preserve Pie
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup Southern Conserves Fig Preserves
1 c. chopped pecans
½ c. sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 c. Karo syrup
¼ c. Louisiana cane syrup
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
3 eggs, beaten
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
1 (9-inch) uncooked pie shell
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325°F. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add syrups, vanilla and eggs. Whisk thoroughly. Add chopped pecans and fig preserves. Blend well into mixture. Season with a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg.
Pour ingredients into pie shell and bake 45 minutes on center rack of oven.
The Southern Conserve is the Products Line from Chef Theodore Paskevich + Donald Holland. It is sold at Provisions SAV and online on our website.