Thanksgiving in Penang

By Yuan Tee 

With the annual Thanksgiving dinner just around the corner, the Ziemer Dorm kitchen was brimming with activity. 

Caleb Evans (11) held open a massive zip-lock bag containing a beast of a turkey, as Olive Berends (10) carefully poured in the seasoned brine over the large bird. Tee Yu (12) sat at the table before two ginormous silver bowls of hard-boiled eggs, diligently peeling away in preparation for the signature appetizer of devilled eggs. Meanwhile, the smell of baking pumpkin pie filled the atmosphere with a tantalizing aroma.  

Every thanksgiving, Ziemer Dorm holds a magnificent feast to celebrate the occasion. As 5:30 PM rolled around, hungry people flocked around a high wooden table that proudly carried the enticing appetizers: a beautiful smoked salmon cheese ball, a tray of devilled eggs, and a glass dish of chewy caramels - a promising start to the long-awaited dinner.  

The kitchen counter was loaded with all the classics: sweet potato casserole, caramelized green bean packages, a massive glazed ham, mashed potatoes, buttered corn, gravy, glistening cranberry sauce, stuffing, and of course, the enormous thanksgiving turkey. The roasted chicken, broccoli rice casserole, and mint green Watergate salad - a peculiar combination of pistachio pudding, marshmallows, pineapple, and pecans - were also a hit.  

As the evening progressed, lively chatter and laughter accompanied the ferocious eating, and soon the plates were scraped clean. However, the meal was not quite finished. It was time for the much anticipated finale, the culmination of thanksgiving dinner: the pies. Bit by bit, people gathered at the dessert table to retrieve their fill of pie. Waiting in line, they gazed at the low table laden with a selection of four types of delectable pies: a luscious apple pie, two tollhouse chocolate-chip cookie pies, two crunchy pecan pies, and a creamy pumpkin pie. A dash of whipped cream topped with gleaming cherries was the perfect finishing touch.  

Seojeong Park (11) stated, “The pecan pie was my favorite because I made it.” 

Naomi Drinkall (10) commented, “My favorite was probably the pumpkin pie or the turkey.”  

That said, the memorable dinner could not have been possible without the efforts of the dorm parents, cafeteria staff, and dorm kids, who were each responsible in the making of a dish. From the pie crusts skillfully constructed by Aunt Rachelle Henderson, the sweet potato casserole mashed by Zeke Croft (12) to the iced tea whipped up by Hajin Kim (11), everybody pitches in to produce the scrumptious thanksgiving meal that is looked forward to every year.