The Thanksgiving Burrito
True fans of Bruce’s Burritos have long known the joy of the Thanksgiving Burrito. In the past we have run it for one week leading up to Thanksgiving, often one of our busiest weeks of the year. It is a delightful combination of Roasted Pork, Stuffing, Sweet Potato, Cranberry Chipotle Sauce, Beans, Cheese and Sour Cream. This year we have decided to run it every Thursday-Friday until Thanksgiving.
There is something about the combination that even though it is utterly different from an actual Thanksgiving dinner it still brings back those nostalgic feelings of Thanksgivings past. This Thanksgiving is going to be different for everyone, even people that choose to celebrate as they did in the past will still have to think about the dangers that are posed when people from different households gather.
Years ago I missed Thanksgiving because I had to work at a truly terrible restaurant for the entire day. When I came home alone my heart felt sore and I went to my neighbors raucous house party for an hour just to be around people. I come from a huge family and Thanksgiving has always been an important holiday for us. We have rented out church kitchens and done potluck style a few times over the years as we have grown to be too large a group for anyone’s house. There is the friendly, sometimes not so friendly, apple pie contest. Everyone talks and laughs and reconnects. I’m going to miss that this year.
At the same time I realize that it has been a privilege to enjoy those past Thanksgivings. There are a lot of people with no family, that have to work that day, that don’t have the money to celebrate as we do. People that don’t talk to their family for one reason or another, people that can’t travel so they spend the day alone or with just the people in their household. This year we all need to think about sacrifice. Can we sacrifice this holiday and not gather? Can we find creative ways to still chat with the family that we want to or still do potlucks but package the food and send it to the other households?
I’m writing this on Nov 1. We have had three days of the highest new case counts in Maine since the beginning of the pandemic. These numbers are not going to go down if we all don’t tighten our protocols. Community spread has come to Maine, mostly because of the ignorance and selfishness of a few of our fellow Mainers and now we all will have to pay for their recklessness. Be mindful, wash your hands, wear a mask and keep your distance. If you must travel in a vehicle with others you should have windows open and wear a mask. Really think hard about the consequences of eating indoors with people outside of your household.
Also be kind to yourself. If you don’t have the energy to make a huge meal for 4 people, don’t do it. Pick a couple of things that you want and forgo the rest. Order ahead from one of the many restaurants or cheese shops that are offering Thanksgiving meals to-go. Perhaps even freeze a couple of Thanksgiving burritos for the day.
We have had a few people order extra burritos to put in their freezer for a treat for later. If you choose to freeze a burrito, or anything really, you should first wait for it to be room temp. If you put a warm burrito in the freezer it will develop freezer burn. After they are room temp put in a freezer bag, gallon size and date. Anything frozen should be eaten within 6 months. To defrost take out of the freezer and put in fridge for around 8 hours. Then put into a cold oven, turn to 425 degrees and once it has preheated give it five minutes and flip the burrito, still in its aluminum foil, on a cookie sheet or right on the oven rack, and wait 20 minutes. Delicious and toasty warm. Our burritos also keep for up to four days in the refrigerator and you follow the same re-heating directions.
If my family were able to gather around the kitchen table, holding hands, and saying what we are thankful for this year I would have to say, “I’m thankful that no one I love has yet to catch COVID-19” and I will stay vigilant as I can to continue on that path.