Dear Reverend,
I was hanging out with my sister the other day, and the topic of Thanksgiving came up. She mentioned that she saw a recipe for a potato dish she wants to try out this year instead of the usual mashed. She makes the best mashed potatoes ever, and I was surprised at how sad I was at the thought of not having them on Thanksgiving. She hosts the holiday at her house, so I didn’t say anything at the time, but now I feel like I should have. What do I do?
Tater Trouble (woman, 36)
Dear Tater Trouble,
Aside from homemade tofurkey and mushroom gravy, I’m a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to Thanksgiving food. If I don’t see can-shaped jellied cranberry on that day, it just feels like any other Thursday. So I feel your pain at the thought of not having mashed potatoes on the table.
If your sister makes most of the food for the feast, it may seem rude to make suggestions about the menu. However, no cook is going to be upset to hear that a dish they make is the best in the world and that a holiday isn’t complete without it. So, the next time you talk to your sister, let her know that’s how you feel.
Since she’s the host, you shouldn’t totally pooh-pooh the new recipe, but let her know that you’d really miss her mashed. Then you can not-so-subtly suggest that there’s room for two spud sides on the spread. Offer to help with the cooking so there’s no stress and plenty of time to make both.
If all goes as planned, you’ll have some fun while learning the secrets of your sister’s mashed mastery — and wind up with more leftovers!
Good luck and God bless,
The Reverend
This article appears in Oct 15-21 2025.
