Need a Bowl of Clementines for Thanksgiving
I have no patience for centerpieces that I cannot eat. Flowers are beautiful – I always thought so – but putting a vase of inedible greenery in the middle of the table would just create a future problem for yourself; the problem is, “where do I put this thing to make room for food?”
Small citrus fruits do not offer any problems, only solutions. At this time of year, you can find both clementines and satsuma with leaves still attached, and they are a beautiful and functional centerpiece.
There are many functions, but the first is the health function. For Thanksgiving, there are often vegetables, but rarely fruits. Yes, there is cranberry sauce, but how much of it do you actually eat? A couple of spoons? Maybe a quarter glass if you’re a big fan? Eating the fruit will make you feel a little healthier and sunnier, and eating a bite of citrus will make you feel like you are actively fighting scurvy or another pirate disease. Even if you only follow fruit with only toppings and potatoes dipped in gravy and a few slices of a few pies, you can still look back on your day and think, “At least I ate four clementines,” and then google about the vitamin’s benefits. C for even more soothes any unnecessary guilt feelings.
Clementines and satsuma are also the perfect Thanksgiving snack. They don’t require any preparatory work on your part, give your guests something to do – peel the fruit – and it’s an activity that smells delicious in the air around it. Unlike sauces and meats, no one eats enough citrus resin to ruin a large meal. They’re also great for tossing up hungry kids, who – unless they’re tiny – are perfectly capable of peeling fruit and feeding themselves while you continue to cook dinner.
If centerpieces aren’t for you, you can use small fruits as (adorable, economical, edible) seating. Just write the name of each guest on the sharpy fruit. (Don’t worry, the ink won’t leak through your skin.) I did this one Thanksgiving day at my grandmother’s house, and let me tell you she was fascinated .
So yes, buy a bunch of clementines and / or satsuma ( with leaves ), put them in a bowl, and place the bowl on the table. Your centerpiecing is now sorted.