Ranee wrote:

> You make rib roast for Christmas and Ham for New Year's. Turkey is
> for Thanksgiving. For crying out loud, aren't you American?

SURE I'm American. Just not big on tradition.

Thing is, neither my friends nor I have a big meal on New Year's Day.
Speaking of New Year's Day, none of my friends have heard of the black-eyed
pea superstition (not that they'd eat Hoppin' John anyway; they tend to look
down their noses at all legumes except for edamame).

The only big meals I cook during the year a

Easter -- I cook lamb most years
Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day -- I barbecue
Christmas Eve -- I cook seafood

Thanksgiving and Christmas, I cook whatever I *feel* like cooking. Last
year, I cooked a capon for Thanksgiving and a ham for Christmas. I'll
probably make ham for Christmas again this year due to the appreciative
response I got from my girlfriend last year. So if I decide to make ham for
Christmas and I want to cook a standing rib roast, Thanksgiving is the only
holiday left.

I *do* cook turkey at other times of the year, though. I expect to smoke a
turkey sometime in the next few months, but not for any special occasion.

Bob