My first proper Thanksgiving meal was in the projects of San Antonio where my mother had consigned me to
child slavery volunteering for the less fortunate. It's strange to remember my perspective as a child. I didn't quite understand how the people we were serving were "less fortunate." Everyone seemed to be laughing, eating, and having a great time. No one was sucking on gasoline rags or had flies crawling all over their faces. Where were the suffering masses? How was I to live out my Savior complex and practice my benevolent, Mother Theresa face? As a ten or eleven year-old who wasn't seeing enough sorrow nor grateful teary eyes (god, I was completely delusional and annoying as a kid), I started "sampling" all the dishes. Needless to say, the Thanksgiving spread wasn't cooked with the love and dedication of an All-American mom bent over her 100% organic turkey. But, it was my first Thanksgiving dinner experience, and I came to understand the greatness of the Thanksgiving feast. I also had a bread roll thrown in my face.
If I can get past the bread roll, I remember the green bean casserole. It was watery and overcooked. It wasn't until I had it fresh and delicious out of some loving Texan mother's kitchen (can't remember whose but I can assure you, it wasn't mine), that I my fondness for green bean casserole grew. I love green bean casserole. The
original recipe is so easy - some Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup thrown together with some green beans and topped with French's Fried Onions. In Korea, all three of these ingredients would be subject to tariffs. Who wants to pay $5 for cream of mushroom soup? Not me. Furthermore, French's Fried Onions aren't sold in Korea. So, I found
Alton Brown's recipe in order to make the beloved dish entirely from scratch.
