“Restaurants Open On Christmas”

As a chef it disturbs me that so many Americans are afraid of cooking a meal. What am I talking about?

A quick look at Google Trends will reveal that the most popular searches Christmas Day 2008 were “restaurants open on christmas,” “cracker barrel hours,” “huddle house,” “dunkin donuts open on christmas.”  Sad.

It is one day, folks, cook something!  This trend is very disheartening to anyone like myself who loves to cook – that someone can’t cook even one meal, even on Christmas Day – they just have to eat out.  Mother’s Day is another day that baffles me.  I can think of no bigger slap in the face to mom than dragging her to some ubiquitous Olive Garden, making her sit in a crowded lobby for hours and then shoving that carcinogen laced pseudo-food down her.  Dido for Valentine’s Day.

One of the great experiences in life is for family and loved ones to gather together and share with one another – share their art, their stories, their food and their love.  Going to eat at a restaurant on Christmas Day, to me, tells those around you that they are a burden.  You only visit loved ones because society’s folkways suggest you are a heel if you do not, or rather society’s folkways reveal you as a heel if you do not.

I understand that some people feel overwhelmed by a lot of the activities during the holidays but how about cutting out all of the trival stuff and just sit down noshing and sharing with those who love you.  But if you must go out and consume lethal amounts of additives, saturated fats and hydrogonized oils then here are links to IHOP, Denny’s and Waffle House, but I implore to throw together something easy and spend the rest of your time with the ones you love.

It is one day, cook something!