Rob's Mom: Part 12: Funny Story: "Best Thing on the Table"

I (Rob) received a number of comments that requested more funny stories about my mom, so I thought I'd share two of the stories that have always made for a running joke in our family. Today I'll cover the story I'll just call "Best Thing on the Table."
  My mom was Italian. She grew up in East Boston and Dorchester, Mass. and spoke Italian until she was about 5, when she had to learn English. As a result of being Italian, my mom was an excellent cook. She loved to cook and bake.

  Typical Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas dinners would find mom baking days in advance of the holidays. She would spend an entire day making homemade strudels with almonds, raisins and chocolate. She'd make pumpkin and homemade apple pies. Dinners would always be filled with a first course, either homemade chicken noodle soup or salad. Mom would also either make homemade lasagne or baked ham to go with the turkey on each holiday.
   Keep in mind that when I was growing up in the 60s and 70s, usually for the holidays there would only be mom and dad, myself and 2 brothers, and my grandmother (my dad's mother) - so that was a LOT of food for 6 people.
   Mom would also have us help set the table in the dining room, which was a treat, because no one EVER went into the dining room or living room unless it was a special occasion. In fact, the very same wall-to-wall carpeting that was installed when the house was built in 1962 still stands today, and almost entirely in perfect condition. 
   One Thanksgiving in the early 70s. after the homemade chicken noodle soup and salad and the homemade lasagne was served, it was time for turkey. Mom was serving everyone. That's when my grandmother said to my dad, "Can you pass the cranberry sauce, it's the BEST THING ON THE TABLE." The cranberry sauce was the jelled cranberry that came directly out of a can!

"Best thing on the table?!?"

   My mother's eyes widened in horror. She was totally flabbergasted and insulted after spending a week of cooking, baking and meticulously planning (of course, I don't blame her, anyone would be upset). I don't know if my grandmother said it as a joke (she didn't joke often that I can remember), or to purposely get my mother's ire up (sometimes they did before they both mellowed).
  Anyway, my brother Doug and I would later say that during any dinner, as a joke, and we'd laugh about it. Mom also learned to laugh about it, too. "Pass the cranberry, that's the best thing on the table" became a running joke in our family for decades. In fact, it's still funny today. :)