Vote for your favorite Thanksgiving Dinner Disaster story
By DAN ROSS Register Online Editor
Here are the five finalists in NapaValleyRegister.com’s first-ever Thanksgiving Dinner Disaster story contest, sponsored by Vallerga’s Markets in Napa.
Each of the entrants wrote about the most troubling and trying Turkey Day meal they ever went through.
The finalists were chosen by a panel of Register.com staff members, but the winner of the $100 gift certificate from Vallerga’s is going to come from you, our readers.
Vote in our online poll for your favorite. Voting in the poll is open until 4 p.m. this Sunday.
The five finalists are Unclestuy, Specialedteacher, Cathyodom, xtrapeggy and MonezMod.
Congratulations to the finalists, and all the people who submitted entries. Additional votes went to Flacoman, Localmomma, Adventurer, apartmentguy, loveone, napanana, JMB, NapaFurriesMom, NapaNapa, Vocal-de-Local, Betty, korikill, pharper and katies.
Click on each of the finalists below — listed in no particular order — to read their entire entry, then come back here and go to the online poll to vote for your favorite to decide who is the winner of the $100 gift certificate from Vallerga’s Markets.
The winner will be announced online and in the print edition Food section on Tuesday, Dec. 2.
Finalist No. 2 — UncleStuy — Fire that turkey. My wife and I were invited to her sister's house for Thanksgiving. The brother in law wanted to use his new oil turkey cooker. We set it up in the backyard, away from the house, on the patio. (Read more)
Finalist No. 3 —SpecEd Teacher — Keeping a watch on the bird. Twenty years ago this Thanksgiving was the first major holiday away from my East Coast family. I was newly in love with a guy named Tom and decided I would cook my first turkey in my apartment in San Francisco. (Read more)
Finalist No. 4 — MonezMod — A sharp cranberry sensation. In 1999, our second Thanksgiving together, we hosted dinner for eight of our friends. My partner Mike organized and cooked what looked like a fantastic feast of Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, green beans and gravy. My sole responsibility was to prepare the cranberries. (Read more)
Finalist No. 5 — xtrapeggy — The whole day came crashing down. While visiting with my son and daughter-in-law in Florida, I rashly volunteered to do the turkey dinner for about 15 people. Upon a brief inventory of available pots, pans, and utensils, I discovered to my horror that they had virtually no cooking equipment (Read more)
