Turkey tales and gravy secrets: Bartlesville leaders dish on Thanksgiving traditions

As the country gears up for Thanksgiving festivities filled with culinary delights and the joy of family gatherings, several Bartlesville area community leaders shared some of their cherished Thanksgiving Day traditions.

Oklahoma Sen. Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, said she looks forward to a Thanksgiving spread tailored to her palate, stating with a smile and a laugh, "I eat anything I cook because I don't cook anything I don't like."

She has honed her gravy-making skills over four decades, a recipe she eagerly anticipates sharing with her family this holiday season. Her secret, she says, is making her stock from scratch.

Washington County Sheriff Scott Owen is looking forward to an entirely different experience, finding solace in the sweetness of pecan pie and the gathering of loved ones.

"I really look forward to falling asleep in my recliner," he said.

City Manager Mike Bailey says he is embracing a new experience this year as he hosts Thanksgiving for his extended family.

The guest list, he says, is a suspenseful toss-up between "15 and 50 people."

Although traditionally a traveler during the holiday, Bailey says he is ready to smoke the turkey himself, a task that has him slightly on edge but equally excited for the challenge.

"I'm in charge of cooking the turkey this year so we will see how it goes," he said with a laugh. "I'm cooking it the only way I know how — a Traeger smoker."

Bartlesville Mayor Dale Copeland tends to keep his Thanksgiving anticipation concise with what he calls "the three 'F's' - food, family and football."

With a sweet tooth guiding his holiday spirit, Copeland declares dessert, particularly pecan pie, a quintessential Thanksgiving indulgence.

State Rep. Judd Strom, R-Copan, is preparing for a grand family event steeped in generations of tradition.

He expects up to 150 relatives to converge on the family ranch for a three-day celebration. The tradition began when a grandparent's 12 siblings would gather at the ranch with their campers in tow for a time of fishing, hunting and shooting guns.

The ranch will be alive with the crackling of campfires, the clinking of beer bottles, and the melodies of shared music. Strom, wary of familial diplomacy, playfully refuses to select a favorite dish, preserving the peace among his talented relatives.

"Oh you're trying to get me in trouble," he said. "I can't pick a favorite or I will have some aunties getting angry at each other."

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Bartlesville leaders dish on Thanksgiving traditions