The Relish Tray

We used to sing this food song when we were kids:

Fried ham, fried ham, cheese, and bologna,
and after the macaroni, we’ll have
onion, pickles, and peppers,
and then we’ll have some more fried ham!
Fried ham! Fried ham! Fried ham!

The relish tray is a staple
at our family gatherings and holiday dinners.

It had to have pickles – because we’re Polish –
and pickled beets and pickled onions and green olives.

The relish dish was always clear glass
with some star-shaped pattern cut into the bottom.

Those dishes are ubiquitous at garage sales
and wish I could take every one of them home

Fill them with salty savory delights
to tempt and tease the appetite

Then hear the room fill once again
with a chorus of laughter and love

[Prompt 9: “Look in your cupboards and find a food that brings up a childhood memory, and the memory is your prompt” – contributed by Deborah Dalton]

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