Food for Thought

TURKEY, n. A large bird whose flesh when eaten on certain religious anniversaries has the peculiar property of attesting piety and gratitude. Incidentally, it is pretty good eating.

EDIBLE, adj. Good to eat, and wholesome to digest, as a worm to a toad, a toad to a snake, a snake to a pig, a pig to a man, and a man to a worm.

Ambrose Bierce

I've been in the kitchen all day doing as much prep work as possible to make tomorrow's marathon of cooking go as smoothly as possible. Some of the things already done:

cranberry sauce (made from fresh berries, not that canned crap),
baked and peeled sweet potatoes (for casserole),
chopped three cups of onion and celery (combined, not 3 cups each) for cornbread dressing,
baked cornbread for dressing (from scratch, not a mix),
shelled pecans for sweet potato topping,
mixed the rest of that 'praline' topping,
daughter crumbed up the cornbread (she loves to do that).

I'm sure I'm forgetting something. Anyway, I still should mash the sweet potatoes and mix up the casserole and maybe cook the turkey giblets for the dressing and gravy tomorrow. It is a lot of work to do all of this from "scratch" but it is a nice way of expressing thankfulness and true appreciation for all the good things in life. It is truly gratifying to put forth that much energy towards nourishing those I love. However, it's not only nourishing, but an uncommonly rich preparation of food. Rich in flavors, as well as energy (high calorie, for sure). Feeding someone is at the most basic level, giving life. This is why Jesus used bread and wine as metaphors for the Life he was offering to his disciples. There I go again with that religious kick. ;-) (maybe these "kicks" are actually like "tics" or something? lol)

To be honest though, if I had to do this all the time I wouldn't have time for anything else. And I like doing other things. But then, this is why we have a Thanksgiving Day set aside to lavish our loved ones in special ways.

Happy Thanksgiving!