Thanksgiving this year was a combination of old and new for us...
Old? Sticking to our tried and true favorite holiday meal of soul food. While my husband's first Thanksgiving in America a decade ago was all about giving him the 'traditional' experience that included a giant bird, thankfully that was enough for him and we moved over to non-poultry main course.
New? Having our super sweet 88 year old neighbor Miss Rita join us. She started the conversation out tonight proclaiming, "I have no dietary restrictions!" and ended telling us a story about how she told her daughter that she wants to "die while dancing!" How cool is this lady.
Old? Waking up lazily, going for a walk then starting up the collards to low 'n' slow. Then after the meal, having that quiet walk around the neighborhood with the dog, stretching our legs out and promptly feeling the food coma set in minutes after coming back into the house a little after 5pm.
New? Keeping it vegetarian (no pulled pork! no bacon in the chanterelle green beans!). We did not want the pressure of 'tradition' to affect how we now live - continuing each year to lower our 'meat-print' and ensuring the holidays are the way WE want 'em!
Old? Organic baby! From the pasta to the cheese to the collard greens to the dried cherries in the stuffing to the cabernet in our glasses, this is one area where we do not compromise. For our health, for the workers, for our planet.
New? Learning how to make maple syrup-sweetened marshmallows for the first time to go into my candied yams. It was surprisingly easy to make and they tasted AMAZING! Plus there was no corn syrup (a base for most marshmallows) involved, how cool is that?!
Old? Keeping as much as possible local, including using chopped rhubarb from our garden and blueberries picked in nearby Bow this summer to flavor up the stuffing, green beans grown on our trellises and locally harvested chanterelles sauteed in with them, and of course plenty of herbs from our garden used throughout.
New? Cutting my awesome Kingfish-inspired mac 'n' cheese recipe in HALF! This was super helpful nutritionally AND financially smarter because of the number of cheeses I use. Still love the treat of it, but love just as much the calorie savings of not having it around to tempt me for leftovers for days and days and days!
Old? Thanksgiving remained all about the basics of gratitude - spending it with the love of my life, making and eating good food, and keeping it real with those who believe in kindness and community. No drama in this house, y'all. Just love.
"Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone." ~Gertrude Stein
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