Gratitude

The Thanksgiving holiday tradition is rooted in old European and Native North American harvest festivals. 

I love the idea of celebrating the harvest, and doing so in a spirit of the utmost reverence to time-honored American culinary traditions.

 Every Thanksgiving dinner begins with Veggie Booty, which as we all know was brought by the Wampanoag Indians to the Pilgrims and saved them from famine that cold winter of 1621. 

Some zesty kale chips sprinkled with nutritional yeast, small amounts of which survived the trip over on the Mayflower, rounded out the appetizers. 

One thing the Pilgrims may not have known about was Celebration Roast with coconut sauce. This is a Stade family tradition that began the year my dad was in the hospital over Thanksgiving. We knew the very thought of such a thing would send him to the hospital even if he hadn't otherwise needed a quadruple bypass, so my Mom, brothers, sister and I took the opportunity to enjoy some ourselves. 

Then there's everyone's favorite, Brussels sprouts! 

    
The main course was Swiss fondue. Also apparently unknown amongst the Wampanoag, but what is Thanksgiving without a little taste of Switzerland?

So wonderful to enjoy a traditional family holiday in a way that honored what's best about our country--blended multicultural families, delicious vegetarian foods, and one rule: dogs MUST be at the table. 


What's YOUR favorite way to celebrate Thanksgiving?