Happy Thanksgiving

It's no coincidence I decided to start writing a blog about food and cooking just before the American Thanksgiving holiday. Holidays are special times meant to be shared with our family and friends. At the center of many holiday celebrations is my favorite part - the feast.

Home cooks spend hours laboring over delicious meals, often of many dishes. No matter what ethnic or cultural background we come from or what kind of food we serve, moms, dads, grandmas and grandpas, sons, daughters, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends gather in or near the kitchen waiting for the tempting goodies to head out to the table. Since holidays are typically times show love and gratitude for one's favorite people, it is no surprise that cooking a meal is often seen as an expression of love.

With all the busy hassle of modern life we sometimes forget that love. The next time you prepare food for yourself or the people you care about, try remember that food is love. Even better, try to keep this in mind every time you make a meal. The better tasting and more nutritious the food, the more love you can show. Treat yourself well and make the best food you can make, every single day you cook.

Likewise every time you eat a home cooked meal, be sure to appreciate that you are accepting the love of the person who made the meal. Make sure the cook knows you appreciate the time and effort to make something for you. A little thanks goes a long way.

Switching gears a little, I wanted to share my favorite book for Thanksgiving recipes. It's called The Thanksgiving Table: Recipes and Ideas to Create Your Own Holiday Tradition. I had the good luck to work at a really fabulous shop here in Seattle that had the most amazing gift items. This book was included in the Thanksgiving gift section about 5 or 6 years ago and I decided to pick one up for myself. Every year since then I have made dishes to bring to Thanksgiving from this book. Every year I get compliments.

What I really love about this book is that there are many recipes to choose from, and almost all fit into my way of eating these days. Naturally most are a little more extravagant than what I would usually prepare (I spent hours shelling 2 pounds of roasted chestnuts for a soup yesterday), but there are many that are quite easy. If you are an accomplished cook, you'll be able to cook anything in the book. A beginner could handle quite a few, if not most of the recipes. The results are typically fantastic.

The Thanksgiving Table provides recipes for classic dishes with a twist. Tired of your old stuffing? There are several wonderful recipes to try that Italian Sausage stuffing, Mushroom and Sage stuffing, Chestnut stuffing, and Fresh Herb Bread Pudding. And as if all the recipes for Thanksgiving day weren't enough, there's a nice section at the end of the book with suggestions for using leftover turkey. From hors d'oeuvres to desserts, this book has every course covered. If your Thanksgiving meal could use a face lift, don't miss this book.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope yours is a good one.