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You are here: Home / Kitchen Chronicles / Full and Satisfied

Full and Satisfied

December 1, 2008 by Alison

I sat back in my chair at the end of our Thanksgiving feast feeling full, happy and thankful for so many things. Thankful that my family was together; that we are healthy and that we had enough good food to eat. My sister-in-law hosted this year and my brother-in-law fried a succulent herb infused turkey, which was juicy, moist and flavorful beyond compare. Together, they indulged us with an endless array of delicious side dishes from silky mashed potatoes to a sweet and creamy corn pudding. I brought a bunch of food as well. Not that I had to for the hostess with the mostest, but because I wanted to. Each dish I contributed was an opportunity to be with friends and family, to create together during a busy time of year.

With a crunchy, chewy caramelized bite of chocolate pecan pie, I was reminded of the time spent with Jackie making pies. I wondered if she was enjoying hers as much. With each moist bite of stuffing, I thought of the time I spent with my father Thanksgiving morning, chopping onions, celery and joking about the inclusion or omission of walnuts, exactly like we’ve done for decades. A nibble of the tart and zesty orange cranberry bread brought me back to an afternoon spent with Kathe and a tradition we started three years ago baking bread together for Thanksgiving. A crunchy bite of subtly spiced pumpkin biscotti reminded me of a hilarious time spent with Suzy and I wondered whether her mom was enjoying it as much as my sister-in-law did. And the creamed spinach, which ended up not-so-creamy after all, took me back to a funny time with my mom as we skeptically watched two humongous bags of spinach wilt down to a questionable amount for our side dish.

My brother-in-law largely credits the unbelievable taste of his turkey to his heavy-handed injections of marinade and spice. I credit cooking together — with friends, children and family — as what injected so much meaning into this year’s Thanksgiving.

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Filed Under: Kitchen Chronicles

Previous Post: « On Our Bookshelf in December
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rina says

    December 2, 2008 at 12:08 am

    I still love this blog. Keep up the good work. Happy Thanksgiving.

  2. Alison says

    December 3, 2008 at 6:57 am

    Thanks Rina. Keep on reading!

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About Alison J. Bermack

It all began when I was a child cooking with my dad, the kitchen a magnet for cooking and camaraderie, a refuge from adolescence. I spent countless hours chopping, sautéing and simmering my way through childhood. And now, with three kids of my own, I’m still chopping, but this time through their childhood and often with friends.

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