Thankful for Things to Come

Thanksgiving comes in many shapes and sizes. On this day before we celebrate the feast in the United States, a lot of us are thinking about food and its preparation. We may be up to our elbows in cornbread dressing, green bean casseroles, all sorts of potatoes, and pumpkin pie crust and filling.

But traditions vary across the country, so tables will be laden with tamales, exotic rice dishes, a variety of greens – spicy or tame, and special breads and desserts, as well. Instead of turkey, perhaps pork, buffalo, or goat grace Thanksgiving tables. We give thanks for the wonderful, heavenly mix of customs and rituals.

Beginning this Sunday (Advent I), we’ll post a recipe a day, plus a little background on the tradition or memories of the dish and an appropriate verse from scripture or hymns. Let us know if you whip up some of the offerings. Share your experience and photos.

The recipes we’ll be sharing here come from many cultures and regions. Look forward to Black Mushroom Rice, Soup Joumou, and Fried Pork & Plantains from Haiti, Adobong Port, Chicken Arroz Caldo, and Galilea Special Pancit from the Philippines, Roast Buffalo with Cabbage and Manoomin Salad from First Nations Kitchen in Minnesota, and Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya and Boeuf Daube from Louisiana. From Navajoland, we’ll offer recipes for Navajo Fry Bread and Blue Corn Mush. For your sweet tooth be on the lookout for Buckeye Candy from Ohio, Southern Pralines from Georgia, Coffee Cake and Baked Blueberry French Toast from New York. And don’t forget beverages – from the Dominican Republic, Louisiana, and Kansas.

If you’re the kind of person who likes to get a jump on things, you’ll find the recipes here: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/blog/advent/resources. We’ll add recipes as they become available, so keep checking the resource. You can download and print at your convenience.

So on this day before Thanksgiving, we’re thankful for what’s to come – the food, the memories, the adventure of trying something new or finding a twist on an old favorite.

Oh, and here’s our first tip: Don’t toss those leftover turkey bones. You’ll need them for our first Advent recipe, Turkey Bone Gumbo from Louisiana.

All the world is God’s own field, fruit unto His praise to yield; Wheat and tares together sown unto joy or sorrow grown. First the blade and then the ear, then the full corn shall appear; Lord of harvest, grant that we wholesome grain and pure may be.  ~ from Come Ye Thankful People, Come by Henry Alford, 1844