gratitude & thankfulness : winter vegetables

. . . i am VERY THANKFUL for so many things and LESS or NOT THANKFUL for so many other things.

I am VERY THANKFUL for all that I have and/or that I have learned to appreciate and be satisfied with (even though it may not seem like much to others) : my home life, my family, my living conditions, my health, my friends, my neighbors, my work, my hobbies.

I am also thankful for others who have AS MUCH or MORE THAN what I have.

I am LESS THANKFUL when I smile and pretend (out of decency) not to notice nor be offended by others’ lies, thoughtlessness, selfishness, sense of entitlement and overall ignorance and lack of caring or respect for others. I am less thankful when I open my ‘big fat trap’ because I find it too difficult to smile and to pretend not to take notice of something and not be offended.

I am NOT THANKFUL for those who threaten peace, those who spread terror, those who wish to control others and bend them to their will, those who believe they deserve and are entitled to more than others, those who are only happy when others have less than what they have, those who wish to decide everything for others, those who break promises too often, those who do not know when to hold their tongues, those who are undignified, lazy, inefficient, wasteful, hypocritical, selfish, self-centered, those whose efforts only contribute to their own “self-promotion and/or self-aggrandizement and/or self-enrichment”.

I am less thankful for not taking advantage of and using whatever talents (that I may think I have) to their full extent. I am less thankful for this lack of personal ambition and lack of a strong professional drive and for not having known to seize certain opportunities; but sometimes things work out (it's all relative) and are for the best. BUT I'm still thankful for taking the time and making that sometimes necessary and/or required effort to remain sensitive, attentive, caring, curious, patient, hard-working and rigorous enough (and sometimes inventive too) to try out new things and to redo old things and to share them with others (either virtually or in person).

I am thankful to other food bloggers and the time they take and the efforts they make to cook, to experiment, to photograph, to write and to share with others (often strangers) what they’re trying to do and equally thankful to the subscribers and followers who try out some of our recipes, who read the stories and write comments to encourage us to continue doing what we do.

I am THANKFUL for WINTER VEGETABLES . . . dark red & purple & black !

It’s easy to be thankful and even gleeful for fruits, often brightly-colored and so sweet. It’s also the season for sumptuous nuts, mushrooms, truffles (okay I don’t like truffles but you know what I mean) and shellfish. We often forget the darker winter vegetables, of the root variety and/or otherwise.

In today’s day and age, everything is easily available all year round, but before our era, the winter vegetables were what allowed our ancestors to live out the winter to see the next spring and summer (what would they have done without potatoes and turnips ?)

I am also EXTREMELY THANKFUL for SALT and VINEGAR and SUGAR and SPICES (that allow us to easily conserve and preserve foods, whether in or outside the refrigerator) !

I could have posted a new recipe (since I have about 2 dozen just about ready to go, I just need to retest some and to translate most) and I’m already working on a bunch of winter and holiday season recipes (despite my busy end-of-the year work schedule), but I thought a little break on the last weekend of November before the December holiday rush would be nice for everyone … was I right ?!

Have a nice end of November weekend and see you all (with recipes) very-very-very soon . . .  :)

p.s.: i'm also grateful that i won't be really cooking today (except for just checking up on stuff that has to sit for 12 or 24 hours or more, before continuing with the other steps and defrosting one of my poached apple pie pucks and baking it in the oven) so i can call a few friends and family members and write to some others i miss today !