Endless Thanksgiving Possibilities

Turkey - braised, brined, basted or tofu? Potatoes - sweet, mashed or mashed sweet potatoes? Cranberries - jellied, whole, canned or fresh? Dessert - pie, of course pie, but which one, apple, pumpkin, pecan; maybe cheesecake?

It’s Thanksgiving and the possibilities are endless. Every year I spend hours flipping through magazines, cookbooks and my tattered old recipe box reading recipes and deciding if I’m going to keep tradition or break it. And with the inclusion of on-line shopping, for out-of-season, difficult to find ingredients, the sky is the limit. For me, it is very easy to get caught up in the over complication of the celebration. However, there is one very important mainstay to our holiday table that keeps me grounded, where we depend completely on the bounty at hand, our family cornucopia.

Though the cornucopia or “horn of plenty” is one of the most recognized symbols of Thanksgiving, rarely is attention given to its meaning and origin. When I was in high school I learned from an outstanding literature teacher that the Cornucopia came to the American Thanksgiving table via Greek mythology. It is believed that the horn shaped basket is modeled after a goat horn, specifically the goat horn of Amalthea, a goat that watched over the Greek god Zeus when he was a child.

There are several variations of the story, but two versions are most common. Either Zeus broke the horn off of Amalthea and, feeling quite badly about the incident, offered it back to Amalthea promising her abundance. Or the alternative version of the story suggests that, while playing, Amalthea broke her own horn and offered it to Zeus as a sign of reverence. Hence, the basket shaped horn exemplifies reverence and abundance; a perfect representation of our American Thanksgiving.

In early November on our morning walks with our dogs, my husband and I begin picking up acorns and oak leaves. When we get home we tuck them into the empty cornucopia basket. Day by day we add red grape leaves and pinecones scavenged from our early romps. Lemons from our tree, along with persimmons and pomegranates from our neighbors’ trees add to the poupourri of color, fragrance and texture. This year, sheer auburn ribbon, salvaged from an unexpected gift, presented itself for an alluring finishing touch.

Like our perfectly imperfect cornucopia and the family and friends that gather to share the holiday with us, the Thanksgiving meal will come together a little at a time. Everyone, like every dish will add and enhance our celebration creating an opportunity to be reverently thankful for the abundance of bounty, family and friends.

Happy Thanksgiving!