How astoundingly appropriate that we are given the chance to contemplate the sacrifices of our country's veterans in such close proximity to the Thanksgiving holiday.
Veterans Day is an opportunity to view our fortune from outside the picture frame. Our obvious blessings tend to be the most overlooked. The incredible privilege of enjoying freedom has no immunity from this lapse in gratefulness.
The short history of this nation reads like an amazing novel, one that is anchored in selflessness. We are the beneficiaries of forefathers who possessed an enduring commitment to ensuring free will for all of this country's inhabitants. The success of their mission has, and still does, provide us with limitless opportunities: to seek education, to engage our abilities, to worship as we please, to speak without abandon in defense of our convictions, to choose our government leaders, and to connect with each other in progressive dialogue in order to continue to safeguard such rights.
None of this, however, comes without the significant effort of the armed forces who have stood, and continue to stand, in allegiance with those values.
The fortification of this democracy has always been sustained by our consistently powerful and resolute military. To those who have submitted their lives on behalf of this cause, we are vastly indebted.
The impact of such selflessness is all the more substantial as our community is stopped in its tracks -- to lay another brave young soldier to rest.
As you move forward into a grateful frame of mind, please take time to reflect on the incalculable sacrifices made by our veterans, from our country's inception until now, and to say a prayer of protection over those who are serving.
Such noble action on the part of so many should be highly regarded, respected and honored by those of us who are fortunate enough to partake in such a wide range of freedom.
Each year, our Thanksgiving table at the ranch is a place of provocative discussion about what it is that each of us is thankful for. When it inevitably turns to our security as a nation, we remember those in our family, and those of our friends, who have fought in various wars for our very own sake. We have two cousins, Chris and Joseph, serving in Afghanistan, and they will certainly be on the forefront of our prayers of gratitude this year.
If you happen to have veterans in your family, or better yet, at your Thanksgiving table, do not neglect to articulate your appreciation.
While it feels inappropriate to change focus from such a weighty subject, to the smallest dish on the Thanksgiving table, my column must concern food eventually.
And, while we're on the topic of those who are strong and mighty, let me just be clear that I believe cranberry sauce to be the silent warrior of the Thanksgiving spread.
In all its ruby splendor, cranberry sauce adds a dimension to turkey and stuffing that would be impossible to duplicate.
I didn't appreciate cranberry sauce's unique contribution until my palate began to develop in my late teens. I remember it suddenly changing the way I thought about Thanksgiving.
Further down the road in my culinary journey, I was catering a Thanksgiving feast. While I watched the cranberries joyfully pop open in their simple syrup concoction, I couldn't help but think that Grand Marnier would bring the sauce over the top.
I was right.
The orange liqueur gives the obvious citrus notes that make cranberry sauce come alive, and the slight alcohol bite becomes wildly refreshing. Not a Thanksgiving has passed that I haven't made this sauce.
Let the radiant red cranberry sauce on your buffet serve as not only a delicious staple of the feast, but also as a reminder of the magnitude of the sacrifice made by those who serve in honor of the red, white and blue.
Amanda De Jager Friedman owns the Piano Caffe in Merced.
RECIPE: Grand Marnier cranberry sauce
(serves 8)
1 12 oz. bag of fresh cranberries, rinsed
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
1/4 cup water pinch of kosher salt
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes over low heat, until desired consistency is reached. Sauce will thicken slightly when cooled. This recipe can be made up to five days in advance. Garnish with orange zest or orange curls when serving.
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