Turkey Fryer Kit

But in modern America, we live in a developed society — a land of plenty, as it were — such that not many in America should have to worry about starvation much these days. I just notice, however, how the grocery stores heavily stock their shelves, freezers and produce bins in plentiful amounts in anticipation of the Thanksgiving week mobs of shoppers. And how at least in my area of the country (mostly Hispanic), obesity is such an epidemic, it becomes like navigating an obstacle course just trying to dodge the huge bodies pushing huge grocery carts at the grocery store Thanksgiving week…and I wonder if we haven’t been pigging out or worshipping food a bit too much as a society.

Europeans will certainly criticize overweight Americans, and rightly so, although there are plenty of obese people in Europe as well.

I am the chef in my home and cooking is a keen interest of mine so I watch the Food Network on cable frequently. And when I see how all their TV chefs so enthusiastically cover Thanksgiving week with all their holiday recipes, it almost seems like we have lost the original meaning of Thanksgiving and just turned it into a big excuse for everyone to pig out more than usual.

What do you think?
Note, I am not panning Thanksgiving as a holiday. And indeed I enjoy a good meal as much as the next person. I just sense how there are many — particularly those who celebrate their homelands culture more so than that of the US — who don’t observe giving thanks so much and just look to Thanksgiving as a holiday where it is acceptable to stuff yourself more than usual. I don’t find gluttony very attractive and sadly, there seem to be more gluttons roaming around today than in times past. Blame it on McDonalds and fast food, I guess. But I am not panning Thanksgiving as a holiday. I just wish more folks would remember it for what it originally stood for.

thanksgiving recipes