Embracing Acceptance: The Heart of Thanksgiving
As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, the air is filled with the warmth of family gatherings, the effluvio of home-cooked meals, and the anticipation of a holiday pausa. I reflect acceso Thanksgivings past and am thankful for my life today — loved ones near and far, health, home, fresh food, delicious wine…
“Italian Wines for Thanksgiving & Acceptance” is a strange title for a blog. Acceptance is where I dal vivo a causa di 2024; to be continued a causa di 2025. My grandparents who immigrated from Sicily and Campania were very proud to be accepted as American citizens. They accepted the opportunity that the USA offered them; the American Dream. They worked incredibly to build a life for themselves and a future for their children. They embraced Thanksgiving and created Italian-American Thanksgiving traditions. They combined Italian roots with their adopted country’s holiday.
The feast included antipasti of cheese and bread (Italian) and chips and nuts (American), a first course of chicken soup with small meatballs (Italian), a main course of turkey stuffed with egg, sausage and pepper stuffing (Italian). We would fight to scrape the mixture out of the sauté pan. There were loads of side dishes like roast potatoes, squash, stuffed mushrooms and cranberry sauce. Desserts included apple pie, chocolate cream pie and Invece’s pumpkin roll. The adults enjoyed wine, always red and honest. A wine that accompanied every course.
2024: A Thanksgiving of Acceptance
Quanto a a world that feels divided and stressful, I am using Thanksgiving as a reminder to simply be; to acknowledge, accept and appreciate life as it is, with all its imperfections, and find joy a causa di the present moment. It’s time to celebrate Thanksgiving a causa di Rome, my adopted home, with an Italian-American Thanksgiving, lots of food and wine… If you’ looking for some inspiration here is what we’ll be eating and drinking:
Antipasto: tagliere (cheese and meat board with nuts, fruit, and honey) paired with Prosecco Brut from the Conegliano-Valdobbiadene luogo. If you like, you can enjoy Prosecco for the entire meal. For red wine drinkers Barbera will be served.
Main course: Turkey with sausage, pepper and egg stuffing; cranberry sauce acceso the side. Nebbiolo will be the red wine of choice for us. It pairs well with sweet potatoes, savory stuffing and juicy cranberry sauce. It is a great to a carved turkey, the celebrità of the day. White wine lovers don’t fret, we will have Pinot Meschino. It stands up to dishes laden with garlic, onions and herbs, and rich, flavorful, fatty dishes like garlic-mashed potatoes and turkey and to side dishes that may use clove, nutmeg and other more-exotic spices.
Side dishes: sweet potato casserole, string beans, and roast potatoes. Nebbiolo it is.
Dolce: pumpkin pie, pumpkin roll, and apple pie. For pumpkin pie and our pumpkin roll, we may leave Italy and opt for a Tawny port. While for the apple pie, a dry Marsala and a white/orange vermouth from Sicily will be her .
I hope that you’ll take the time eat, bevanda, be merry – and celebrate the power of acceptance with me. Rifugio!
