Still Thankful
November 26, 2019
“A hundred times a day I remind myself that my inner and outer life depends on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the measure I have received and am still receiving.”
~ Albert Einstein
Ten years ago I published my first book, The Philosopher’s Spoon: Food and the Transformative Power of Gratitude, inspired by my personal experiences with gratitude and food. The following summer, I began writing The Philosopher’s Spoon Blog, which will be celebrating its decennial next June.
Several years before writing the book, I had managed to add an extra thirty pounds of body weight. I had tried nearly every trendy diet to get rid of them, but with each attempt, I seemed to gain more.
One day, sitting hesitantly in front of a plate of spaghetti (my internal monologue best illustrated by a thought bubble containing the word “Carbs!” followed by the screaming face emoji), I had an epiphany:
All over the world there are countless people who would be deeply grateful for this plate of pasta. Yet here I am, fearful of nutritious and delicious food that could possibly save the life of someone less fortunate….
… At that moment I made a decision to transform my inner dialogue about eating. I wanted to be grateful for every morsel that I receive. I realized that the lives, time and energy of many plants, animals and people contribute to the food that sustains me, energizes me and gives me life; the least I can do is say thank you.
As a result of beginning that simple practice, I eventually lost that extra weight and never put it back on. From a practical standpoint, this new attitude affected my food choices and my portion choices. In a less mundane sense, the spiritual shift made the biggest impact, setting me on a path of perpetually unfolding layers of discovery that I’m still traveling.
In honor of Thanksgiving Day, I would like to share with you the little prayer of thanks that I say inwardly, sometimes out loud, before each meal. If you don’t already give thanks before you eat a meal, or you do but would like to add some variety to your “saying grace” game, perhaps give it a try for a week or three. I begin this prayer with the words “Thank you to…” but one could also say “Thank you for…”, if that phrase aligns more closely with your spiritual sensibilities:
“Thank you to all the plants, animals and people who gave their lives, time and energy to bring me this delicious, nutritious and healing food. Help me transform this gift of life into a blessing that I can share with each person I meet, in thought, word and deed, and each, in turn, who is touched by them.”
Happy Thanksgiving!
~~~~~~~~~
Posca fortem, vinum ebrium facit is Latin for “posca fortifies you; wine makes you drunk.” Ancient Romans thought that drinking full strength wine was barbaric and so they always diluted it. They also drank a beverage called Posca, which consisted of vinegar, sometimes flavored with herbs or honey and diluted with water. Posca was believed to be good for your health. This Cranberry Black Pepper Posca is a nice alternative to wine at your Thanksgiving table.
Cranberry Black Pepper Posca
This tangy, not-too-sweet, non-alcoholic beverage makes a lovely addition to your holiday gatherings. I’ve updated the Roman method using a combination of cranberries, black peppercorns, cider vinegar, orange zest and sparkling water.
Vintage beverages are all the rage among the twirly-mustached pro and amateur bartenders, and you can’t get much more vintage than ancient Rome. Those for whom booze is a must can substitute sparkling wine for the fizzy water.
This recipe will also provide a bonus Spicy Cranberry Relish (recipe below this one).
For Posca
One (10oz) bag of frozen organic cranberries
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon fresh orange zest (medium organic orange)
1/2 cup organic apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup organic cane sugar
1 cup water
To serve
Sparkling water (32-48 oz)
To garnish (optional)
Reserved frozen cranberries
And/or:
Fresh mint leaves
Thin slivers of fresh orange peel (very little white
You will need
A medium non-reactive saucepan*
A fine-mesh strainer
Mason jars (one 32oz, two 16oz) or similar airtight containers
*When a recipe calls for non-reactive cookware, use ceramic-lined cast iron or stainless steel (no aluminum or unlined cast iron).
To make posca:
Reserve several frozen cranberries for garnish (wrap and store frozen until ready to serve). Empty remaining cranberries into a medium, non-reactive saucepan*.
Lightly crush peppercorns. You can do this in a mortar and pestle or by placing peppercorns into a plastic baggy and crushing them using the flat part of a meat tenderizer or rolling pin. You want them cracked apart, but not completely crushed.
Add cracked peppercorns to cranberries in pan, along with the orange zest, apple cider vinegar, sugar and water. Stir to combine. Cook over medium-high heat, covered, opening the lid and stirring every couple of minutes, until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to simmer. Continue simmering a few minutes more, until most of the cranberries have popped open, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat, remove cover and let cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Pour entire mixture into a 32oz glass jar or storage container with a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate 12 hours or overnight (I left mine for close to 24 hours).
Strain the cranberry mixture through a fine-mesh sieve twice, maybe three times. Save the remaining solid cranberry mixture to make Spicy Cranberry Relish (quick recipe below).
Transfer the Posca to a clean glass bottle or jar (12 to 16 oz) fitted with a tight lid. Keep refrigerated until ready to use. You can make this several days ahead and keep any leftover Posca, refrigerated, for a week or two after that.
To make Sparkling Cranberry Black Pepper Posca:
Fill pretty goblet or glass with 2 oz (1/4 cup) of the posca.
Top with 8oz (1 cup) sparkling water
Drop in one or two reserved frozen cranberries and garnish with mint leaves and/or orange peel.
Makes about 1 1/3 cups Posca (enough for 4-6 servings)
Spicy Cranberry Relish
After filtering out the liquid to make Posca, add the remaining solids to a blender or food processor, add a pinch of salt and blend a bit to form a creamier, but not completely smooth consistency. Taste and add more salt to taste, if desired. Store in an airtight container and use for turkey sandwiches or top cream cheese or chèvre and serve with crackers.
Some closing words of thanks:
Finally, I would like to give thanks for that favorite from my childhood, jellied cranberry sauce. To this day, it still is not a proper Thanksgiving meal unless I see that cylindrical cranberry shape, complete with perfect can marks, jiggling on a plate.
Recent Comments