Gobble

The upcoming holiday is one that we have translated over the years to a celebration of excess. What began as a celebration of a bountiful harvest, moved into a quiet contemplation of gratitude, and then to the day of eat-so-much-you-can't-move that we know it as today.

Every year, my job at the family Thanksgiving is to bring dessert. For a normal family, this would include a Mrs. Smith's pumpkin pie and a tub of Cool Whip. Not having a normal family, pumpkin pie is almost-universally disliked and apple is only slightly more acceptable. This leads to the challenge of discovering an acceptably Thanksgiving-ish dessert that most of us (if not all of us) will like.
In the past I've made bourbon-pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin-gingerbread trifle, marbled sweet potato cheesecake, and mocha crème caramels. (Yes, I know the mocha crème caramels aren't very harvest-themed, but they were a HUGE hit.)
This year's dessert is going to be “Pecan Pie” Cheesecake with Caramel-Bourbon Sauce. Not only am I looking forward to this cheesecake, I'm relieved to have made a decision.

Yes, we indulge at Thanksgiving. We are thankful for the indulgence, if nothing else. Especially now, when many people will be celebrating in a more austere manner than in years past. Be thankful you can read this. (Well, not this specifically, but the Internet. English.) Be thankful you have food. (Not only on Thanksgiving, but all year.) Be thankful you have access to excellent medical care if you need it and be thankful that you don't need it. (I hope.) Be thankful you have the right to speak your mind. (Like telling Uncle Lou to zip up when he loosens his belt and pops a button before the Cowboys game. Or arguing with cousin Marty about Glenn Beck's sanity.) Be thankful that once a year family and friends gather around a table, pig-out, talk, laugh, hug, and connect on a level much deeper than Facebook. Indulge.