Please, please stop throwing mango chunks into recipes recklessly…….
I love to cook; I assume that’s obvious, and if you know me even a little, you’ve probably guessed that I like to go rogue in the kitchen when it comes to tradition. After all, that’s how change is made—by pushing boundaries. And I am a big fan of change. Thanksgiving, for years, was a tough cooking holiday for me. No matter where I was or who I was with, the Thanksgiving table always felt like a showcase of flavors I didn’t totally love: too many carbs, too much sugar, and a whole lot of bland. The added element of massive elbow grease needed for both the prep and cleanup for just one BIG, whirlwind meal always seemed like a bunch of malarkey—especially since my Thanksgivings tended to have more football fans than helpful dishwashers (unless you count my loyal dog friends).
My rogue nature led me to experiment with ultra-creative Thanksgiving menus and recipes for years, but the truth is, they were never welcomed by my family or friends. Even though I had loyal fans of my cooking, they had little patience for me messing with Thanksgiving tradition. Eventually, I realized Thanksgiving was a much lonelier experience when I went rogue so at some point, I decided to leave my whimsy off the Thanksgiving table.
I gave in—maybe I grew up—and started cooking more traditionally for the holiday. Not only did I enjoy it more, but my dishes and flavors excelled like never before. I could add thoughtful, subtle tweaks to classic dishes, transforming them into something better without disrupting tradition. And those subtleties didn’t go unnoticed; my eaters appreciated them. It became a kind of “meet in the middle” approach, which I think can be a lovely center of joy and a timely reminder of how we create greater joy for more than just oneself.
