Quote de jour
"After a good dinner one can forgive anyone, even one's own relations."
~Oscar Wilde

If last night was any indication of holiday season indulging to come, then send me to the fat farm now. I had good intentions (don't we always?) I ate a spartan breakfast and a sliver of lunch. The trouble as I see it, is starting a holiday dinner early. If you start nibbling and imbibing in the early afternoon, you're bound to to resemble a stuffed suckling pig by evening. Our hosts and their children opted to volunteer at a soup kitchen earlier which resulted in an emergency visit to a hospital for burns. Burned and bandaged hands are an excellent way to eat less, but only if you burn your dominant hand and aren't ambidextrous. Venturing into the kitchen to help the frazzled host helps. I opened up bottles of wine, taught a teen how to read a wine label, whipped up a roux and made the gravy, set out the desserts including my experimental cardamom ginger cupcakes with creme caramel frosting. Such discipline! I didn't even lick the smeared frosting....until later when all self-control crumbled like the crust of the raspberry tart.

Our ethnic polyglot dozen included Greek, Italian, Iranian, Chinese, Canadian and Jewish contributed to a non-traditional T Day. We are all good to exceptional cooks and everyone added their own touch. There was turkey but no stuffing and Greek-style stuffed peppers instead. For the two vegetarians there were hot, herb-garlic bread, soups, roasted yams and asparagus vinaigrette. See my plate? A normal portion, but what you don't see is my Achilles heel: desserts are my downfall. Does that look like someone whose eyes are bigger than her stomach? At least we didn't sprawl in postprandial haze and watch football (well except to see the score). We played an energetic game of film charades. A couple of years ago the kids would have thought it lame and cheesy but film buffs all, they played with gusto. My favorite? Getting to play dead for the film The Departed. The countdown has begun. Only 14 days to Hanukkah and 26 days to Christmas. I think I need a nap.