Happy Thanksgiving! (slightly delayed)

Hello everyone,
I know many of you 1ere students experienced your first North American Thanksgiving in early October in Ottawa and as honorary Canadians must believe I'm beyond late.
I've also had to experience this great feast 2 years ago in Ottawa and enjoyed it very much but frankly, as far as I'm concerned, Thanksgiving is meant to be in late November and  the Canadians are much too early. (They told it's because of the snow...)

I know that a few of you in the OIB community  have also just celebrated it.
Like me, you might  have had to wait for Saturday (It's difficult to celebrate this holiday on a Thursday in France)  but it was worth it: was splendid!

As a person who wrote her PHD on Native American history, I'm well aware of how controversial this holiday can be and I fully agree that on hindsight the Native Americans would have been much better off to let these first Pilgrims starve rather than saving them by bringing food and teaching them the way of the land.

However,  it is also a very special moment for family and friends I treasure and look forward to and I've chosen to see it as a moment of hope and a very appropriate time to have a look at my life and realize how lucky and thankful I am.

Besides, the eating is real good and that doesn't hurt, does it?
If  you love cooking and eating like me I can share some great Thanksgiving-themed not necessarily very traditional  recipes
I'll hopefully get over my food coma and see you tomorrow!

Take care,
Mrs. C

Happy belated Thanksgiving!

Hey Charlie,
Thursday not being a day off here in France, you might have celebrated Thanksgiving last weekend like I did.
I enjoy celebrating Thanksgiving with my loved ones and I find it important to take a moment in our crazy schedule to reflect on and give thanks about the blessings in our lives. I also have many fond memories of  my first experience of the Canadian Thanksgiving last year.

By the way, here's my cornbread recipe requested by Judith in an earlier comment.


1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow, white, or blue cornmeal
2 to 4 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup cooking oil or shortening melted
(A small can of corn to add crunch to your bread)

In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl beat together eggs, milk and oil or melted shortening. Add flour mixture and stir just till batter is smooth ( do not overbeat) Add  some canned corn if you want your bread to be crunchy. 
 Pour into a greased 9x9x2 inch baking pan. Bake in a 425° oven for 20 to 25 minutesor till golden brown. Makes 8-9 servings.  
It's easy-to-make and delicious. Tuck in!

However, I am also well-aware of how controversial Thanksgiving can be when  you consider native American history and I do. And I'm not even mentioning the fate of those poor turkeys!
 (By the way, I  hereby apologize for the photo I've posted above who might have traumatized our most sensitive readers)
To make a long story short, I have mixed feelings. How about you?
Here are a few articles to help you make up your mind ....or not.
In any case, keep your mind open and be sure to read the next Book club book:  The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie .

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/23/opinion/thanksgiving-note-new-york-times.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/thanksgiving-day-whats-the-history-of-the-holiday-and-why-does-the-us-celebrate-pilgrim-fathers/
https://www.thoughtco.com/do-native-americans-celebrate-thanksgiving-2834597
https://www.alternet.org/story/68170/why_we_shouldn%27t_celebrate_thanksgiving
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/thanksgiving-today-google-celebrations-why-people-dont-like-it-against-day-2017-a8070876.html
https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/01/giving-thanks-for-vegetables-not-turkey/

Take care,
Mrs. C.
ps: I'm clearly not ambivalent when choosing Green Friday over Black Friday but that's another kettle of fish for a later post.

 
https://www.pinterest.fr/pin/484488872384950529/
http://www.cartoonaday.com/black-friday-camping/


https://www.slideshare.net/colcomgroup/sustainability-reporting-green-is-the-new-black

Hallowgiving

Hi Charlie,
Now, you can tell me,  was that you hiding under that ghost sheet?
I know Thelma was hiding under it, at least she was at some point,  I can't help  but wonder if she was  replaced at some point or another by others, including you....
I'm pretty sure you couldn't resist making an incognito appearance at last night's party, organized once again by the  devoted Apeevim with the help of  dedicated  student and parent volunteers
Knowing you, I'm sure you've not failed to notice the title of this article.
Due to several reasons,  the party took place last night. So, it's  actually placed closer to Thanksgiving than  Halloween, thus Hallowgiving.
As a linguist and literature teacher, I of course love this play-on-words coined by the Apeevim so I had to share it and use it. Besides, as a guest of the party, I can vouch that the party was indeed true to both influences.
As usual on Halloween, I was spooked and entertained at the same time. Numerous thought-inspiring visions strolled by: Zombies and mad people galore with empty and haunted/haunting eyes (the OIB effect?) and to name but a few the mysterious ghost that was the star of the party, a vicious doctor, a bearded lady,  a walking tribute to sparkly water, a human Christmas tree, Little Red-Riding Hood, John Snow and an animal squad led by Alvin & the Chipmunks  etc...
I ate well and a lot which was excellent preparation for the upcoming Thanksgiving dinner next week.
Fond mentions to the delicious cilantro pumpkin soup, the melting leeks quiche, the criminal chocolate coffins and the two spicy-sweet pecan pies (different recipes but equally good)
To make it short, it was a perfect combination of both
Many thanks to all of you who showed up in spite of the impossible transport situation and (for some of you) even with exams  looming the next day.
Special thanks to the former OIB students who came and showed once again that once in the OIB, always in the OIB, and to the parents who dressed-up and joined in the fun and who prepared those delicious dishes and desserts. The students often claim that they cook and bake everything themselves, but it's not necessarily systematic....
Now on to our next event, one of my favorites, the OIB family Christmas party.
I can't wait.
Mrs. C

Happy Thanksgiving !

Dear Charlie,

I didn't have time to write on Halloween,  so I'm making it up on Thanksgiving with some  spooky pumpkin corn bread. They were frightfully delicious and easy to bake

Care for the recipe?

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow, white or blue cornmeal 
2 to 4 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup cooking oil or shortening, melted

In a mixing bowl stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl beat together eggs, milk and oil or melted shortening. Add to flour mixture and stir just till batter is smooth ( do not overbeat)
Pour into a greased baking pan. Bake in 425 °F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or till golden brown.
For Corny Corn bread, add a drained can of whole kernel corn.

Taken from  Better Homes New Cookbook 


I hope you enjoyed your holiday. I did.

Even if it is not a holiday here in France and I'll have to wait for the weekend to get together with family and friends and properly tuck in,  it was nice to get into a Thanksgiving mood/mode,  sharing cornbread, pumpkin pie and potato chips (our version of the traditional mashed potatoes)   with the OIB students and colleagues.
Turkey proved to be too big a challenge for this year but who knows what we can achieve next year ?Finally, I'd like to thank Gaëtan for his lovely pumpkin pie (BTW, I'd love to get the recipe)

Take care,
Mrs. C

http://www.freegreatimages.com/thanksgiving-canada-cartoon/


http://www.glasbergen.com/?s=thanksgiving

and even if it's late, I cannot resist sharing this cartoon...


http://onemanadreaming.blogspot.fr/

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dear Charlie,
I know we're a British International Section but today's special for me & my family.
Let's celebrate Thanksgiving!
We have quite a lot to be thankful for in our section ;-p
I'm so going to enjoy so many dishes!!
My all time favorites are sweet potato pecan pie and cranberry sauce on a juicy turkey.

Tuck in!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/pecan_pie_82855
http://allrecipes.com/recipes/holidays-and-events/thanksgiving/side-dishes/cranberries/
Here's also a little Thanksgiving treat because as we well know in the drama club, cats are big in our section!
http://pusheenthecutecat.blogspot.fr/2012/01/thanksgiving.html
Best wishes,
Mrs. C