What's All the Fuss About? #7
Your weekly remedy for the Sunday Scaries
Good morning, campers! My house is in a post-Halloween haze, with some Daylight Saving Time delirium and Election Day exhaustion mixed in, so we are moving slow and giving grace today. I hope this letter finds you resting and resetting; allowing the pull of the season to slow you down. I picked up the book Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May (Bookshop.org, Amazon) and am planning to hunker down in front of the fireplace and lean in to the slowness my body is longing for.
We had an amazing Halloween filled with all the spooky silliness one could ask for, but I am ready to start shifting towards celebrations of gratitude. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, so as we move through November, be sure to check in for ideas and recipes to make the most of the season.
Clicking a link in this newsletter and finding something you love may give (f)unfussy a commission at no cost to you. We only promote things that we believe fussy people (like us) will enjoy. Thank you for your support!
A few things I am fussing over this week:
Election Day
I think by now we all know that this Tuesday may be the most important vote of our lifetime. I know things feel heavy, and I know we are tired, but I would be remiss if I didn’t encourage you to stay strong and show up this Tuesday. Need something to look forward to? How about getting your hands on these very cool I Voted stickers created by Michigan kids (um, a werewolf sticker? yes please!!). These stickers even got the attention of John Oliver!
Cozy Toes
With the weightiness of this election season pressing down on us, I am looking for all the softness I can find. And one very small thing that brings me a disproportionate amount of happiness are my Cottage Socks from Le Bon. While all Le Bon socks are truly great, their Cottage Socks are the perfect knit of soft, chunky cotton; slipping them on feels like someone has hit reset on my nervous system. So whatever happens on Tuesday, I at least know that I will be wearing a pair of my Cottage Socks (and drinking a glass of Malbec for good measure).
Thanksgiving Side
As we turn the page to November and shift gears to the next holiday, I thought I would share a recipe each week that will be on my Thanksgiving table. And where better to start than with Cranberry Relish?
I did not grow up in a house that served cranberries in any form on Thanksgiving; the closest thing we had was a cherry Jell-O mold (which will also make an appearance, piled high with whipped cream). However, when I took over making Thanksgiving dinner from my grandmother, I wanted to figure out what all the fuss was about. I came across a version of this recipe in Jenny Rosenstrach’s How to Celebrate Everything (Bookshop.org or Amazon, I cannot recommend this book more highly).
Jenny’s version adds in fresh pineapple (I would add about 1.5 c to the recipe above and dial the sugar back a bit), and I have found it to add a brightness I didn’t know my meal was missing. I will be honest, the first time I read through the recipe I thought there was no way I would like it - cranberries and red onion and pineapple and mint? It just did not make sense in my head.
But please trust me when I say this flavor combination just works. It cuts the heaviness of the meal, and I have had more compliments on this recipe than I can count (I am now doubling the recipe every year). Also worth mentioning, it is the easiest recipe in my Thanksgiving arsenal (just toss everything into your food processor!). If you are looking for a cranberry sauce alternative or just want to try something new, I invite you to start here!
This Wednesday we are starting our second cookbook, Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy, Snackable Bakes by Jessie Sheehan (available at Bookshop.org, or Amazon). Make sure to grab a copy (and your favorite beverage!) and join us!