Forget the Pilgrims, the Indians, the Mayflower, and Plymouth Rock. Aside from football and Black Friday looming, Thanksgiving is about eating. I can't think of any other American holiday so focused on gustatorial endeavor. Hours on end go into preparation - minutes go into consumption. So, it was with both humor and wry enjoyment when, several years ago, I found the following shopping list at a Shaw's in Manchester, VT. In its iconic enumeration of menu and ingredients, it fully embodies the essence of the holiday. Forget the typos, the calories, and Martha Stewart's missing hand - enjoy it as a symbol of our American tradition and one family's way of celebrating the day.
