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We had no space left in the freezer. Or should I say in either freezer. We have a second refrigerator in the garage, and both freezers were packed without an inch to spare. I told Hank we couldn’t have any meal that didn’t involve at least one item from the freezer.

I would guess that for many, the complications surrounding Thanksgiving often involve difficult family members, like the uncle who won’t stop arguing about politics or the sister-in-law who insists on bringing a salad that includes canned cranberry sauce, mini marshmallows, and mayonnaise. (Apologies to all who like this combination and to those who like to argue politics at Thanksgiving.)

When we zoom out beyond the stress of our own family dramas, we find Thanksgiving is also complicated in the same way that Columbus Day / Indigenous People’s Day is.

We Americans readily and eagerly enjoy foods we believe to be from other cultures. But there’s the sticky problem that so many of such dishes we enjoy have never been served in the countries from which they are said to have originated!

It’s pretty clear that General Tso’s Chicken is not something you would ever find in China. But just because General Tso’s Chicken may not be an authentic Chinese recipe, does not mean it should be discarded and disregarded.