It is the considered opinion of the hard-working staff here at Drezner’s World that the past twelve months have added up to a shit year. Pretty much everything I feared would transpire during Trump’s first year has actually transpired — and then some. A U.S. economy that looked damn impressive at the end of 2024 now looks like it’s hanging by a thread made entirely out of AI bubbles. The Trump administration is racking up foreign policy clusterfucks at an alarming rate — so much so that the U.S. passport ain’t what it used to be. My day job has been extremely challenging, as the current administration seems hell-bent on sabotaging a core pillar of American power. Oh, and some great sci-fi — Star Trek: Lower Decks, Andor — came to a close, all while Trump and his billionaire friends are ruining the genre.
So for Thanksgiving, it is a tad difficult to conjure up things to be thankful for in 2025. But there is definitely one thing I can appreciate — the opportunity to cook for a large extended family gathering!
In case you were wondering, I’m not being sarcastic! One of the things I have discovered about myself in recent years is that I really like to cook for a large number of people. Maybe it’s the Jewish mother in me, but when a lot of people are enjoying a feast prepared by yours truly, a feeling of contentment washes over me. There is the additional frisson of joy derived from working out how multiple dishes with different cooking times and methods can be completed at approximately the same time.
So, to enhance that thanks, I offer to my readers a list of everything I will be preparing for Thanksgiving Day — along with the sources of my various recipes for subscribers.
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Hors d’oeuvres
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Mushroom soup
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Cucumber salad
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Turkey
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Mashed potatoes
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Cornbread stuffing
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Roasted brussels sprouts
*Others are cooking/preparing a variety of additional soups, sides, and desserts.
