A toast to Thanksgiving

I'd like to make a toast: A weekend to thank all those who have helped me get where I am today, would mean that I have to thank everyone I've met. That's right. It's not just your parents and relatives that form who you are, your friends and your teachers, but every single person you've met.

Whether they've been there supporting you for your entire life so far, or they tailgated you for 5 minutes on the expressway and you don't have a clue who they are, all of those people, near or far, have influenced who you are today. How do you treat people, whether you know them or just pass them on the street? How do you react with that tailgater, the begger on the street, the teenaged cashier who can't make change?

These people all teach you patience, understanding and most of all, teach you more about yourself than you realize. So let's make a toast, one to all of those who have influenced our behaviour to date, and hopefully, have taught us patience and understanding (I need to work on the road-raging vulgar dialogue, caused by the tailgater...!).

Thanksgiving Toast Mocktini

Ingredients:

Orange wedge and 1 tbsp. sugar to rim glass.

1 oz. vanilla vodka

1/2 oz. grand marnier

2 oz. cranberry cocktail

Rub orange wedge along martini glass edge. On plate, sprinkle sugar and lightly shake to spread sugar on plate. Dip glass rim in sugar to coat. In martini shaker, ad 3-4 ice cubes, and all other ingredients. Shake well. Pour into sugar-rimmed glass. Put 2-3 fresh cranberries on a toothpick and put in glass to garnish. Makes 1 serving.