[Photograph: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]

With the Thanksgiving preparation madness winding down, and the cooking madness about to begin, I have to take a moment to reflect on the many, many things I have to be thankful for. When I founded Serious Eats almost 11 years ago, my only goal was to establish a welcoming online clubhouse for passionate, discerning eaters. That millions of people now flock (pun intended) to the site means I have succeeded well beyond my wildest dreams.

First, I want to thank the Serious Eats community, now over 10 million strong, for letting us into your kitchens and your lives. Then there's the "us," the Serious Eats crew scattered around the country. They all blow me away each and every day with their dedication, their smarts, and a team-first attitude that puts problem-solving ahead of ego, 24/7. So thank you, Daniel, Niki, Paul, Stella, Vicky, Kenji, Sho, Miranda, Ariel, Sal, Sohla, Tim, Vivian, Marissa, Natalie, Kristina, John, and Marty, for bringing your A game to work, no matter where you are.

Then there's the Fexy Media sales crew in New York; Nashville; Chicago; Los Angeles; Mercer Island, Washington; and Austin, who make it possible for the rest of us to do what we do without worrying about keeping the wolf from our door. And a huge shout-out to the Fexy corporate crew on Mercer Island: Thanks to Lisa, Cliff, Ben, and their team for giving us the creative latitude and wherewithal to continue to produce the best food content anywhere, on or off the web. And where would we be without the enormous contributions of our freelance contributors? You are all honorary Serious Eaters for sure.

So happy Thanksgiving, everyone. May your Turkey Day be filled with seriously delicious food and drink, and may you be surrounded by joy and laughter emanating from people you love.