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U.S. Thanksgiving Dinner (1621-) - Celebrating and Giving Thanks for the Good Harvest in Plymouth, Massachusetts


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What I WOULD have been having, had I eaten with my folks:

Brined turkey roasted with sage and real balsamic vinegar drizzle with magically crisp skin

Stuffing with homemade sausage and herbs cut from my mom's herb garden

Homemade ravioli handed down for four generations from my great grandmother in Lumarzo outside of Genoa

Plenty of two-day tomato sauce and reggiano parmigiano

Wensleydale with cranberries

Baked brie with fig sauce and marcona almonds

Local goat cheese with fresh cranberries

Mashed potatoes with butter and real cream

Vanilla ice cream and Hostess Cupcakes

30-year Laphroaig

The latest discovery brought over from France by our well-traveled oenophile friend

What I ACTUALLY ate, eating with my in-laws:

Cold turkey

Cold gravy

Cranberry sauce from a can

Potatoes from a can, floating in some kind of weird oily substance (possibly from a can)

Green beans from a can

Hamburger rolls (from a bag)

Guinness (which I bought, to help me forget)

Also, did you know that salt is apparently illegal in New Jersey?

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Started the day with a quick breakfast of fried jack stuffed with beans and cheese. Thanksgiving lunch was chicken breast in Mayan spices, curried potatoes, and fresh conch ceviche (conch had been killed literally minutes before). Thanksgiving dinner was fresh caught red snapper, grilled with lime and garlic with an order of white rice and stew beans on the side. Plenty of Marie Sharps to kick the heat up, and more than a few Belikins to bring the heat back down. Immodium for dessert :lol: Plenty to be thankful for, that's for sure!

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What I WOULD have been having, had I eaten with my folks:

Brined turkey roasted with sage and real balsamic vinegar drizzle with magically crisp skin

Stuffing with homemade sausage and herbs cut from my mom's herb garden

Homemade ravioli handed down for four generations from my great grandmother in Lumarzo outside of Genoa

Plenty of two-day tomato sauce and reggiano parmigiano

Wensleydale with cranberries

Baked brie with fig sauce and marcona almonds

Local goat cheese with fresh cranberries

Mashed potatoes with butter and real cream

Vanilla ice cream and Hostess Cupcakes

30-year Laphroaig

The latest discovery brought over from France by our well-traveled oenophile friend

What I ACTUALLY ate, eating with my in-laws:

Cold turkey

Cold gravy

Cranberry sauce from a can

Potatoes from a can, floating in some kind of weird oily substance (possibly from a can)

Green beans from a can

Hamburger rolls (from a bag)

Guinness (which I bought, to help me forget)

Also, did you know that salt is apparently illegal in New Jersey?

Your wife now owes you, big time, Dan. If it's any solace to you, at some point in the future, to be determined by YOU, the parents and in-laws can come to YOU for Thanksgiving. Knowing how much work is involved, you may not want to do it every year. The other possibility is that next time that you have to go to the in-laws' for Thanksgiving, you offer to do the cooking if they pay for the groceries.

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Started the day with a quick breakfast of fried jack stuffed with beans and cheese. Thanksgiving lunch was chicken breast in Mayan spices, curried potatoes, and fresh conch ceviche (conch had been killed literally minutes before). Thanksgiving dinner was fresh caught red snapper, grilled with lime and garlic with an order of white rice and stew beans on the side. Plenty of Marie Sharps to kick the heat up, and more than a few Belikins to bring the heat back down. Immodium for dessert :lol: Plenty to be thankful for, that's for sure!

If you are having Marie Sharp's, you must be in Belize, you lucky man.

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Thanksgiving: new date!

I love Thanksgiving. It's my favorite holiday. This year, I have some dear, long-absent friends coming into town, and since most of our gang does Thanksgiving at home with their families and we want to have a properly high-profile welcome-home celebration, we've decided to reschedule Thanksgiving for this Saturday. We're going to have 14-18 people.

Now, I've hosted Thanksgiving before, but only once, and in Baghdad (well, actually twice in Baghdad, since I did the same meal Thanksgiving and Christmas, but I digress...), and I served 50+ people for those holidays. But I'm a bit nervous doing it here, where I have every resource available, and there's less excuse for mistakes.

They understood in Baghdad when we didn't eat until 10pm because the gas canister for our stove ran out and had to be replaced in the middle of the evening and that we only were able to obtain two--TWO!--sweet potatoes and one nasty can of cranberries.

But what if there's not enough gravy? And how the heck do you ascertain much gravy you need for 14-18 people? Will the vegetarian--who doesn't want anyone to go to any trouble for her--be happy with a stuffing-stuffed portobello? Should I trust the guest who says she's bringing the wine or buy a couple of cases just in case? Will it annoy everyone that I don't have a dining room table and that everyone has to eat on his or her lap?

I KNOW I'm overthinking, and I know it's about the people and the day and the community and not the food. I love throwing parties, and I do it a lot. But I don't want to screw this one up.

Does anyone have any tips or calming words of wisdom to share?

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Thanksgiving: new date!

I love Thanksgiving. It's my favorite holiday. This year, I have some dear, long-absent friends coming into town, and since most of our gang does Thanksgiving at home with their families and we want to have a properly high-profile welcome-home celebration, we've decided to reschedule Thanksgiving for this Saturday. We're going to have 14-18 people.

Now, I've hosted Thanksgiving before, but only once, and in Baghdad (well, actually twice in Baghdad, since I did the same meal Thanksgiving and Christmas, but I digress...), and I served 50+ people for those holidays. But I'm a bit nervous doing it here, where I have every resource available, and there's less excuse for mistakes.

They understood in Baghdad when we didn't eat until 10pm because the gas canister for our stove ran out and had to be replaced in the middle of the evening and that we only were able to obtain two--TWO!--sweet potatoes and one nasty can of cranberries.

But what if there's not enough gravy? And how the heck do you ascertain much gravy you need for 14-18 people? Will the vegetarian--who doesn't want anyone to go to any trouble for her--be happy with a stuffing-stuffed portobello? Should I trust the guest who says she's bringing the wine or buy a couple of cases just in case? Will it annoy everyone that I don't have a dining room table and that everyone has to eat on his or her lap?

I KNOW I'm overthinking, and I know it's about the people and the day and the community and not the food. I love throwing parties, and I do it a lot. But I don't want to screw this one up.

Does anyone have any tips or calming words of wisdom to share?

In moments of stress repeat to self: Cooking is fun. Cooking is fun. I love my friends and they love me. They will love that I spent all day preparing a great meal for us all to enjoy together. They will never notice the imperfections I see, and its going to be a great (early) Thanksgiving.

But seriously- I am sure you will make enough food. I find that I make too much always. Side dishes will likely please your vegetarian friend. If you can, make the stuffing with veggie stock instead of chicken, and save some to cook outside the bird. Add mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes and some salad or greens, and you won't have "gone to extra trouble" at all, but thoughtfully included her in the majority of the meal.

I can't vouch for your friends with the wine, how much do you trust them? maybe have a few bottles as back up?

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I KNOW I'm overthinking, and I know it's about the people and the day and the community and not the food. I love throwing parties, and I do it a lot. But I don't want to screw this one up.

Does anyone have any tips or calming words of wisdom to share?

It's going to work out fine. Focusing on not wanting to screw up will cause you stress and result in a greater likelihood of doing something dumb because you're nervous, so try to relax.

Have a few extra bottles of wine on hand in case the people bringing it don't bring enough or it's corked or something. Other people who aren't supposed to bring wine may well bring it anyway.

Make some extra stuffing that's made without meat products (or make it all that way). Have a salad that's vegetarian and a side dish or two. Have bread or rolls. With a buffet, no one has to be in the spotlight for eating or not eating anything, so that will help make the vegetarian feel like she's not causing a fuss.

Do as much as you can ahead of time. I'm not sure on the gravy proportions, but really, people don't use that much gravy. A comparatively small amount goes a long way. if it makes you feel more comfortable, buy a can or two of Campbell's gravy (or a packet of something), so if it looks like you're running low, you can get more out quickly.

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Make as much as you can ahead of time.

Cranberry sauce, taters, salads, other veg, pies, etc can all be made Wednesday and reheated Thursday.

Make a schedule as to when everything has to be ready to hit the table and work backward through the recipes to create a time chart.

Buy lots of extra wine. That way if dinner is a disaster your guests will be too snockered to really care. :(

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I'm trying to avoid a tasteless fiasco at the in-laws like last year (although, with shag carpet and 70s-era fixtures in their house, "tasteless" is a foregone conclusion).

I was thinking I would make a dish or two down here, bring it up there, and reheat it in their oven.

Anyone have any suggestions? It needs to travel well, reheat easily, and be delicious.

And by "reheat easily," I mean stick in the oven. No additional prep. Their only cooking tool is a telephone.

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I'm trying to avoid a tasteless fiasco at the in-laws like last year (although, with shag carpet and 70s-era fixtures in their house, "tasteless" is a foregone conclusion).

I was thinking I would make a dish or two down here, bring it up there, and reheat it in their oven.

Anyone have any suggestions? It needs to travel well, reheat easily, and be delicious.

And by "reheat easily," I mean stick in the oven. No additional prep. Their only cooking tool is a telephone.

Joe points out above that quite a lot of the Thanksgiving menu can be made ahead and reheated. I always make my cranberry-orange compote ahead of time anyway because the flavors meld better (and it's a cold dish, so no reheating even necessary). Since so many traditional dishes are of casserole/gratin variety, you can pretty much take your pick. Roasted squash gratin? Savoy cabbage slaw with applesauce vinaigrette and mustard seeds (made this last year, obviously also not something needing reheating)? Even dressing can be parbaked ahead and finished off up in NJ.

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I'd definitely recommend a gratin (roasted broccoli is my personal go to). Squash/potato/sweet potato all would work.

I've also done an assortment of stuffings/dressings (be it cornbread or apple/sausage) with a crockpot (although I'd hold off on the stocks/liquids until you reached your destination).

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I'm trying to avoid a tasteless fiasco at the in-laws like last year (although, with shag carpet and 70s-era fixtures in their house, "tasteless" is a foregone conclusion).

I was thinking I would make a dish or two down here, bring it up there, and reheat it in their oven.

Anyone have any suggestions? It needs to travel well, reheat easily, and be delicious.

And by "reheat easily," I mean stick in the oven. No additional prep. Their only cooking tool is a telephone.

I'm guessing they have a microwave? Rice pilaf reheats well in a microwave. (Brown very fine egg noodles in butter in a saucepan. Add long grain white rice and toast, stirring with a fork, until opaque. Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, about 15-20 minutes, until liquid is absorbed.)

How about taking a loaf or two of bread, either a yeast bread or the seasonal cranberry nut quick bread kind?

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Anyone have any suggestions? It needs to travel well, reheat easily, and be delicious.

Soup. Sweet potato and tomato soup. Butternut squash soup. Tasty. Travels easily in tupperware. Can be frozen for the trip. Reheats easily. Brings some good bread to go with it.

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Thanksgiving: new date!

..we've decided to reschedule Thanksgiving for this Saturday. We're going to have 14-18 people.

...Does anyone have any tips or calming words of wisdom to share?

Kudos for your calendar-defying approach. I twist the holiday on it's timetable head as well by hosting my Thanksgiving meal in the January/February timeframe. Gives peeps something to look forward to during the dead-of-winter, post-holiday gloom.

Insofar as any remaining words of wisdom, the pressure from Thanksgiving is that you are up against America's collective expectation coupled with highly personalized memories of an ideal Turkey Day. If you can somehow not worry about replicating the past, but instead focus on your own interpretation, you may have a more enjoyable time of it all. Throwing around the phrase "new tradition" and "the 2009 version" might help.

Best wishes for a enjoyable time and a bank of special (remember, mishaps are bonding experiences!) memories.

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But what if there's not enough gravy? And how the heck do you ascertain much gravy you need for 14-18 people? Will the vegetarian--who doesn't want anyone to go to any trouble for her--be happy with a stuffing-stuffed portobello? Should I trust the guest who says she's bringing the wine or buy a couple of cases just in case? Will it annoy everyone that I don't have a dining room table and that everyone has to eat on his or her lap?

I think this is awesome. When I was in college (certainly not overseas but our house managed to look like a warzone sometimes nonetheless) I used to cook for between 25-35 people for a "Pittsburgh Thanksgiving" before everyone headed back home to be with their families.

Being a bit on the neurotic/perfectionist side when it comes to hosting people, I think most people will genuinely enjoy the company and regardless of whether they're eating out of their laps or not, will appreciate all the effort. However, that didn't stop me from being crazed as the day approached, so to quell my nerves I always went overboard in terms of the volume of food that came out of the kitchen. At the end of the day, I love Thanksgiving leftovers so having turkey/stuffing/mashed potatoes left over for sandwiches was a good problem. Additionally, on the booze front, I always tried to ensure that the larder was stocked b/c again, I was going to drink the stuff eventually even if it didn't all go out the door during the festivities.

Best of luck!

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Update on "Thanksgiving" progress:

Harris Teeter ordered a frozen turkey instead of a fresh, so my only hope is that physics suspends itself and the damn thing immaculately defrosts itself in 36 hours!

Heard through the grapevine that two folks who RSVPed yes might not be coming!

Three have not yet bothered to respond!

Drunk friend just texted to ask if I wouldn't please-please-please invite five more people!

(That's plus or minus 10 guests, for those keeping score.)

Reminder: Chex mix looks exactly the same for the first hour of cooking, then in the beat of a hummingbird's wing, is done. (Thank you, Pat, for your post in the dinner thread that reminded me that Chex mix is just exactly the munchie I was missing. :( )

So things are going a bit bumpy, but thanks for all the great responses--your soothing words are helping me through! As is the knowledge that my friend is, in fact, bringing a PILE of great wine. And as is this here glass of scotch next to me. And as is the wonderful Harris Teeter meat dude, who unnecessarily, I think, gave me the frozen turkey for free.

Giving thanks. Ah.

Now to the cleaning...

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Success!!

All the work and stress are completely forgotten that moment when your dearest friends suddenly go completely silent, and all you can hear are forks and knives and "Mmmmmmmmmmm..." and then go right back to laughing and telling stories.

Truly one of the best parties I've ever had. I can't wait to do another... once me and my apartment recover.

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All the work and stress are completely forgotten that moment when your dearest friends suddenly go completely silent, and all you can hear are forks and knives and "Mmmmmmmmmmm..." and then go right back to laughing and telling stories.

Congrats!! And that's why we do it, isn't it? It's the best moment in the world. :(
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Success!!

All the work and stress are completely forgotten that moment when your dearest friends suddenly go completely silent, and all you can hear are forks and knives and "Mmmmmmmmmmm..." and then go right back to laughing and telling stories.

Truly one of the best parties I've ever had. I can't wait to do another... once me and my apartment recover.

High five! Or ten, depending on how many shot glasses you have around...

Well done and congratulations.

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I'm trying to avoid a tasteless fiasco at the in-laws like last year (although, with shag carpet and 70s-era fixtures in their house, "tasteless" is a foregone conclusion).

I was thinking I would make a dish or two down here, bring it up there, and reheat it in their oven.

Anyone have any suggestions? It needs to travel well, reheat easily, and be delicious.

And by "reheat easily," I mean stick in the oven. No additional prep. Their only cooking tool is a telephone.

I highly recommend the stuffing in Giada's Everyday Italian cookbook that she always makes with pancetta and foccacio. I made it last year (minus the garlic because the in laws didn't have garlic) and it was really the best stuffing I have had for Thanksgiving, you could do all the steps except adding the stock before hand and I think it would be fine. It is hard being somewhere else that isn't your home with your food, this year I will dearly miss my Mom's mashed potatoes and gravy because they are honest to goodness the best ever, but this stuffing should be the way to the light. Also I find people who eat store bought pie are amazingly impressed with homemade pie, pecan pie is super easy and no one will notice if you buy the crust (although pie crust is super easy). I have a cupcake carrier and I put a pie on each level, but I have to normally make like 4.

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Their only cooking tool is a telephone.

Dan, for just this sort of situation, I'd like to recommend that you gift yourself with the same sort of kit that I gave to my daughter last Christmas. At Sur la Table (or a restaurant supply) get a chef's knife roll--the kind the contestants on Top Chef pack up when they are told to "Please pack your knives and go." Fill the slots inside with a chef's knife and a serrated paring knife and the rest of the spaces with a flat whisk, a grater or Microplane zester, a silicone spatula, large spoon, tongs, a set of measuring spoons, collapsable measuring cups, etc. etc. Bring along a cutting board (if they lack a decent one), a collapsable strainer, some nesting work bowls if they don't have any, and you are pretty much covered for most all of the cooking tasks you may encounter. This is also a great kit to take along on a vacay, where you might be staying somewhere with a primitively equipped kitchenette.
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Dan, for just this sort of situation, I'd like to recommend that you gift yourself with the same sort of kit that I gave to my daughter last Christmas. At Sur la Table (or a restaurant supply) get a chef's knife roll--the kind the contestants on Top Chef pack up when they are told to "Please pack your knives and go."

Dan -- you could also ask scottmfleming where he got the travel knife kit he brought to the picnic...
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I am getting in the spirit of dressing (aka stuffing that's not stuffed inside anything), a few days early. Anybody got any brilliant inspiration to share? Yesterday, to get in the mood, I made a pan of dressing from a buttermilk skillet cornbread, lots of caramelized onions, some celery, a bunch of Field Roast brand fake sausage (sage variety), and half+half - yum. Too bad there were other people around who wanted to eat some too. Today I bought a quart of oysters for the next version, whatever it will turn out to be. Anybody got any dressing/stuffing beliefs or traditions to share?

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I am getting in the spirit of dressing (aka stuffing that's not stuffed inside anything), a few days early. Anybody got any brilliant inspiration to share? Yesterday, to get in the mood, I made a pan of dressing from a buttermilk skillet cornbread, lots of caramelized onions, some celery, a bunch of Field Roast brand fake sausage (sage variety), and half+half - yum. Too bad there were other people around who wanted to eat some too. Today I bought a quart of oysters for the next version, whatever it will turn out to be. Anybody got any dressing/stuffing beliefs or traditions to share?

If you're up for moving away from bread-based dressing/stuffing, I've really enjoyed this recipe (from Food and Wine) for a wild rice stuffing with chestnuts and sausage. It's not too hard to make and can be prepared a day in advance. I'm a huge fan of the traditional breadcrumb, celery, sage, onion version, but like this so much that I don't even think about the old stuff anymore!
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Every other year, it's on me to do T-day dinner for J's visiting family. On alternate years, we go to Manhattan, where we join in the big potluck that my SIL's building holds in a restaurant on Clinton Street that friends in her building own, that closes for Thanksgiving. It's so nice--I only need to bring one dish (last year it was pork rillettes)-- and there are many able bodies to set up and clean up, and all of the amenities of a restaurant at our disposal. Alas this year it is all on me to do the T-day meal, and all of the rest of the food for the weekend for everyone, EXCEPT for brunch on Friday. SIL and BIL bring a sack full of lox and bagels and cream cheeses from Russ and Daughters as their contribution. I am limited in cold storage space and therefore what I am able to do in advance. And the meal is very proscribed by the traditional dishes. I put a little spin on some of them, like herb-brining and smoking the turkey. I'm currently making a cranberry compote with quince and pear and Meyer lemon. But if I don't serve bread stuffing with chestnuts, creamed onions, mashed white and mashed sweet potatoes, there'll be hell to pay.

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Well, if J puts cranberry compote on a forkful of turkey, I recommend documenting the act and using the photo next time you want to stuff some cabbage.

* * *

One highly-regarded home cook who sells meat at Dupont Circle: "There are 364 days a year to experiment with food. On Thanksgiving, I want turkey, Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie!"

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Well, if J puts cranberry compote on a forkful of turkey, I recommend documenting the act and using the photo next time you want to stuff some cabbage.

I guarantee that he will say: "It's not my favorite. I like the plain cranberry sauce better." Well, I won't say anything, but my thought will be: <too bad.> He's getting his beloved creamed onions, and bread stuffing, and lots of good gravy and juicy, smoky turkey that he will be able to truthfully say is the best he's ever tasted (he's not shy about criticizing my cooking). And pecan pie and pumpkin pie, although I will hear about it if I use the Trader Joe's frozen all-butter crusts that I have in the freezer.

Oh, and when I served the stuffed cabbage leftovers, I rinsed the sauce off of this portion beforehand, at his request. And he peeled away the cabbage and ate the meat inside with ketchup-- I refrained from pointing out to him how sweet tomato ketchup is, and said nothing as I scraped the beautiful savoy cabbage leaves into the trash. This is how one stays married for a long time.

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Anybody got any dressing/stuffing beliefs or traditions to share?

Back when I was still doing turkey (I really don't like it much and neither does anyone else in my family, so why keep having it for Thanksgiving?), I migrated the giblets from the gravy to the stuffing, which I always stuffed into the bird. Make stock with the neck, gizzard, and heart, sautee the liver, then cut up the innards and put them in the stuffing, along with whatever bits of meat you can pull off the neck. It was always traditional in my family to have the giblets in the gravy, but a smooth gravy comes closer to elegance, not that a plate of roast turkey with stuffing and gravy is ever going to be very close to elegant.
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I guarantee that he will say: "It's not my favorite. I like the plain cranberry sauce better." Well, I won't say anything, but my thought will be: <too bad.> He's getting his beloved creamed onions, and bread stuffing, and lots of good gravy and juicy, smoky turkey that he will be able to truthfully say is the best he's ever tasted (he's not shy about criticizing my cooking). And pecan pie and pumpkin pie, although I will hear about it if I use the Trader Joe's frozen all-butter crusts that I have in the freezer.

Oh, and when I served the stuffed cabbage leftovers, I rinsed the sauce off of this portion beforehand, at his request. And he peeled away the cabbage and ate the meat inside with ketchup-- I refrained from pointing out to him how sweet tomato ketchup is, and said nothing as I scraped the beautiful savoy cabbage leaves into the trash. This is how one stays married for a long time.

Ouch! Now I know how my Nana and Mom felt when I peeled away all the cabbage and just ate the meat stuffing. Now, that very cabbage tastes oh so good to me. As a kid, I didn't put ketchup on the stuffing though; that was already in the sauce. I've since started to apply other less processed tomato products in the sauce, but truly see the appeal of the condiment in this situation.

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What are folks planning on driking with their Thanksgiving meals? We are starting with Thibaut-Jannison blanc de blanc, then moving to Pinot Gris, but I am welcoming suggestions for something to pair with pumpkin and apple pie. I'm thinking Sherry, maybe the 1927 Alvear Pedro Ximenez Solera?

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Picked up my fresh turkey from Market Poultry and went to dry brine it. It was partially frozen and missing half of a wing. :( It looks like a Charlie Brown Christmas tree turkey. I thought I dried it off pretty well, but I guess I didn't--or maybe it was due to the the defrosting and/or the "up to 6% retained water"--since I couldn't keep it dry enough as I was salting to keep a lot of salt from dissolving before I even finished. It's in the refrigerator bathing in a saline solution. Then I got distracted and forgot I was going to put herbs under the skin, but I can do that on Thursday before I put it in the oven.

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This year is Thanksgiving with friends, and I was assigned a "vegetarian proteinaceous side." The NYT to the rescue with a curried lentil, sweet potato, and chard dish I made once before. I made the garam masala and curry powders last night and the house still smells fantastic.

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This year is Thanksgiving with friends, and I was assigned a "vegetarian proteinaceous side." The NYT to the rescue with a curried lentil, sweet potato, and chard dish I made once before. I made the garam masala and curry powders last night and the house still smells fantastic.

Sounds great. The final issue of Gourmet suggested a "shepherd's" pie (I love the one in Sunday at Moosewood.)

Others I recommend: Deborah Madisons braised black lentils w root vegetables as found in Local Flavors, a dish Nigella Lawson riffs in one of her cookbooks, though I'd do the lentils as a side dish to something I keep plugging here: Winter Squash Galette made w a regular galette/rustic tart dough (butter, no yeast).

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Did my shopping today at the SS Whole Paycheck. They're loaded for bear. When I first went in at 11:15 everything was pretty calm, but by the time I left - noonish - you could feel the anxiety levels rising.

May have to go back tomorrow after work and play pranks on people.:(

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Others I recommend: Deborah Madisons braised black lentils w root vegetables as found in Local Flavors, a dish Nigella Lawson riffs in one of her cookbooks, though I'd do the lentils as a side dish to something I keep plugging here: Winter Squash Galette made w a regular galette/rustic tart dough (butter, no yeast).

I've got several butternut squash curing from the garden, so I will be trying the galette sometime soon. Anything to have the oven on in this weather.

Edited to say, I just found the lentil/root veg recipe online. That one's now on the list for a day when I have a lot of time.

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I caught Thomas Keller on Martha Stewart this am. He cooked 2 dishes from Ad Hoc (anyone have an opinions as to whether this is a "must have"?) and the Potato Pave caught my eye. I have my "brick' cooking now, and I'll cook and press it and let it sit in the fridge until Thursday, when I'll fry it to crisp it up. Very excited. Will let you know how it turns out.

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I caught Thomas Keller on Martha Stewart this am. He cooked 2 dishes from Ad Hoc (anyone have an opinions as to whether this is a "must have"?) and the Potato Pave caught my eye. I have my "brick' cooking now, and I'll cook and press it and let it sit in the fridge until Thursday, when I'll fry it to crisp it up. Very excited. Will let you know how it turns out.

I'm trying to visualize how the rectangular potato slices are stacked in the loaf pan...long part of potato slices parallel to long side of pan?

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I caught Thomas Keller on Martha Stewart this am. He cooked 2 dishes from Ad Hoc (anyone have an opinions as to whether this is a "must have"?)

I'm a fangirl (ask me about my Keller slash/fic), so I preordered it. It's OK. I don't find it as inspiring as The French Laundry Cookbook, or as useful for everyday as Bouchon. My ten-year-old daughter, however, has adopted it as her "learn to cook" book.

My oven is not working, so I will not be cooking again this year.

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Azami and I are driving to Malvern, PA to spend the day with his paternal relatives. We're taking cornbread and a pie, which at this point will be lemon meringue. Any idea how lemon meringue pie travels? I'm planning to make it Thursday morning; the party starts at 2.

Oh, and it's my first attempt at pie since the repatriation. We'll see how that goes. :-P

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I'll have to try that one next time T-day is all on me. Except, of course, that I am establishing a tradition of smoking the turkey in my Hasty-Bake charcoal oven this year. Hmm.

Actually, now that Ian has the flu we're not going out either. Wonder if it's too late to order something precooked?
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I am welcoming suggestions for something to pair with pumpkin and apple pie. I'm thinking Sherry, maybe the 1927 Alvear Pedro Ximenez Solera?

[Technically the Alvear is a Montilla-Moriles, not a Sherry, but it's delicious and would be a good match. It's one of the few things that's sweet enough to deal with classic Thanksgiving pies.]

Another idea would be spiced rum or whiskey toddies with Appleton V/X (or Extra or 12yo), a wheated bourbon (like Weller 107) or a rich, not too smoky scotch (like Famous Grouse or even Macallan 12), a big hunk of lemon peel in each glass, a spice syrup or Allspice Dram, a bit of sugar, and hot water. You could match the spices to the pie spices, even. The hot and watery (texture, not taste) nature of the drink could be quite refreshing.

If you want something that's easier to batch and is served on rocks for cold refreshment, the Vieux Carre cocktail (1oz each rye, cognac, rouge vermouth, 1tsp benedictine, 2d each angostura and peychaud) would work.

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Actually, now that Ian has the flu we're not going out either. Wonder if it's too late to order something precooked?

Among the more unconventional options, Caribbean Feast is preparing whole jerk turkeys. I think it's around $30 for a 10-12 pounder. $70 fetches a whole feast including the sides. As of last night at least, it sounded like there was still time to order.

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Braved the Silver Spring Whole Foods to buy a turkey breast, a pie, gravy, and eggnog. I already have potatoes to mash, cranberries for sauce, and green beans to serve alongside.

I'd like to offer a big FU to the designers of downtown Silver Spring for building a shopping center with inadequate parking that turns into a godawful clusterf*ck during the holidays.

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Did my shopping today at the SS Whole Paycheck. They're loaded for bear. When I first went in at 11:15 everything was pretty calm, but by the time I left - noonish - you could feel the anxiety levels rising.

May have to go back tomorrow after work and play pranks on people.:(

Braved the Silver Spring Whole Foods to buy a turkey breast, a pie, gravy, and eggnog. I already have potatoes to mash, cranberries for sauce, and green beans to serve alongside.

I'd like to offer a big FU to the designers of downtown Silver Spring for building a shopping center with inadequate parking that turns into a godawful clusterf*ck during the holidays.

I learned a couple of years ago to avoid that place the day before a holiday. It sucks. But, it would also help if they could figure out a way to enforce the no walkoff policy. Allowing parking for the church doesn't help either.

That said, the Harris Teeter in Pentagon City still holds the crown for parking lot suckiness IMHO.

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I'd like to offer a big FU to the designers of downtown Silver Spring for building a shopping center with inadequate parking that turns into a godawful clusterf*ck during the holidays.

Actually, not only the holidays, it's pretty much all the time IIRC. So much for the MoCo anti-car ethic. Why didn't you ride up there on the train?? No problem schlepping your groceries back home on Metro. Hmmmm.

Oh, I forgot, it's a neighborhood market.

Sorry. End of Rant. I'll get down off my soapbox now.

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