Same Thing, But Different

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Thanksgiving 101 - The Syllabus

OK.

To get my mind off this dumbass Hurricane Wilma thing, I hereby begin my series on Thanksgiving--my absolute fave holiday, in case you missed it--by running down my menu. Be warned. This is a foodie menu. For foodies, by as inveterate a foodie as can be found. There will be no tolerance for stuffing from boxes, broth from cartons, condiments from cans or vegetables from the freezer. If your idyllic, mind's-eye Thanksgiving calls for Tater-Tots(R), cranberry jelly still holding the shape of the can in which you purchased it, or some indifferent, particleboard, factory-raised turkey riddled with hormones and phosphates...if that's what you prefer, then go on to the next blog.

You have been warned.

The Menu this year is:
1- "Endless carrot" soup
2- Watercress/bacon/Granny Smith salad
3- Herbed roast turkey
4- Whipped Yukon Gold potatoes
5- For Real turkey-roast garlic gravy
6- Sausage & cornbread dressing/stuffing (I prefer it as dressing, you salmonella whores do whatever you want)
7- Cranberry-orange chutney
8- Sauteed pearl onions with green beans
9- Pecan-maple pie
10- Pumpkin creme brulee

To drink: Sam Adams Cranberry Lambic and/or 2002 Rosenblum "Contra Costa" Zinfandel (red, not that unspeakably vile and saccharine pink stuff)

Everything, save for the turkey, can be made ahead (or substantially so), so there will also be little drama here.

I might even dredge up pictures to show you how and what.

As you were,

-J.

Posted by Joke at 6:48 PM

4 Comments

Poppy Buxom posted at 9:15 PM, October 19, 2005
Mmmmm. Canned condiments. Arrrrgh ....

Homer Simpson

Poppy Buxom posted at 9:19 PM, October 19, 2005
Actually, it all sounds fine, except I find Yukon Gold potatoes horrifyingly waxy. I prefer the classic Idaho baking potato for my mashed* spuds.

--P.

* Actually, I don't mash them. I force them through a Mouli food mill, then mix in the milk and butter and fluff with a fork.

Badger posted at 11:15 PM, October 19, 2005
What, no Beaujolais?

Joke posted at 7:34 AM, October 20, 2005
1- The potatoes are whipped and therefore you need a waxy (not starchy) potato. If we're going down the waxy potato route, then Yukon Golds are the way to go.

2- Beaujolais would be, y'know, okay but this turkey/gravy/stuffing combo will be an assertively flavored thing and Zinfandel can stand up to that a Hell of a lot better than Beaujolais (esp. Beaujolais Nouveau) can.

-J.