Preparing for Thanksgiving

[David M. Bueker]

Four days and counting, and somehow it all feels out of control. It makes no sense, as I will doing what I always do, but there's always some complication. This year it's trouble finding the brining bags I normally use. I know wet brining is out of favor, but it works, and I like the results. So tomorrow will involve a few extra store visits. Hopefully that's the end of the drama for this year.

Adjustments always need to be made. There are concessions to what is available. Meg Maker summed it up very well in her piece about trying to do a "local" Thanksgiving.
http://makerstable.com/2016/11/19/what- ... ng-dinner/

Four days and counting, and somehow it all feels out of control. It makes no sense, as I will doing what I always do, but there's always some complication. This year it's trouble finding the brining bags I normally use. I know wet brining is out of favor, but it works, and I like the results. So tomorrow will involve a few extra store visits. Hopefully that's the end of the drama for this year.

How many people are you cooking for?

[Robin Garr]

"local" Thanksgiving.

I love that concept and appreciate the link. Loverly essay. I'm not sure I'd worry so much about olive oil or vanilla, but the idea of finding all the big stuff through local producers is a great one.

[David M. Bueker]

Rahsaan-just 4, but it's the exact same prep for a typical Thanksgiving dinner if we were 8 or 10, just smaller batches.

Robin-Meg is a true believer, and I love her work for that.

Rahsaan-just 4, but it's the exact same prep for a typical Thanksgiving dinner if we were 8 or 10, just smaller batches..

Fair enough. Although for those of us without 'staff'/help, the size of the batch plays a big role in how much time/energy it takes for everything to come together. At least for me. Or maybe I've gotten too accustomed to cooking for 3 people (me, wife and son).

Anyway, good luck with everything!!

[David M. Bueker]

I normally cook for 2, so 4 is a big group. ;!

I just keep cooking till it's time to eat. Then, I eat the same meal as many times as I have to till I have space in the refrigerator again. Simple.

This year, it's Pumpkin, me, and four Scottish friends. As it is the first American T'Giving for them I am doing some extra desserts:

• cinnamon ice cream (thank you, Mike Filigenzi)
• chocolate-orange ice cream (thank you, Eden Blum)
• apple pie
• pumpkin pie
• chocolate pumpkin cake
• heritage turkey and gravy
• stuffing (sausage, not oyster or chestnut)
• cranberry sauce (with orange)
• smoky pumpkin soup
• our trademark "DIY Salad"
• some kind of salad dressing (I'd go for Green Goddess)

Strangely, we are going to cater to a couple of food allergies among the guests so the pork sausage is going to be exchanged for venison sausage and I will roast a Cornish game hen for the lady who can't eat turkey.

No hot vegetable dish, no potatoes. No aversion, just Pumpkin's choices this year.

Keep cooking Jeff, that lot should see you through to Christmas
Sounds pretty darn goood.

[Robin Garr]

Robin-Meg is a true believer, and I love her work for that.

I posted the article on Facebook, and she friended me.

[David M. Bueker]

Where did you post it? What page? I don't see it.

[Robin Garr]

Where did you post it? What page? I don't see it.

I posted it on my personal FB page. I've been trying to find a way to link directly to it, but I can't make it happen. I shared it yesterday at 3 p.m., though.

[Jenise]

Unless Alaska Airlines serves turkey on Thursday, we won't have a turkey dinner this year. I'll miss it! Your menus all sound great.

Unless Alaska Airlines serves turkey on Thursday, we won't have a turkey dinner this year. I'll miss it! Your menus all sound great.

Shouldn't Alaska Airlines serve polar bear or baby seal or something like that?

Keep cooking Jeff, that lot should see you through to Christmas
Sounds pretty darn goood.

Thanks, Barb. If there's one thing I've learned, after cooking a number of these enormous feasts, it's that I only do recipes that *I* like. None of this nonsense making a ton of ugly, yucky food just because a guest might eat two forkfuls!

[David M. Bueker]

Unless Alaska Airlines serves turkey on Thursday, we won't have a turkey dinner this year. I'll miss it! Your menus all sound great.

Shouldn't Alaska Airlines serve polar bear or baby seal or something like that?

Moose

[Jenise]

Unless Alaska Airlines serves turkey on Thursday, we won't have a turkey dinner this year. I'll miss it! Your menus all sound great.

Shouldn't Alaska Airlines serve polar bear or baby seal or something like that?

Moose

Rubber moose. After all, it's still airline food.

[David M. Bueker]

I'll order brining bags from Amazon Laura said. They'll be here on Tuesday Laura said.

Not here yet...

[Jenise]

Rut roh.

[David M. Bueker]

We improvised. Will result in lots more cleanup, but we'll get dinner.

[Jenise]

There's always a way. I've never seen or used brining bags btw, and like you i'm a fan of the process. I use 16 quart pots for brining turkeys, but I realize not everyone has something that large.

Home Depot buckets can work for brining if necessary. Like you said, Jenise, there's always a way.

We are having our now-traditional Thanksgiving at the house of some friends of ours. The first couple of years we attended, we brought food. It became clear, though, that our pal Joe cooks enough for at least three times the number of people who are eating and it just seemed silly for us to add to the overabundance. So I have not cooked even a part of a Thanksgiving dinner in many years and I miss that.

And, it is done.

We had 6 of us at the table. I made dinner for 10 or so, dessert for 20. The fridge is packed; the cake and apple pie are still on the counter. Pumpkin has done all the cleanup. I'll start the soup momentarily.

[David M. Bueker]

The improvisation did not work as well as my usual method. Ah well. The bags showed up today, so we are all set for next year.

Look at the bones, mon!

2016-11-26 12.42.01 sm.jpg

Just wondering whether I should reduce this stock a bit... more flavor, less bulk.