Medieval History
The marvelous, stealthy magic of traditions makes it so that I cannot tell you when reading Art Buchwald's Thanksgiving column became one in our house. All I know is that every year thinking of Miles Standish as Kilometres Deboutish cracks us up, and the line about Thanksgiving being the only day of the year when Americans eat better than the French still elicits a gleeful grin (but also some melancholy for what we're missing in France the other 364 days of the year). This year, Oliver and Iris totally got it (Eleanor was asleep in Mac's arms), and my Dad laughed as hard as he ever had.
It rained all day in absolute perfect November weather fashion, so we spent the day tending to the turkey and gathering dishes to accompany it and playing board games and even Skyping with baby Henry (such a handsome lad, and very advanced: already doing things well beyond his mere 12 days!). There's much to be said about medieval feasts and medieval recipe books (and they really are cool: many preoccupied with the effects of food - did you know, for example, that a leek tart can make your amorous?), but with Art Buchwald setting the tone (and what a voice - what a life!), I'm more in 1952 (the date of his column) than even the 17th century! And so we enjoyed:
Cranberry Ginger cocktail (take out the vodka and leave in the ginger beer and it's fine for the kids!)
Carrot, Fennel, and Orange Soup (the fennel makes a huge difference!)
Cider-Glazed Turkey (wow oh wow - no basting (none!) and yet delicious - gorgeous caramel color)
Perfect Mashed Potatoes (garlic)
Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Thyme (pretty)
Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges with Smoke Chile Cream (yum yum yum)
Sourdough Stuffing with Sausage, Apples, and Golden Raisins (tons left, all good)
Bourbon Pumpkin Pie (touch o' Bourbon in the whipped cream, too - mmm)
Can't wait to hear about your wonderful menus and meals. In the meantime, here's the last toast of the day to dear friends far away - we love you and miss you and yes, are grateful for you.
- Thanksgiving 2014
A moment in a busy time of friendship and art and knowing there's only a month left in Paris to say "Happy Thanksgiving" and record-to-remember the feast we had at our place. Expat Thanksgivings are always wonderful, with this secret feeling as the...
- It's Hanukris Time: The Loaded Latke
zazzle.comIt is the moveable feasts of all moveable feasts; the festival of lights and lamb and latkes: Hanukris! Our third annual, and Rebecca and I went for it again. My images won't load, so I'm going with the witty latke mug, because'...
- Thanksgiving Here And There
A sentinel for the turkeyMaybe it's been reading Sara Vowell's The Wordy Shipmates, and savoring its critiques and ironies of the Boston pilgrims since mid-September, but a Tandoori Turkey seemed like the right thing to do. So with all Modern...
- Glimpses
Oliver's been questioning Santa's existence, though at this point he has "no evidence that Santa does not exist," as he puts it. But, crafty kid that he is, he thought of leaving the iPhone with its built-in camera and asking Santa in the...
- The True Meaning Of Macmas
Today is Macmas! Or, as some call it, Macanalia. It is a day of celebration for a man whose kindness and wit and patience and light makes this planet pretty terrific to dwell in. Brunch for friends in the morning, great big snowstorm in the...
Medieval History
Thanksgiving
It rained all day in absolute perfect November weather fashion, so we spent the day tending to the turkey and gathering dishes to accompany it and playing board games and even Skyping with baby Henry (such a handsome lad, and very advanced: already doing things well beyond his mere 12 days!). There's much to be said about medieval feasts and medieval recipe books (and they really are cool: many preoccupied with the effects of food - did you know, for example, that a leek tart can make your amorous?), but with Art Buchwald setting the tone (and what a voice - what a life!), I'm more in 1952 (the date of his column) than even the 17th century! And so we enjoyed:
Cranberry Ginger cocktail (take out the vodka and leave in the ginger beer and it's fine for the kids!)
Carrot, Fennel, and Orange Soup (the fennel makes a huge difference!)
Cider-Glazed Turkey (wow oh wow - no basting (none!) and yet delicious - gorgeous caramel color)
Perfect Mashed Potatoes (garlic)
Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Thyme (pretty)
Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges with Smoke Chile Cream (yum yum yum)
Sourdough Stuffing with Sausage, Apples, and Golden Raisins (tons left, all good)
Bourbon Pumpkin Pie (touch o' Bourbon in the whipped cream, too - mmm)
Can't wait to hear about your wonderful menus and meals. In the meantime, here's the last toast of the day to dear friends far away - we love you and miss you and yes, are grateful for you.
- Thanksgiving 2014
A moment in a busy time of friendship and art and knowing there's only a month left in Paris to say "Happy Thanksgiving" and record-to-remember the feast we had at our place. Expat Thanksgivings are always wonderful, with this secret feeling as the...
- It's Hanukris Time: The Loaded Latke
zazzle.comIt is the moveable feasts of all moveable feasts; the festival of lights and lamb and latkes: Hanukris! Our third annual, and Rebecca and I went for it again. My images won't load, so I'm going with the witty latke mug, because'...
- Thanksgiving Here And There
A sentinel for the turkeyMaybe it's been reading Sara Vowell's The Wordy Shipmates, and savoring its critiques and ironies of the Boston pilgrims since mid-September, but a Tandoori Turkey seemed like the right thing to do. So with all Modern...
- Glimpses
Oliver's been questioning Santa's existence, though at this point he has "no evidence that Santa does not exist," as he puts it. But, crafty kid that he is, he thought of leaving the iPhone with its built-in camera and asking Santa in the...
- The True Meaning Of Macmas
Today is Macmas! Or, as some call it, Macanalia. It is a day of celebration for a man whose kindness and wit and patience and light makes this planet pretty terrific to dwell in. Brunch for friends in the morning, great big snowstorm in the...