Feeling Thankful

by Xani

Hello out there!  If you are still reading, thank you for sticking with us through yet another long blogging hiatus.  No excuses this time.

Thanksgiving is fast approaching and if you think BCD isn't knee-deep in planning and prep already, you don't know us very well!  The turkey stock has been made, the pie dough prepped, and ridiculous ingredient and shopping lists have been circulated. It's just a small gathering this year, but because we're not feeding too many folks, we're able to mix up the menu and do things a little differently.

When you cook a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for only five people, the amount of food is RIDICULOUS.  We've done it the last couple years and there's just no way around it-- if you want to serve all the classic dishes (turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, vegetables, cranberry sauce, rolls, etc) you are going to end up with WAY too much food. The leftovers are endless.  We didn't want to do that this year.  First, we thought about skipping turkey-dinner all together and just eating giant lobsters, but I was hesitant-- I LIKE Thanksgiving dinner, and I didn't want to miss it!  Finally, we settled on an interesting concept: we decided to create a meal that you might be served if you were enjoying Thanksgiving at a five-star restaurant or resort!  No massive piles of stuffing and sweet potatoes-- everything will be refined and fancy, but still incorporate all the traditional flavors.  No family-style giant platters around the table-- each course will be individually plated and garnished.  Fun, right?  The final menu looks like this:

• Sparkling Apple Cocktail
• Amuse Bouche of Raw Local Oyster with Pomegranate Mignonette
• First course: Sweet Potato Fuji Apple Bisque with Lobster and Maple Butter Drizzle
• Salad of Mixed Greens, Apple, Bacon, Cornbread Croutons and Buttermilk-Herb Dressing
• Main Course: Turkey Thigh Roulade with Chestnut Stuffing, Irma's Potato Puree, Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Capers, Walnuts, and Anchovies, Cranberry Conserve, Gravy
• Dessert: Trio of Tartlettes- Parsnip-Buttermilk Pie, Frangipane Tart with Pears, and Pumpkin-Apple Butter Pie with Cranberry Glaze (those last two recipes are courtesy of the fabulous Bistro Poplar, where we were lucky enough to enjoy a wonderful baking demo a few weeks ago.)

I could not be more excited about this menu!  I love that we were able to bring in many traditional flavors while also including our family's favorites (oysters and lobsters-- hey, the pilgrims ate them at the first Thanksgiving!).  Plus, I bet there will still be SOME leftovers with which to make the all-important Thanksgiving Sandwich...

So for the next couple days, we hunker down at Blackacre, strap on our Crocs and aprons, and do we what we love-- cook, eat, and spend time with family.  I feel especially thankful this year for my health, my wonderful family and friends, for my job and financial stability when so many others are struggling, and for the newest additional to the family, who has already brought us so much joy:

Eddie, our 2 month old Cocker Spaniel

Wishing all of our readers and Happy and Tasty Thanksgiving.  Enjoy!

X