Family Thanksgiving

      

       I realize that this is a belated post- but I was so thrilled with our (okay, my) menu for Thanksgiving this year!  It's a wonderful example of my work too-- enjoy!

Our Menu

To begin:

Butternut squash soup 

with Gruyère cheese and black truffle sandwich cookies

La pièce and it's friends:

Roast turkey breast roulades: 

Truffle-stuffed, wrapped with bacon and thyme

Herb-stuffed (kid-friendly!)

Dark meat braised with bacon, white wine and soft herbs

Classic sage and apple dressing

Caramelized brussels sprouts with brown butter and Madiera

Roast shallots and button mushrooms

Sweet potato and chard gratin

Cranberry sauce, assortment of breads

Dessert:

Classic pumpkin pie*

Maple-bourbon-kumquat pecan pie*

Cranberry-caramel tart

*- courtesy of other family members!

       Cooking is my favorite thing, so it is only natural to me that cooking for the people I love is EVEN BETTER!  We had so much fun spending the day in the kitchen, those who wished to assist enjoyed their part in our beautiful meal, and those who would rather relax or play games or mill around chatting had as good a time!  

     Every fastidious cook has a little dilemma when it come to the Thanksgiving turkey.  A big, burnished roast is worth its weight in presentation-points- I'm the first to concede on that point.  Personally, though, I'd rather have silken breast meat that's full of savor and meltingly-tender dark meat napped in a glossy laquer that reinforces its depth of flavor.  So... I broke down the bird!

 Here's a little photo-journal of meal-highlights:  

The main difference between my family holiday and your event:  ME at the table!