Text 31197, 99 rader
Skriven 2012-11-24 00:23:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
Ärende: Thanksgiving 601
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Appetizers: Cabot extra-sharp Cheddar (OK), Daniele hot
soppressata (taste better than OK, texture not so good,
as there were far more gristly bits than I thought
acceptable), Ovation Brie (not OK), Emerald sweet and
salty nut mix chocolate peanut butter flavor (people
thought these were delicious, with honey-roast peanuts
and cocoa-dusted almonds, and I found them okay, the
best component the few and far between pecans). Also
some leftover Sabra hummus, which nobody ate. Carr's
table water crackers and Dave's Marketplace sesame
flatbreads, which are actually pretty tasty. 

 ML> Five for dinner today at 5, a few more dropping in for dessert
 ML> at 6:30 (provided by someone else, which is yet another thing
 ML> to be thankful for). Heirloom turkey, 7 1/2 lb

This turkey turned out to be extraordinarily flavorful. The
dark meat was intense and birdy, what I remember wild pigeon
tasting like. Dark meat from an ordinary (even free-range)
broadbreast pales by comparison. The white meat was still
whitish but had a bit of chew to it, like a muscle that had
actually been used. Still not my favorite thing for flavor,
and I ate just a few shreds for the experience. It was nice
and juicy though overcooked - the literature says to cook it
past the 165 that the factory turkeys need, otherwise the
meat will still be pink, and as I had a couple squeamish
persons at table, I cooked to what I estimate as 175.

 ML> I forgot to buy sausage for sausage stuffing so took some
 ML> beef rib meat and chopped it with sage, pepper, thyme, and
 ML> salt. Mixed with a pound of stuffing bread, a cup of wine,
 ML> and some broth.

Pretty good, but nobody wanted much of it, going for the squash!
and the creamed onions! (which I made as an afterthought by
popular demand, and 1 1/2 lb out of 2 got eaten) instead. I used
a minimum of fat, maybe half the usual.

 ML> Cranberry sauce - have you noticed that the Ocean Spray
 ML> bags are down to 12 oz - and up to $2.50 a bag? Extortion.

As it was homemade, it wasn't too sweet. Yay for cranberry sauce.

 ML> Butternut squash, bought two so there can be some left over
 ML> to make squash ravioli with for the leftovers party Saturday.

Very simple. About 4 lb squash, roasted and then mashed with
1/2 stick of butter and a sprinkle of salt. No herbs, no fancy
sweet spices, not even pepper. The roasting intensified both
flavor and sweetness. I am not sure if there are enough to make
the planned-for Saturday ravioli with.

 ML> Broccoli stir-fry.
 ML> Maybe rice.

Sue, a last-minute addition, came with salad (spinach and red
onion, yay; feta cheese already added, boo) and fudge. Therefore
we dispensed with broccoli, which I may use for one of the
leftovers parties, and the rice, which, as we are all watching
our carbs, we may forget forever.

 ML> Enough food, but not that huge excess that we should have
 ML> learned to avoid by now, too bad.

There were plenty of leftovers. A quarter pound of flavorful
turkey beat out 1/2 or 3/4 lb of cotton wool, so we have a
couple pounds left over to go with a pound plus of stuffing.

Rosemary's brother and sister-in-law brought a sizable layered
parfait of chocolate pudding and whipped cream with mixed berries,
which I tasted (pretty good, good ingredients, but why do people
persist in putting milk products in everything!) and which the
others satisfied their carb cravings with.

Wines: La Vieille Ferme rouge - pretty unattractive but at least
erring on the acidy side (good with food) rather than the cloying
sweet American market side. I think this started off as a Cotes
de Ventoux, but as popularity increased, who knows what the
sources are. A southern-style wine, light and sour, actually went
with the turkey and especially the stuffing. Ruffino Orvieto, which
I characterized as on the spectrum between Sauvignon Blanc and
urine. I.e., I didn't much care for it, though the grapefruity
aspect was not unpleasant. Speaking of which, the n/a beverage of
the day was Florida's Natural cranberry grapefruit cocktail (30%
juice), which tasted pleasantly of grapefruit and cane sugar - I
was surprised how welcome the real sugar was. No cranberry taste
at all, but a nice pink color. And the alternative booze of the
day was the rather heavy and harsh Johnnie Walker red. Many of
the holiday meals spotlight the alcohols; this decidedly did not.

 ML> And what are you doing today? And tomorrow, about which the
 ML> following appeared from about 10 Facebook friends in the
 ML> last two days, only every one but one has disappeared.

The local piano teacher wants to get together for a leftovers
party with music tonight. Other than that, we're sitting around
doin' nothin'. There is something to be said for nothing.
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