Tag: Thanksgiving

Thanksgivings Past and Early Thanksgiving Present – Lemongrass Meatballs

Thanksgivings Past and Early Thanksgiving Present – Lemongrass Meatballs

We recently held our annual Early Thanksgiving dinner – the 27th or 28th consecutive year we’ve hosted friends for a celebration weeks before the traditional holiday. Our gathering goes back to the days when supermarkets would entice shoppers with a free turkey. We weren’t going 

Early Thanksgiving Appetizers – Spiced Lamb-Stuffed Fatayer

Early Thanksgiving Appetizers – Spiced Lamb-Stuffed Fatayer

Every year we host Early Thanksgiving for our friends a few weeks before the traditional holiday. And every year the menu has a pattern. The main course is typical, as it is with most families, with few major variations from year to year. Turkey, gravy, 

That’s Why the Lord Invented Gravy – Roasted Turkey Gravy and Other Thanksgiving Tips

That’s Why the Lord Invented Gravy – Roasted Turkey Gravy and Other Thanksgiving Tips

Thanksgiving can be a stressful day. Cooking for a crowd is never easy, and with so much emphasis on the food, everyone is focused on what comes out of the kitchen. That can be a lot of pressure. Central among the concerns, is the turkey. 

Mary, Oysters, and Early Thanksgiving – Crostini with Fresh Ricotta, Green Fennel Seed, Honey, and Sea Salt

Mary, Oysters, and Early Thanksgiving – Crostini with Fresh Ricotta, Green Fennel Seed, Honey, and Sea Salt

Every year when we host Early Thanksgiving for our friends, Carl carves the turkey. Our old dog Lucy had a love-hate relationship with Carl. When he walked in the door, Lucy would bark incessantly and disruptively; it must have gone on for at least 15 

The Forgotten Stepchild – Cranberry Chutney

The Forgotten Stepchild – Cranberry Chutney

At Thanksgiving, the cranberry sauce doesn’t get a whole lot of respect. It’s different than the show off roast turkey, the over-achieving first child of the holiday. Nor is it like mashed potatoes, so smooth, buttery, and creamy, the youngest child who gets away with 

The Cooke’s Inn – Corn Pudding

The Cooke’s Inn – Corn Pudding

My favorite restaurant in Huntington, New York, where I live, closed about 10 years ago. The Cooke’s Inn was a quirky place, run by an imaginative owner. Juanita Cooke was a retired 6th grade teacher who lined the walls of the restaurant with children’s books. 

Lucy, Carl, and Early Thanksgiving

Lucy, Carl, and Early Thanksgiving

Every year our friends Carl and Ly showed up at our door for Early Thanksgiving and our dog Lucy, who passed maybe eight years ago, barked incessantly…but only at Carl. It would go on for at least 15 minutes, and sometimes more, much longer than 

My Daughter’s Thanksgiving – Onion, Olive, and Rosemary Focaccia

My Daughter’s Thanksgiving – Onion, Olive, and Rosemary Focaccia

My daughter doesn’t like Thanksgiving – neither the holiday nor the food. Never has. It’s not because of the people or the family gathering, but rather it’s because of her birthday, which is always during the same week as Thanksgiving. Some years, including this year, 

Early Thanksgiving – Butternut Squash Stuffed Mushrooms

Early Thanksgiving – Butternut Squash Stuffed Mushrooms

Maybe 21 or 22 years ago, shortly after my wife and I purchased our first home and before kids, we got a free turkey; supermarkets used to give them away a few weeks before Thanksgiving when you spent a certain amount on groceries. We didn’t