A Jerry and Paul Style Thanksgiving

In my family we celebrate Thanksgiving on the Sunday rather than the Monday. I think it was so that the cook had a day to recover.  It works for me!

This morning I got up and had my usual secret Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sandwich held together with a bit of may and gravy. YUM The things Paul misses because he sleeps in. I didn't want to be too piggy so I only made myself half of a sandwich!

There is nothing low-fat or dietary about our Thanksgiving dinner. It is meant to be an indulgence  . . . and it was!

We were supposed to cook dinner for six - unfortunately Paul's step-father had to work and then yesterday morning his mom called and said she was sick. Paul was sad to not have her there, I felt badly for him but also worried about the mountain of leftover's we'd have!

By noon the table was set and a good deal of the cooking was done. I selected recipes which could be made ahead of time and warmed up. This was a great idea, allowing for a more relaxed dinner.

Close up of table setting + centrepiece JUST for Sandi who has made me more aware of such things.

The weather was so warm that we ate the first part of the meal outside. I don't ever recall being able to eat outside on Thanksgiving before . . . we started with a pitcher of apple cider martinis (which were a HUGE hit), cheese, crackers, spiced nuts, kielbassa, olives, cheese ball, cheddar thmubprint cookies with hot pepper jelly filling, and Paul's (now) famous olives wrapped in a cheese shortbread pastry. This would have been enough for dinner but it was Thanksgiving! What a treat to sit outside and enjoy great company, food, and martinis.

As soon as the sun went down it became cool so we headed inside for the second course - Cream of Cauliflower with Five Year-old Cheddar. I've made this soup for the past 10 years - I admit that I am sick of it but every year mom wants more. ARGH

By now our palates were in need of some cleansing. The Sunday Slow Scoopers made a Green Apple and Sparkling Cider Sorbet yesterday and I thought it would be a perfect cleansing course. It was wonderful and did the job well!

We chatted for a bit and later I brought out the main course (I know - more food?) We had:

• roast free-range turkey,

• gravy,

• stuffing made with leeks, apples, sausage, and cranberries,

• sage cheddar mashed potatoes,

• brussels sprouts with balsamic syrup and pancetta,

• sage-cheddar mashed poattoes, and

• baked butternut squash with apples and cranberries.

See what I mean about nothing being low-fat? No, not at all!

I had made fresh cranberry relish with rosemary, sherry, and orange to go with the turkey. Mom loves the stuff - she'd be happy with just a big spoon of that!

Our friend Nancy brought a great wine - a Shiraz from Sonoma which paired nicely with the rich food.

Finally we were ready for dessert. Instead of the traditional pumpkin pie I wanted something a little different. I had a recipe that I had cut out of an old Food and Wine magazine for a pumpkin tarte with cranberry gellee topping. I had made it once before and remembered it as a flavourful but light treat. It was - unfortunately, I had forgotten about how much bloody work it was to make it! ARGH More on that at a later date . . .

There you have it - a Jerry and Paul style Thanksgiving feast.

Now to go and continue sleeping off the food!

By the way, did you know the history of Thanksgiving in Canada? Our friend Catherine sent us this:

The history of Thanksgiving in Canada goes back to an explorer, Martin Frobisher, who had been trying to find a northern passage to the Orient. In the year 1578, he held a formal ceremony, in what is now the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, to give thanks for surviving the long journey. This feast is considered by many to be the first Thanksgiving celebration in North America, although celebrating the harvest and giving thanks for a successful bounty of crops had been a long-standing tradition throughout North America by various First Nations and Native American groups. First Nations and Native Americans throughout the Americas, including the Pueblo, Cherokee, Creek and many others organized harvest festivals, ceremonial dances, and other celebrations of thanks for centuries before the arrival of Europeans in North America. Frobisher was later knighted and had an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean in northern Canada

At the same time, French settlers, having crossed the ocean and arrived in Canada with explorer Samuel de Champlain, also held huge feasts of thanks. They even formed 'The Order of Good Cheer' and gladly shared their food with their First Nations neighbours.

After the Seven Years' War ended in 1763 handing over New France to the British, the citizens of Halifax held a special day of Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving days were observed beginning in 1799 but did not occur every year. After the American Revolution, American refugees who remained loyal to Great Britain moved from the United States and came to Canada. They brought the customs and practices of the American Thanksgiving to Canada. The first Thanksgiving Day after Canadian Confederation was observed as a civic holiday on April 5, 1872 to celebrate the recovery of the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) from a serious illness.

Starting in 1879 Thanksgiving Day was observed every year but the date was proclaimed annually and changed year to year. The theme of the Thanksgiving holiday also changed year to year to reflect an important event to be thankful for. In the early years it was for an abundant harvest and occasionally for a special anniversary.

After World War I, both Armistice Day and Thanksgiving were celebrated on the Monday of the week in which November 11 occurred. Ten years later, in 1931, the two days became separate holidays, and Armistice Day was renamed Remembrance Day.

On January 31, 1957, the Canadian Parliament proclaimed:

A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed … to be observed on the 2nd Monday in October.

Comments

[Cindy Ruth]

Jerry-Your Thanksgiving dinner looks divine! And I agree that you can not have low-fat food on Thanksgiving. I think using the apple sorbet as a palate cleanser was a great idea. Good job!

[sandi @ the whistlestop cafe]

The table looks great!

Everything looks yummy. I can't wait to hear about the dessert.

Happy Thanksgiving Day, eh!
(that is in Canadian in case you are wondering)

[Brenda]

Looks like a delectable Thanksgiving dinner to me!
We also did it up in style, with every favorite family dish on the table, from brussels sprouts to turnips and carrots in butter and brown sugar glaze, right through to Pumpkin Pie Squares that are a family favorite.
I was so stuffed...felt like the turkey looked!
Ciao,
Brenda

[Jane]

Jerry, some day I want to actually sit down at your table rather than just enjoy it in photos!! Thanks for the lesson on Canadian Thanksgiving. I had wondered about that.

[Terru (teaberry)]

Oooh, Jerry. What a wonderful meal you prepared. It looks totally fabulous. And I love how you set your table too. Happy Thanksgiving to you!

[Laura]

I must say Jerry, it's quite convenient that your Thanksgiving comes a month before mine. Gives me the opportunity to borrow menu ideas!

BTW, I remember sharing a decadent Thanksgiving with you and your mother some, dare I say it, 25 years ago. I think I still have a photo of you passed out on the sofa afterward!

[Palma]

I am so behind on reading blogs! Everything looks beautiful, and delicious.

[Jerry]

Thanks y'all. It was a greta day.

Jane - if you are ever in the area you must stop by!

Sandi - I picked up on the Canadianism LOL

Brenda - clearly we'll need a few days to recover.

Laura - that must have been some other friend. I would never engage in such behaviour! :-)

Palma - see you in a week! Don't do all owrk between now and then - rest and relax!