Hasselback Honeynut Squash and Apples

Hasselback Honeynut Squash and Apples

THREE WEEKS TO GO!

It’s that time of year…Thanksgiving!! You all know how much I love this holiday. The cooking, the family, the friends. I am so thankful that this year not only brings the big meal back to our home, but that our kids will be here as well. This includes my grandson and it will be his first visit here. 

Last year was a skip year for us hosting, but two years ago we had nineteen for the big meal! My new kitchen had just finished. Just. Finished. As in, the week before Thanksgiving just finished. As in: I had to kick out crew because my first guests were arriving. I had barely used it, and if I’m being totally honest, I was a bit nervous about hosting such a large gathering when I had not yet figured out the ins and outs of the new appliances, how to keep the countertops protected, and what cleaning products I needed to use to avoid stains and scratches. Despite my stress, I wouldn’t trade it for anything! All went well. No dings in paint or countertops, the marble countertops stayed pristine (no stains, no chips, still shiny to this day!), and the floors only suffered a few scratches which were easily repaired.

What’s in your Breadbasket?

Bread Basket for Thanksgiving
Bread basket from a previous Thanksgiving. This year I plan to add cornbread, lavosh, and hopefully some form of pumpernickel

This year we are well into prep. We finished a project leftover from two years ago, and my house is finally back together. I typically have pie crusts in the freezer by now, but I will make those in the next few days. Breads, too, although I do have my Rosemary-Walnut Sourdough Rolls made. I have this thing for abundant bread baskets, especially at the holidays.

My Thanksgiving bread basket includes my mother-in-law’s recipe for Parker House Rolls with Herb Butter, Sweet Potato Crescent Rolls with Dried Cherries, and those Rosemary-walnut Sourdough Rolls. I’m going to make mini cornbread muffins to add to the basket this year, and perhaps some Lavosh or Cheese Straws. I’d love to find the recipe for a Pumpernickel Bread I had a few years ago and add that to the basket. I’ve scoured the internet, but haven’t come across anything that seems close to what I remember eating. If nothing else in the meal works, we at least have bread. 

Side Dishes…the real stars of the meal

On the right: Honeynut Squash; Left is Koginut Squash

I am working through which side dishes to make. Our must-have sides are: mashed potatoes with gravy, some form of stuffing/dressing, and cranberry sauce (try my recipe here). But I like to switch up the rest. I came across this squash recipe last year on the Williams Sonoma site. I printed it and tucked it inside my Thanksgiving notebook as a ‘want-to-try’ recipe. The base is honeynut squash (sort of like a baby butternut) and apples. 

Last year I made it for the first time. I served it alongside sheet pan chicken and quinoa that I flavored with dried cranberries, tangerine zest and juice, and walnuts. I had some of the quinoa and squash leftover, so I mixed them together and had that as my lunch the next day. Yum! It will be a nice addition this year should it make the cut. 

Hope your planning is going well and I’ll keep you updated on my progress.

Buon Appetito, Y’all!

64 Days til Thanksgiving! My Latest Cocktail and How I’m Getting Ready

Only 64 days until Thanksgiving!

64 Days til Thanksgiving! You all know Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. First and foremost, I love that this holiday is about being with loved ones and giving thanks. I am hopeful that our kids and grandson will be able to be with us this year. After loved ones is the food…the seasonal squashes and stuffings and turkey roasting in the oven. And pie. I have created my own holiday around pie

I have been hard at work on my menu, scouring the internet for tablescape ideas, and making lists upon lists of what to do, when to do it, and how to streamline it all so I can actually enjoy my guests. An added event this year is a small cocktail party I’m throwing the Saturday before Thanksgiving to celebrate a milestone birthday for my husband. Hey, go big or go home, right?

In order to make sure I don’t go completely out of my mind the week of, I plan to front-load October with as much as I can do in advance as possible. That includes making and freezing turkey stock, pie crusts and breads. All of those I have successfully made ahead in prior years, and I feel very comfortable with this. I plan to prepare a few freezer meals to free up time while my guests are in town. That will allow us to eat healthy and minimize clean up. Some options I’m considering are: Vegan Shepherd’s Pie, Vegetable Lasagna, and Bolognese Sauce. These, I can make in quantity since they freeze well.

Wine, Beer, and Cocktails

I can also purchase beer and wines and mixers in advance. Last year I discovered Gamay wines, and I’ve been drinking them all year. They are red wines which pair well with turkey. If your crowd likes whites, Pinot Grighio and White Burgundies are a great choice. But really, go with what you and your crowd like rather than what others tell you to drink. Despite what some might say, there are no wrong choices.

My eldest son typically comes up with our Thanksgiving cocktail, but this year I came across a recipe for a Ginger-Cranberry Whiskey Sour that screams ‘Thanksgiving!’ I may need to test it out ahead of time. Just to be sure. Scroll to the bottom for the recipe or click the link below to jump to the recipe.

Jump to Recipe

Thanksgiving in October – Advance Prep

I ordered my turkey last week. It’s a big ‘un. I’m already late to the game for a pasture-raised turkey, and I normally order 2 – one for roasting, a smaller one for smoking. This year I was only able to find a large one for roasting which I will pick up the Saturday before Thanksgiving. I’m asking around to see if I can find a smaller turkey to smoke; however, the large one is much larger than I typically buy (21-24lbs!!!), so it might not be a bad idea to skip the smoked turkey this year.

For the outside of the house, my husband will help with lighting in the back and side yards. I’ll clean up the cushions on the furniture and store them so they will be ready, and I’ll also plant fall color in the beds. I’ve already stocked up on pinion wood for the chiminea, and the propane tanks are filled and ready for the tabletop fire pits. My windows are scheduled to be cleaned (they haven’t been professionally cleaned since before our kitchen remodel 2 years ago…aagh!). Other than some last minute touch ups, the outside should be ready for our company well in advance of the big day.

For inside, I will have the guest rooms readied. Along with that, I aim to iron any linens: tablecloths, napkins, etc. I am not much of an ironer, but I do like a crisp tablecloth and linen napkins to highlight my table setting that day. I don’t decorate for Christmas until the day after Thanksgiving, so no need to do any of that in advance. However, I will take the boxes out of storage before guests arrive so we will be ready to jump in on Pie Friday. 😉

Thanksgiving Spreadsheet Items

On my Thanksgiving spreadsheet this year (doesn’t everyone have a Thanksgiving spreadsheet?!), I added a ‘To Be Delegated’ column. Any of you who know me well know how awful I am at delegating in all matters kitchen related. I’m dreadful at it! I’ve gotten a little better over the years, but it is still difficult. I hope to delegate some of the food prep, maybe the table setting, and possibly some of the flower arranging. Maybe. We’ll see what I’m able to let go of this year. LOL

Obviously, I go a lot bigger for Thanksgiving than many. But it is my Joy…with a capital J. I spend much of the year thinking about it and planning for it and dreaming of ways I can make it even better. I realize not everyone has the same passion as I do. But if you are looking for tips to make your Thanksgiving a tad less stressful, I wrote about that a few years ago (here). Feel free to pick and choose any of the ones that work for your holiday.

Until next time,

Gobble, gobble, Y’all!

Ginger-Cranberry Whiskey Sour

This recipe makes one drink

Ingredients
  

  • 2 oz bourbon
  • 1 oz ginger simple syrup* (see notes, below)
  • 1 oz unsweetened cranberry juice
  • ice
  • 1 egg white (optional)
  • candied ginger, cranberries and/or dried orange slices for garnish

Instructions
 

  • In a cocktail shaker, combine bourbon, ginger syrup, cranberry juice and egg white. Fill shaker with ice and vigorously shake until outside of shaker is frosty, about 20 seconds.Strain into a rocks glass or couple. Garnish as desired.

Notes

*Ginger simple syrup can be made by combining equal parts sugar and water until sugar disolves. Add in about a 2″ peeled and grated piece of ginger and let sit for about 10 minutes (can leave longer depending on how strong of a ginger taste you prefer). Strain the ginger and refrigerate the syrup in an airtight container. This can be made a week or two in advance.

London: Leake Street Arches

Leake Street Arches in the South Bank area of London

What if I told you that within The Square Mile there existed a tunnel where one could go and – legally – graffiti ups the walls?

Pondering my options for my second full day [to myself] in London, I came across info for the Leake Street Arches. It was about a 40 minute walk from my hotel, not too bad (I could also have taken the Tube had I not wanted to walk). I was intrigued, it was not the usual tourist site, and best of all: it was FREE. What did I have to lose besides a bit of time? I laced up and got walking!

Out hotel was near St. Paul’s Cathedral. From there to Leake Street I really only needed to follow the walking path next to the Thames until I neared Waterloo Bridge. After that, it was another 5-10 minute walk to the tunnels. It began to mist just as I grew near…perfect timing! Into the arches I went.

My photos do not do justice to the artwork I viewed. I added some of my favorite photos (see below), but it’s an ever-changing artscape. The rules allow that artwork already there can be painted over, so most likely this already looks very different than when I was there. Per the rules: “Art is by its nature live and evolving.”

Banksy – famous internationally for his street art – was one of those at the forefront pushing for this place to be transformed from a dark tunnel to a vibrant space filled with art. He organized the Cans Festival in May 2008. In three days he witnessed his plans come to fruition. I don’t believe any of his own artwork is still present, but he used to have some pieces there.

However, another world-famous street artist, Blek Le Rat, added a piece in August 2023. He was the precursor to Banksy in the street art scene, and it is claimed that he influenced Banksy. Is this true? Likely, but I do not know for sure. What I do know is that his artwork now has a piece of plexiglass over it to prevent it from being painted over. I guess not all art there evolves. Perhaps it is merely a temporary reprise from other eager artists looking for space.

Blek Le Rat
Artwork of Blek Le Rat, installed August 2023
Blek Le Rat
Calling Card of Blek Le Rat

More artwork that grabbed me:

Artist clearing a space so he can begin
This one brought to mind my grandson, who loves cookies
Artist contemplating…

Of note: there are classes offered that bring you to the tunnels, provide you with paints and coverings to protect your clothing, and let you get to it. I do not believe you need to be with a group to paint there, but it does sound fun! I may have to give this a go my next visit. I highly recommend this attraction should you find yourself in London.

I wandered about for a bit, admiring the artwork and watching some of the artists at work. I then headed a couple of streets over to an Italian restaurant to feed my hungry soul. Because one must eat.

Until next time, Buon Appetito!

Tagliatelle con ragu di agnello

London Called…I Answered

London Borough Market
London’s Borough Market

This past Sunday I returned from a brief visit to London. It had been nine years since my last visit…NINE YEARS! I wasn’t sure what to expect in the way of changes to one of my favorite cities.

Turns out, there were a lot of changes, but quite a bit was as I remembered. Certainly the city scape has grown. There is an increase in the number of skyscrapers. Crowds were higher than I’ve ever seen during previous visits; however, it was the week following Easter Sunday. Schools were on holiday, and families were traveling. I was in the Borough Market one morning and found myself caught up in a crowd where I literally could not move unless and until the crowd moved. I felt claustrophobic and briefly panicked when I realized that at that moment I had no control over where and when I would move. I’ve never felt that before. Thankfully, the crowd shifted enough that I was able to find a narrow opening and slip out. I immediately headed to lunch at one of my favorites: Wright Brothers Oyster and Porterhouse, where I managed to calm myself with a glass of bubbly and a sea bream carpaccio, paired with a side of one of the most delicious soda breads I’ve tasted. I made some tasting notes so I can try to replicate the soda bread one of these days.

Sea Bream Carpaccio, Soda Bread and Bubbly

Before the “sardine incident” occurred, I was able to make my way through most of the market and even managed to purchase some spices from Spice Mountain. I’ve brought back various spices and flavored salts from them in the past, and I was happy to see they were still in business.

The Borough Market itself has evolved with the times. It is even more touristy now than it was last time I visited. And there are a lot of new restaurants and shops that have popped up around that area. I worried it had changed too much, or that the changes would be so drastic they would alter the whole experience. For many that might be the case, but I felt the essence of the market remained, despite the changes. I do hope it isn’t normally so overrun with crowds. That would certainly be a game-changer for me.

Below are some of the images I captured during my wanderings:

Paella…So large it took 2 men to move it!!

The breads: Carb heaven!

Circling Back to Life (and Bread!)

Country Loaf with olives, walnuts, lemon zest

It’s been a hot minute since my last post. Do folks even read blogs these days? [her shoulders form an exaggerated shrug] I dunno…

Here I am either way.

Since my last post, a pandemic has come and gone (is it gone??). I am now a grandmother to a beautiful two-year-old. My mother-in-law has left this world. I had a teeny, tiny heart attack. (That in and of itself is a tale for another day; I am healed and stronger than ever!) Travel came to a standstill. Then travel came back full force, perhaps even more so than pre-pandemic.

In other words, the circle of life has continued.

It seems so many people channeled their inner chef during Covid times. Bread was baked, gourmet meals were whipped up, cocktails were imbibed. Oddly, I went the opposite direction. I still cooked, but I went basic. I baked no bread. Zero. My drinking decreased. A little. We ate super healthy and worked out more. Cooking became an aside for me for the first two years of the pandemic: more need based, less creative outlet. The third year of pandemic found us finally delving into the kitchen renovation project we had planned to begin summer of 2020. (Another tale for another post…btw, it turned out gorgeous!)

I was halfway through a writing program at SMU when the pandemic hit. The program was eventually dismantled, but some of the former instructors took it online during the pandemic. I kept up for a couple of classes, and I also formed an online writing group that met daily. I took a few other online classes. In many ways, those years were a time of connection for me, a time of rediscovering who I am and what I want and need in my life.

I haven’t written much since my heart attack, but I am beginning to get back to my novel (fiction; NOT food based). In May 2024 I will be attending a writing workshop in France (!) for one week. I was shocked that my submission was accepted and that I was invited to join.

And I’ve been re-engaging my own inner chef. In January I began bread-baking in earnest. I had forgotten how much I love the aroma of freshly baked breads, not to mention the taste. Nothing beats a freshly baked loaf slathered with a smear of salted butter. My increasing waistline has reminded me why I need to take it a bit slower with this renewed love. I’ve been using techniques from Chad Robertson’s “Tartine” books, which work beautifully and yield amazing breads. My favorite so far is the basic country loaf with lemon zest, olives and walnuts. I serve it next to European style butter topped with sea salt and herbs de Provence.

Here I am, full circle, back to Cleansed Palate. I hesitated in my return. I’ve steered away from social media in recent years to sustain my mental health and energy, and I fear this will throw me right back into all that mess. I’ll take this slow. One word at a time. One post at a time.

Buon Appetito, y’all!