My mother loved Thanksgiving. For her the day was the best holiday of the year. A time, she felt, when family would gather around the table and enjoy a meal with so many favorite dishes.
To prepare the meal, she would include my sister and myself as helpers. My father was old school, so his responsibilities involved showing up at the table when the meal was ready. Which was fine with my sister and myself. We enjoyed the time in the kitchen chopping vegetables and stuffing the turkey, which meant my sister and I held the turkey butt-up as my mom spooned in the stuffing.
For dessert, my favorite was her apple pie. My mom tossed peeled and sliced apples with lemon juice and brown sugar mixed with raisins. The combination of sweet and tart was kind of ideal. For this Thanksgiving, I'm going to make an apple dessert but a galette instead of a pie because I like the folded crust on top and it is easier to make.
For a new dish I'm going to make truffle macaroni and cheese, a dish demonstrated by chef David Codney (the Peninsula Beverly Hills). The recipe and video are on
Zester Daily. The dish is elegant and easy to make and it's perfect as an appetizer or a side dish as a companion for Thanksgiving's more rustic fare.
I've been experimenting with dry sautéed nuts. The one I like a lot, which I'll make for Thanksgiving, is raw pistachios in the shell tossed with sea salt, thyme and rosemary. It's easy and quick with a
carbon steel pan that can take the heat.
Have a great Thanksgiving.
