I’m going back over the weekend and adding photos and recipe links to my entry, Thanksgiving Day Feast. There is new info so if you are getting this on RSS feed don’t miss it!
I gave up on the lard that went up in flames and made a butter shortbread crust for the apple quince tall tart, I nixed my idea to modify my favorite sweet potato souffle with our acorn squash and instead went with a savory cheese rosemary squash side and inspired by the smoky scent of the lard episode we decided to smoke the turkey – which also meant smoked gravy.
The turkey came out so brilliantly that we are forevermore smoking it.
The real stars of the feast – our backyard chickens who laid 17 eggs for the meal (creme brulee, cheese puffs and eggnog ice cream), our garden that provided the spices, celery, brussel sprouts, squash and beets and Rockridge Orchards who once again contributed in some way, shape or form to almost every dish from gravy to brine to pickling medium to drinking cider to chestnuts and finally to tea.
Even if you aren’t a cider drinker – their apple cider vinegar is so amazingly unique it brightens almost any dish, including jams and fruit pies. Don’t think vinegar – think flavor enhancer. It’s better than MSG, local and made by my favorite farming family. If I were ever to run away and join a farm it would be theirs.
