Happy Thanksgiving to all of our family and friends!
What to do for Thanksgiving when you move 1000's of miles away from your loved ones? Do you pretend it doesn't exist and head to Canada? Go to a local restaurant serving dinner for the tourists, singles, or families that enjoy the ease of having things prepared and cleaned up for them? Or maybe make a Thanksgiving dinner for two and go overboard? Those of you who know us well already know the answer to that. Though it's no replacement for the traditional Family gathering, we wanted to make it special and memorial. Here is our menu:
The Cocktail:
The New England Sour
One of our favorite neighborhood bartenders, Kenaniah of www.essexbarseattle.com, makes a great version of the New York Sour (recipe here: www.food52.com/recipes/24164-new-york-sour ). It has become a regular beverage in our home so I attempted to put a Thanksgiving/New England twist on it:
Muddled cranberries
1.75 oz. Rye
1/2 oz. Simple syrup
1/2 oz. Fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz. Cocchi Americano
Shake and Strain into a rocks glass
Top with 1/2 oz. red wine
Serve with an orange twist
It was a good attempt and very good, but I prefer the original for sure...We'll call it a work in progress.
After the introductory cocktail we scheduled some time to skype and call our family, and of course you need a beverage in you hand while skyping, otherwise you just look silly. We opened a bottle of Local Black Currant Hard Cider by www.finnriver.com. Finn river cider is harvested and brewed on the Olympic Peninsula We really need to get out to their Brewery for a tasting. Everything we have sampled is stellar.
First Course "The Fish"
Smoked Salmon on Mustard-Chive and Dill Butter Toasts
The Chateau Ste. Michelle winery is right outside of Seattle. We brought my Mum there in October and bought this bottle during our visit.
Second Course "The squash"
Handmade Pumpkin Ravioli in Browned Butter
Paired with 2011 White Burgundy of Auxey Duresses (aka Chardonnay)
Third Course "The Regal Cornish Hen"
Cornish Game Hen with a Gremolata butter, Green Beans and Truffle Mashed Potatoes
Paired with a 2010 Domaine Michel Gros Nuits Saint Georges (aka Pinot Noir).
Time for dessert......
Homemade Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie with Fresh Whipped Creme
Paired with Bodegas Dios Baco - Oloroso Sherry.
It was an epic meal and actually went off without a hitch. There is no substitution for family and friends on Thanksgiving, but we dealt with our first solo Thanksgiving the only way we know how to;
In the kitchen with each other
2 never empty Glasses
Fresh quality ingredients
some imagination
and lots of love and laughter.
Thanks for reading
Love the Zilla's
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