PLANNING FOR THANKSGIVING

As October draws to a close, it's time to start planning for the big Thanksgiving Feast. While I enjoy everyday cooking, preparing a big meal for an expanded guest list is especially exciting. For me, cooking for a crowd is like a stage performance, a crescendo of acts and scenes, where the stars and the supporting actors are directed to bring the "audience" at the table on a culinary adventure. It's fun to create a menu that will not only introduce new foods to less than adventurous eaters, but also expand my culinary abilities in the kitchen. This year's menu contains a few old favorites, several new dishes, and a brand new way to prepare the turkey.

The new additions are courtesey of one of my favortite celebrity chefs, Ben Ford, from his unique cookbook Taming the Feast released this past May. I credit Ben for inspiring me to really expand my culinary horizons. The book, which is broken into themed feast chapters, includes a section entitled "Sunday Roast," which includes recipes for both corn cob-smoked turkey and prime rib roast. I'm saving the beef for my traditional English Christmas Dinner, but the turkey sounded intriguing. Unfortnately, I didn't save any corn cobs this summer, but luckily, Ben offers an alternative of using corn meal instead. The corn meal may actually work better since I'm using a gas grill with a fixed grate.

Other recipes that I'll be using from this chapter include Buttered Peas, Cornbread & Sausage Stuffing and the Persimmon Salad with Goat Cheese and Candied Pecans. I'll also be making the giblet gravy, one of my favories from childhood, along with some plain gravy for the more finicky eaters at the table.

There is another culinary compromise that I begrudgingly have to make every year--the use of canned, jellied

cranberry sauce. Blech. Slicing that ridged, quivering cylinder really grosses me out, but it's the only type of cranberry sauce my family will eat. I usually make a small batch of fresh, whole-berry sauce spiked with cardamom or orange peel just for me. This year, I'm going to force the whole berries onto them by sliding them into one of the side dishes--Roasted Butternut Squash with Baby Spinach. I've made this several times for other occasions and it's very tasty and colorful. I may be sneaky and make mashed turnips instead of boring mashed potatoes, but I'm still debating that one since my daughter, who's home from college, loves mashed potatoes so much.

I may also get a little creative with dessert as well. Of course I'll make the obligatory pumpkin pie, an absolute requirement for my husband, but I may also make a pear and blue cheese tart with toasted hazelnuts that I've been dying to make for some time now.

Wine pairing this year will be quite fun with our recent trip to the Finger Lakes. With dinner, I plan on offering a choice of a dry rose, Gewurtztraminer, or Pinot Noir. For after dinner, I have some nice Chardonnay ice wine or a port-style dessert wine.

Is your mouth starting to water yet? Mine sure is!

#thanksgiving #chefbenford #turkey #cranberries