A full morning of making a mis en place:
Starting at the orange one on the left: Satsuma and lemon for cranberry, onion, toasted pecan for the white bread dressing, carrots, celery, then a back row of rough chopped celery leaves, onion and celery for stock and for the turkey roasting pan, then in front of the satsumas, bay leaves, poblano chili, garlic, onion, and celery for cornbread dressing, boiled and ground chicken giblets for the cornbread dressing, then cooked chanterelles and sausage for the white bread dressing, and on the front row, fresh oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, and garlic for the cornbread dressing, a bowl of herbs I can’t remember what it was, two herb bundles (thyme, parsley, bay) for the bechamel for creamed onions and for the gravy stock, then parsley, sage, celery leaves for the white bread stuffing.
Thanksgiving (tilapia day) completed circa 8 pm: Decided to do something different this year, and then at the last minute, even more different. While there is a lot to be said for tradition, there is a lot to be said for breaking it and making it. After all, all tradition started with someone saying “this is hip” (Mississippi John Hurt).
We need a “Like” button on this blog….
Part of the tradition from my side is this meal I do twice a year, with a continuing effort to get it right– I’m always tinkering at the edges, while aware that, with too substantial tinkering, I’ll produce family objections.
One tweak this year was a cooked cranberry that had applejack in it (pretty simple– cranberry, a little applejack, brown sugar, white sugar, orange juice). There are a couple of things I think I get close without quite nailing, but I enjoy the whole project. And my family, much like the one I grew up in, is very expectant about certain kinds of traditions.