As we enter December, we have one wonderful food-filled holiday right behind us, and another just a few weeks away. And in this rare moment of calm before the Holiday Season unfolds, I want to take a moment to say how truly thankful I am for all the amazing love, luck, and happiness I have in my life, thanks to my amazing family, friends, and random moments of joy that manage to sneak their way into my life when I least expect it. I hope that on the heels of Thanksgiving, this December provides the opportunity for all of us to find new ways to be grateful, and thank those people we love most by sharing with them great experiences, great food, lots of love, and of course, making new memories.
This year, I am so thankful that I had the amazing opportunity to spend two days creating exciting dishes and experimenting in my parent’s kitchen in order to create the Thanksgiving spread for my family. I’m also extremely thankful that everyone in my family are such fabulous chefs, and that we all were able to collaborate bring something unique and outstanding to the table this year. From the Sweet Potato casserole topped with candied pecans, to the stuffing packed with sweet Italian sausage, butternut squash, and cranberries, to the sweet, moist cornbread that was full of whole kernels of tender corn, this year’s feast felt very much like the real first Thanksgiving, with everyone traveling with their own special dishes to join together and give thanks for a beautiful meal.
With that, I’d like to share with all of you some of my favorite culinary memories that came out of the Krupin kitchen this Thanksgiving.
Fresh, thick, bubbling heavy cream – one of the essential ingredients in Locanda Verde’s Pumpkin-Ginger Pie.
Gleaming, scrubbed white button mushrooms are just waiting to be stuffed with a savory, buttery, cheesy filling and eagerly devoured by the entire family.
Mix flour, butter, lard, and sugar. Chill, roll, and relish in the ease of making your own homemade pie crust.
The extra scraps of dough find a new home as dainty autumn leaves of butter and sugar, which will create a festive ring around this pie.
Nothing brings me back to my childhood more than the captivating aroma that rises from a cast iron pan full of garlic and shallots sweating in a bath of hot olive oil.
Christine’s Words to Live By: There are few things in life that cannot be made better by the marriage of sage and butter. Thanksgiving Turkey is surely one of them.
A classic French Pissaladiere finds a new home at our Thanksgiving table, where the flavors of basil, tomato, soft onions, tart olives, and sweet sun-dried tomatoes flew right off the table and into hungry mouths.
Smoky pancetta, garlic, and shallots caramelize in the hopes of soon coating crisp, aldente green beans and toasted slivers of almond for Green Beans Almondine.
Finally complete are the stuffed mushrooms, an absolute staple for all holiday functions.
A homemade cranberry sauce was the star of this year’s spread. Cranberry juice cocktail, whole fresh cranberries, dried cranberries, dried tart cherries, lime pulp and zest, currant jelly, allspice, cinnamon sticks, an orange peel, and a sprinkle of brown sugar make the best cranberry sauce you’ve ever eaten. Great on turkey, ice cream, or plain with just you and a spoon.
Stuffed with rosemary, onions, and garlic, and smothered inside, outside, and under the skin with a creamy sage butter, this bird was ready to roast.
The finished Pumpkin-Ginger Pie topped with freshly whipped Madagascar Vanilla Cream, a dessert that will get you through to springtime.
And finally, our turkey emerged from its steamy oven (owed in large part to the pan of Sauvignon Blanc that joined it in the oven to keep it moist), with crisp, buttery skin and moist, tender meat. This bird proves that brining isn’t always needed for a great Thanksgiving turkey.
Happy Holidays to All!!
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