TERCULES!
That's the official name of our 19lb turkey this year. LH came up with that one as the cooking marathon has begun accompanied by the endless washing and drying of dishes (well, measuring cups and mixing containers and pots and pans, etc). Did I mention the Girls have to leave early, so I will be washing lots of china, crystal and silverware, and everything by myself? Actually, LH will, (he'd better) help me, at least for a while. Then comes the decarrassing of the turkey. Like a vulture, with a sharp knife I leave no bone with meat and before long, we have a bag of turkey salad meat, and the Boys have a turkey bag for themselves.
Ben and Jett are savoring the smells and already had their first taste of turkey liver. Yup, made the stock last night and cooked rice and wild rice for the stuffing (which will be made tonight along with my pumpkin mousse dessert and a great cheese ball). The potatoes and mincemeat pie will be on the agenda tomorrow along with roasting Tercules. The white wine is chilling and there's a lime with my name on it in the fridge!!!
Thanksgiving is the one holiday we do after our first thanksgiving in the land of Buckeyes and as a married couple. Drove to LH's Dad place at the Resort and Amusement Spot on the Lake and my sisters-in-law made thanksgiving dinner from boxes, cans and jars, except for the turkey which was real. After that, I volunteered and it's going on 18 years now. Have the process pretty much in hand and have mellowed out over the years. I do like to set a nice table with our china, crystal, the gurgling Cod pitcher, and the silverware (gifts from my grandma and godmother every Christmas and birthday for nearly 18 years!). I always have favors and of course, the Ferro Rocher!! It's massive amounts of work but it always looks so nice and tastes so wonderful and I enjoy having the family gathered around the table, which for LH and I doesn't happen too often. (The nights we do have dinner together it always just the two of us and 1 greyhound who likes to stick his beak closer to the plate than he should.) So, I enjoy filling up the dining room table!
This will be Jett's second Thanksgiving with us as he arrived last year just a week or two ahead of the holiday. He's far more curious now as though the smells wafting through the house remind him of his welcome to a new home and a third chance at life. Now, if I can just keep him out of the kitchen and from under my feet, that would be great!!!
My the fragrance of God's love and presence waft through your home and gathering places and mingle with all the wonderful smells of home, tradition, goodness, bounty and love. Savour the goodness of life, and time together. Blessings to all this Thanksgiving!