Thanksgiving was not a holiday that I grew up celebrating. Having been raised Hassidic, we did not celebrate this holiday. We didn't celebrate any holiday that wasn't Jewish. It wasn't until I had left the community that I decided, hey - I'm an American and I am grateful to the country that allowed me to be free to live as I want (well, within a certain framework, of course), practicing the religion of my choice. I am not happy with the way Thanksgiving originally came about. I don't believe the natives of this fine country were treated fairly. However, I am afforded a lifestyle that many others in the world can only dream about, and for this I am truly thankful.
Thanksgiving makes me think about the heady aroma of cinnamon, aromatic cloves, earthy allspice, spicy nutmeg. It is a celebration of harvest, a time to be grateful for the plentiful bounty of apples and pumpkins and squashes and corn, of root vegetables and yams and all sorts of goodness. I love the scintillating scent of holiday pies and stuffing and custards and caramels that are filling my kitchen at this time of year. Turkey has its place, and I fancy myself a great cook, but I am the sweet queen and I reign supreme over my dessert domain.
This year I am preparing lots of delicious treats for friends, clients, family. It fills my heart with warmth to have the opportunity to share the sweetness and spiciness of the season with others.
For one client, I have prepared an Apple-Cranberry Pie. The combination of apple and cranberry are so perfect together...the sweetness of the apples offsetting the tartness of the cranberries aided by a good dose of brown sugar, warm autumn spices and some gingersnaps to bring it all together. All of this goodness buried in the belly of a buttery crust equals holiday perfection. I topped it all off with a dough cut out of a turkey and some vent holes and it turned out to be quite a handsome pie.
Next, I prepared individual Pumpkin Custards baked in teensy little Mason jars. These adorable pots of silky deliciousness are topped with a crispy, buttery heap of ginger snap crumble. Pumpkin pie is so yesterday...these lightened versions are heavy on flavor, but not on fat.
This is the first time that I am actually going to try making Peanut Butter Pie! I am so glad that I have friends and loved ones who believe, like I, that everything is better in miniature. So I will be making these pies in individual graham cracker crusts. One of the inspirations for these tiny treats is a miniature peanut butter cup that I discovered at Trader Joe's. I LOVE that place. When I discovered these delectable tidbits I fell for them immediately. What's not to love? Tiny? Check. Peanut buttery? Check Milk chocolaty? Check. Perfect? Check. These will be made tomorrow afternoon - so I will have to come back and post about them.
And then I will be making a lovely traditional favorite, Apple Crumble Pie. I am using Martha Stewart's recipe. It begins with a traditional buttery crust foundation to hold a 9" deep dish of spiced and sweetened apple slices. She adds raisins, but there are some who don't like them, so I will omit them. Then it is crowned with a glorious crumble topping. I think it will be a hit. That, too, will be baked tomorrow - so I will report back on this as well.
And, finally, adorable turkey table decorations...one for each person at the festive dinner. I saw Giada De Laurentiis make these on her show. The back and base of the turkey are made with Double Stuff Oreos, the head is a Whopper, the tummy is a Reese's Miniature Peanut Butter Cup, the feathers are Candy Corn, and the other features are drawn on with icing. I am so totally looking forward to putting these together tomorrow. I am pretty sure they will be the talk of the Thanksgiving table.
Here is to abundance, a fanciful feast, loads of laughter, jubilant joy, the goodness and kindness of those we hold dear, and the time to enjoy them.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
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