Thanksgiving

Menu
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Welcome drink: cinnamon-tamarind margarita

Starter: goat cheese with wild thyme honey, pumpkin oil and toasted pecans

The Feast:
 Turkey with porcini mushrooms

(bronze free range turkey from Drings Greenwich)

Mushroom Gravy

Herbed Stuffing
Sweet potatoes with pecans and marshmallows
Green beans with shallots
Mashed potatoes
Roasted beet root and Carrots
Subtly spicy cranberry-pear chutney relish
Salad with herbed pumpkin oil dressing

Dessert: Traditional Pumpkin Pie with whipped cream
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This was my 8th Thanksgiving since I moved to the UK...I have cooked every year except for one (I was working in New Zealand that year). Over the years I have perfected my menu to something I am very happy with. It is all very fresh...lots of fresh herbs...lots of colour...and mushrooms take a bit of a centre stage with the turkey as well. It's earthy autumn-y, it's a great menu. Not fancy, but a step up from what you might find in the average home. This year...as it was a supper club I added in a starter. I spent a long time mulling over options and finally came up with something I was very happy with. It involved goat cheese and wild thyme honey (both from The Cheeseboard in Greenwich) drizzled with Pumpkin Oil (online from Sous Chef) and toasted pecans. I really loved it and it was very pretty to look at too :)

The advantage to having made my Thanksgiving dinner so many times is that I have the routine down pat.

Two days before:
1. I roast the pumpkin and set in the refrigerator to drain over night.
2. I cook the cranberry pear chutney with ginger and a touch of crushed chile flakes. This fills the house with the most wonderful smells and making it a couple days early means it's even better on the day. 
3. I also make the porcini mushroom butter with mint, rosemary, thyme, garlic, and parsley and leave it overnight so the flavours come together.

The night before:

I make the pumpkin pie...this year I made three!

On the Day...
Everything else...including the star of the show...Franklin the Turkey. I picked him up from Drings Butcher in Greenwich and then rubbed him down with the porcini mushroom butter I had made before. I think it's required that you name your turkey before you give them an intimate butter rubdown ;) He was an incredible turkey...his giblits were the biggest I have ever seen. We were amazed by the size of his breast bone and his legs and wings were soooo meaty. He. Was. Delicious.

For a little extra pretty Autumn décor, I bought this beautiful arrangement from the local florist, The Rose Corner.

To read what a guest thought of this evening have a look at the post by Selena from Oh, The Places we will go