Thanksgiving was a success. I mastered both ovens and found my immersion blender.

We had two guests and everybody fit around the table (instead of squishing in around our kitchen table at the old apartment).

Ratings:

Turkey: A- (could've done with another day of brining but moist and flavorful). Not my best one but very good. True Believer in Dry Brining.
Salmon: A. For JZ. I make this for her all the time so I know how she likes it.
Gravy: A. Veg gravy EM brought was excellent as usual. Meaty gravy I made was also in demand.
Cranberry Sauce: B-. Flavor basically rescued but not as good as last year's and, of course, poor execution with the boil over.
Stuffing: B. Satisfactory. Basic recipe was sound but lacked a little pizzaz.
Mashed Potatoes: A+. I know how I like 'em and I know how to make 'em.
Roasted Brussels Sprout Salad: A-. Very good effort on an improvised recipe. Nice to have something on the plate with some greens and acidity to cut through the richness.
Mushroom Stew in Pastry Cups: A+. One of my best stews. We know this recipe now and it's locked in. Holding back fancy mushrooms to saute separately and incorporate at the end was right choice.
Spanikopita: A+. JZ always makes it delicious. Lots of Kerrygold in the recipe this year.
Deviled Eggs: A. Emmett made them at the last minute and they were yum. He added chopped up cornichons.
Charcuterie Plate: A. Matilda's friend Mia was in charge and put together an artful plate on her first try.
Pie: A+. EM brought both a homemade pumpkin and apple pie, and both were splendid. Apples were sweetened with Maple instead of sugar this year and it was very tasty.

The house has been officially inaugurated with its first family gathering and it flowed and encompassed and accommodated everybody. It was lovely to be able to invite Mia at the last minute and have plenty of room to include her. Our other guest, Wendy, was the girlfriend of JZ's father. She was very happy to be included.

Made rolls for Thanksgiving yesterday and they turned out well. That was all I asked.

My pies came out very good: the pumpkin was very flavorful, as I bumped up the spices from the Joy of Cooking recipe, and added cardamom. The mini maple-pecan pies are excellent and I hope will freeze ok. The stuffing was pretty good, the gravy acceptable, and I have made packages of stuffing/mash/turkey/gravy/cranberry and stuck them in the freezer for later enjoyment.

I will probably hit the local brewpub around the corner soon: they're hosting World Cup games and that seems like a nice way to spend part of the afternoon.

Sounds lovely and delicious, David.

Rolls are important. Glad they worked.

We are having a loungey day today. Dinner out later.

I am in total relaxation mode today after the madness of yesterday. Took a walk on the beach at about 7 this morning. Ate leftovers for breakfast. Took a long soak in the jacuzzi tub. Took a nap. Other than putting away dishes and clearing some emails, I think I have done absolutely nothing productive. Ahhhhhh.

Yesterday was grand. I think there was 13, but who knows if I am forgetting people. So Much Food. All my stuff came out good. I didn't try everything, but one family member brought a cornbread casserole dealio that was absurdly tasty. I kept a lot of that for leftovers and I don't even care how calorie dense it is.

I usually bring a non-pie dessert to Thanksgiving, but didn't this year. I regret it! So I'm going to make a half-size of this tomorrow: [link]

I would say the food at my gathering was just OK but the company was excellent, so worth it. Think next year I’ll go back to my usual pumpkin pie recipe. The filling this year I used was Claire Saffitz’s caramelized honey pumpkin pie. It was tasty but very spice forward and I like a ginger snap pecan crust, so it fought with that a bit. And it didn’t bake quite right.

Today I have to clean and pack, tomorrow I head out on a long road trip. But first, watching some World Cup

Mushroom Stew in Pastry Cups: A+. One of my best stews. We know this recipe now and it's locked in.

I think I need this recipe.

I kinda wish I'd had a dessert but planning that for 1 person while in tech is challenging. I did have some fancy tea, which was nice. The curry (slow-cook chickpea, red lentil, and pumpkin) turned out okay, if a bit mild. If I make it again I'll give it a bit more kick.

Timelies all!

Went to work today. Not much else going on.

I am closing out my lazy day watching Princess Bride. I can’t remember taking a day off. It’s quite pleasant.