Our Turkey Day Yum-yums!

Thanksgiving dinner was a terrific success. There was plenty of very, very good wine (thank you Danny!), lots of scrumptious food, and the company wasn't bad either.

James made his amazing turkey again this year. Every bite was flavored all the way through with olive oil, pepper, salt, sage, thyme (just to name a few). The turkey was moist, tender and delicately flavored so that if you didn't want to put anything on top of it, there really was no need. But that's not our style at all, we add as much as we can, don't we? There was a really delicious gravy made from the pan drippings. It was thick, creamy and wonderfully aromatic. There was jellied and whole berry cranberry sauce I brought back from the States (score!). The stuffing was maybe the best stuffing I've every had in my life. It was moist, crunchy, sweet and salty all at the same time. It was packed full of walnuts (the crunch), sweetness (yellow raisins and prunes), salty (celery), and wonderful moist bread dripping with gravy.

The mashed potatoes were so, so buttery and creamy. They were holiday potatoes so no expense or calories were spared in the preparation of these scrumptious potatoes. They're the kind of side dish that were it not for the glorious turkey and the way it was flavored and prepared, would have completely stolen the show. The flavoring was mild, they were full of cream which made them rich and silky along with the aid of a good amount of butter. Melt in your mouth good and so easy to make it almost feels like cheating.

The veggies were a mix of 3 green beans sauteed in butter and lime. They were left slightly al dente depending on which type of bean. Since they all cook at different times they were blanched in boiling water and salt first, then sauteed. There was a buttery delight of peas and carrots. They go so well together and add a contrast for the ultimate creaminess of the potatoes. The corn on the cob was cooked with one part salt to 4 parts sugar, which brought out the natural sweetness in the corn.

The corn bread was fluffy and very flavorful. It was consistent and crumbly at the same time which made for a completely different texture from the rest of the food bringing everything together. A variety of flavors, textures, temperatures coming uniquely combined affording the diner a wonderful experience which is not easily forgotten.

Dessert was a whole 'nother story. My God! Ytala brought a chocolate pecan pie. It was chocolaty, crunchy, and had a perfect crust. It was a major success which was well deserved. The pumpkin pie was velvety, silky, almost mousse like light (but not airy), and had a perfectly flaky crust. There was a cinnamon whipped cream to go with the pie that was amazingly airy and spiced to match the spices in the pumpkin pie, so that the two could join in perfect harmony of sweetness and creaminess, rewarding the guest from beginning to end with a marriage of flavor that is unique and traditional at the same time. Last, but most definitely not least, there was an Autumn Cinnamon Apple Cake served with vanilla ice cream that was a hit last year so much so that people were asking for an encore. It has the consistency of butterscotch brownies with apples and goes so very well with ice cream, it's insane! It's autumn delight in it's best incarnation.

There was a wine to match everything we ate, thanks to our friends who know what they're doing. One of the wines was from a vineyard bought by the Rothschilds and some other strong Illuminati corporations. We joked around that it was a wine "sanctioned by Satan", that after a commercial for the wine there would be a message that said, "I am Lucifer, and I approve this message". But all joking aside, it was pretty amazing wine, so it seems yonder Illuminati people know their stuff. I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you ever get a chance to try some wine from a vineyard bought or connected somehow to one of those evil wealthy families, go ahead with our blessing, because it's awesome!

One of the sad things that happened right in the beginning of the meal was that James wine cellar (those little electric thingies) burned out and shut off without his knowledge and the wine stayed in there for about a month before they figured out what had happened. So, he brought the wine knowing that there would be a good chance that the wine would be completely turned, while still holding on to the hope that there would be one or two bottles that would still be good. He started opening his prized wines which he had purchased around the world and one by one, they had unmistakably turned into vinegar. Really good, super expensive vinegar, but vinegar nonetheless. Our hearts go out to James and Greti during this difficult time. We can't begin to understand what you're going through (we don't have any wine that's even half the price of one of those - we have children instead), but if there's anything you need, or any way we can help, please let us know. From dust thou art....(insert funeral music here).

We went around and all said what we were thankful for. It was not as corny as you might think, it was kind of fun. The only one that was a little "whatever" was Fukui-san's father. We had no idea what he was saying because he was mumbling in his own dialect, so there was no way for us to cheer, say "Here, here!", and take a sip of our wine - like we did after everyone else said their thanks.

That pretty much sums up our evening. Let me know in the comments if I left anything out.

Oh, here's an important nugget I almost forgot to mention: today is Angie's birthday. Happy Birthday Angie! May you live long and prosper! Our lives would not be the same without you!