What exactly is the root of all this antipathy toward Brussels sprouts? Is it the color? Sometimes it's not easy being green. Or yellowish-green.
Is it the smell? You know what I'm talking about. Boil Brussels sprouts on your stove top for 10 minutes and the neighbors will begin to wonder which farm animal you recently adopted.
Is it your mother's fault? If she served mushy, water-logged, brown Brussels sprouts when you were a kid, it's not your fault that you hate them.
Let me attempt to ingratiate Brussels sprouts with you, especially since many of you will likely be cooking and/or eating them next week on Thanksgiving.
Though Brussels sprouts have been around since ancient times, they are named after the city of Brussels in Belgium, where they have been cultivated (and appreciated) since Medieval times. Brussels sprouts are members of the brassica family, so they're related to broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and kolrabi, none of which are going to win any popularity contests. That's why Brussels sprouts taste like cabbage and are sometimes referred to as "mini cabbages."
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Squash and Honey Pie
My favorite part about Thanksgiving is always the desserts. Pumpkin pie and pecan pie are my favorites, but squash pie is my personal specialty. But all the Thanksgiving pies are very much American specialties. You can't really find pie as popular anywhere else in the world. The first Americans, the pilgrims, who celebrated the holiday did not automatically think to make pies out of the land's native squashes and pumpkins. They were more apt to eat meat pies for a main dish and custards for dessert as was the tradition in Europe, but because of scarcity, they had to use the plentiful crops for something. Some bright individual combined pumpkins, pie, and custard and came up with the basics for the recipes we follow today. I sincerely thank that individual.
There's just something special about fall and winter squashes, their unique shapes and earthy flavors, that makes me want to cook and bake with them. Since I prefer the more mellow flavor of squash to pumpkin, I use acorn or butternut squash. Sometimes I steam or roast them for this recipe, but canned squash or pumpkin works perfectly well. Since it's synonymous with the holiday, it's the only time I use a can all year. This recipe is very quick and easy. The squash custard is whipped in one bowl. A machine isn't even required. So, do not buy a pumpkin pie from the bakery or frozen section of the grocery store. And whatever you do, don't buy frozen pie crust either. This pie with its cornmeal crust is much more unique than anything available in stores. Serve with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and your guests will be delightedly pleased with Thanksgiving dessert.
Cranberry-Quince Compote
No Thanksgiving dinner table is complete without cranberry sauce. Cranberries and turkeys are both native to North America, so it's fitting that they have come to represent the holidays not to mention
the wonderful pairing they make. Many of us have become accustomed to
the cranberry sauce that slides out of a can. But it's really not that
elegant. Cranberry sauce, compote, or chutney made from scratch is so
much more special. For many years now I've been making one or the
other. When guests who have only ever eaten canned sauce try my
compote, they swear never to back to canned again. Fresh cranberries
can be found everywhere in supermarkets this time of year. Combine them
with other fruits and spices to create a very flavored sauce that
everyone is sure to enjoy.
Cranberry compote can be made with a
variety of fresh or dried fruits, which help to balance the tart flavor
of the cranberries. I've tried all combinations: apples, pears, grapes,
dates, and raisins. But the most unique combination I've created is
with quince, a pear-like fruit originating from Asia. Like a cross
between an apple and a pear with a light yellow-green skin, the quince
is an immensely fragrant and flavorful fruit. Mostly quinces are a bit
too astringent to eat raw and instead are used in cooking, baking, and
jam-making. Quince can be found individually packaged in supermarkets
during the fall and winter seasons. They are definitely worth picking
up for this fall-fruit compote.
Thanksgiving for Two
Don't feel sorry for us. We prefer it this way. My husband and I are both transplants. He's from Chicago. I'm from Massachusetts. Not Boston. Yes, there is a state beyond the Beantown borders. We have both lived in Los Angeles for over 20-years, longer than either of us lived in our home states. We think that makes us honorary Californians, but am not sure these days that's something to brag about. At least we still have the best weather, great wine and the option to go from surfing to skiing in the same day. Well, not for us in particular, but it's still a cool thing to be able to say.
Neither of us has blood relatives here. We are what we like to call "child-free." However, we do have family. Friends who mean just as much because we've shared each other's lives for the past 20 years. Kids we've watched grow up who call us Aunt and Uncle, which is a role we can handle. Some years they take us in, allowing us to bask in the glow of the holidays without all the strum and drang that would accompany actually spending time with our own parents and siblings. Even when there's drama, since it has nothing to do with us, it's more amusing than annoying and certainly never affects our ability to put away more than our caloric share of the meal.
We are in demand because we bring good wine, eat everything - if you're not cooking you can't complain about other people's holiday traditions - and don't expect to be entertained. We are boring, which is just what those who are dealing with family want at the holiday table. We are the Thanksgiving equivalent of the bomb-squad, the guests whose mere presence diffuses the tension for another day. It's much harder to fight in front of guests. God forbid there's a scene at the table. How embarrassing would that be?
Thanksgiving Tips & Techniques
I have a confession to make. I've never made a traditional Thanksgiving
dinner. I always cook something for the feast at my parent's house, but
not the whole meal and certainly not the turkey. I'm not sure I could
take the pressure! Thanksgiving is one of the most traditional of meals
and most of us have very specific expectations about what that dinner
should be.
Here to help make yours a success, whether you are
cooking one dish or ten, is cooking teacher and cookbook author
extraordinaire, Rick Rodgers. His book Thanksgiving 101, is out in paperback and in stores now. Rick is answering questions about Thanksgiving and sharing his advice over on the Epicurious blog but I snagged him for a few questions of my own...
What kind of turkey do you recommend for Thanksgiving – organic, heritage, wild, fresh, frozen?
Look for a fresh bird from a local source. Where I live, organic Eberly from Pennsylvania is my bird of choice, but when I teach in Northern California, I am happy with Foster Farms. There are a lot of very good supermarket birds out there at a
reasonable price. Look for the words "all natural, minimally
processed" on the label, and your bird won't have been shot up with
lots of gunk.
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