Verjuice

Well, I survived Whole Foods, but it was unlike anything I've ever seen. Shopping cart murderball. I left the house at 7am to meet Virginia for a quick coffee and menu-planning session before heading to Whole Foods together. It was a bracing 13 degrees out! I do love this weather, and although I missed the snow while I was living in the Gulf, I wasn't tempted to pay for admission to this faux Alpine nightmare on ice, which some of you may recognize: It's the Dubai indoor ski slope. As you can see, the picture was taken through a plate of glass! It was 100 degrees outside that day. Anyway, back to this morning. I had my usual black coffee: And Virginia passed on her usual short latte and had a cup of spiced cider: It was nice to come home to this: And to sit here: And pork out on this magnificent thing: It's an everything bagel (no comment on the bagel) with cream cheese, red onion and few shy capers... crowned with the most incredible smoked sturgeon from City Fish at Pike Place Market in Seattle. Speaking of Seattle, I was amazed -and happy- to find that the downtown Whole Foods serves Allegro coffee instead of a local roaster's brew. As far as I know, Allegro ships out of Colorado, and next to Aroma Coffee, which is local, it is the most ubiquitous brand of coffee in town. For me, nothing beats the coffee at Ohori's. I will have to get down there one of these days. It's great, chewy coffee, but it does leave you feeling like you need to floss.

The word “Christmas” in New Mexico can mean two entirely different things, one of which can be enjoyed every day of the year: Chile. Red and green. Side by side, just like it ought to be. Isn’t it gorgeous here? For those of you that don’t know: Santa Fe is cold! We’ve had lots of snow over the last week and the skiing is fantastic. Check out this 5 ft long icicle on my canale: And my pear tree: About me: -I grew up in Abu Dhabi, which is the capital of the U.A.E. (home of Dubai, which most people are familiar with), and am half-Emirati and half-Lebanese. I will gladly post photos of the Emirates if anyone is interested, since I still consider myself a part-time resident. -I am 26 but don't always act my age. -Like a lot of people on eG, I’ve been obsessed with food for as long as I can remember. -At the metabolically enviable age of 15, I began to cook family meals and fully embrace the insatiable appetite that has remained with me through good times and bad; I can always eat. That same year, I left the Emirates for Yale, where I experienced my first skinless boneless chicken breast, promptly swore off dining hall meats, and was elated to discover the godsend that is New Haven pizza. After graduating in 2001, I moved to Santa Fe to pursue blue skies, crisp air, and a M.S. in Oriental Medicine. -Until recently, my work (complementary medicine legislation and public health policy reform) allowed me to travel back and forth between the Emirates and Santa Fe, which was great, because I am very close to my family. Most importantly, my 6 year-old “son”, Emile, whom I brought with me when I moved back to the Emirates, is still there, and he’s my ultimate dreamboat: -A few weeks ago, I stashed my heels at the back of the closet, started practicing Chinese medicine clinically, and got myself a part-time job cooking for a wonderful couple a few evenings a week. -Finally: This is a years of firsts for me: I bought my first house here in Santa Fe, hosted my first Thanksgiving meal, and about to experience my first Christmas and my first blog. I'm an unapologetic glutton, and this is going to be an exciting week for me, so I'm thrilled to be blogging it out... Tonight: -Canyon Road Walk (with eG member wrenwillow) to chug hot cider and see the farolitos -Dinner at a friend's off-the-grid homestead about twenty miles north of town Tomorrow: -My dashing and heroic R and I are hosting a private dinner for ten at the Rio Chama, which he manages. It's the one day of the year that the restaurant is closed, and we'll have full reign of the kitchen. It'll be my first experience cooking in a restaurant kitchen...! Now I have to get to Whole Foods the moment it opens so that I don't get trampled! See you later, when I post breakfast.

Thank you. That is very helpful.

I have a couple of questions about caramel. I have made Neil Wyles' delicious caramel sauce a number of times. One stick of butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. When that melts, you add a cup of light brown sugar and mix until the mixture peels away from the side of the pan. Finally, whisk in a cup of whipping cream and you're done (I always add a hearty pinch of Maldon sea salt, too). The thing is, sometimes when I add the brown sugar, it incorporates itself into the butter, but other times, it will froth and then separate into clumpy grainy masses in a pool of melted butter. When this happens, it almost always comes together again if I add a tiny splash of whipping cream and whisk it in. What causes this separation reaction to happen half of the time and how can I make it stop? I have had a similarly baffling experience with white sugar for my other caramel sauce recipe, which involves putting a cup of white sugar into a dry pan and melting it into an amber syrup before adding the butter. Sometimes, it works; other times, it goes very quickly from being a pale amber syrup to drying out and crystallizing into rock hard lumps. I am confused because my results are so inconsistent. Any ideas about why this is so?

My girlfriend bought a bag of the raspberry one at Selfridges today. I might have to steal a piece off her if she has any left. ETA: It's addictive! Grr.... And it's Harvey Nichols, apparently... ← I tried the raspberry flavor when my sister bought it. It's not licorice to me, but a tasty, sticky, chewy candy -- did you notice the chapstick-like nuances or was it just me? The black licorice, however, is amazing: dense, spicy, creamy, delicious.

Actually the Dirty D (aka Durham, NC) has some pretty amazing Mexican. I eat tacos and tortas at least twice a week. NYC's Mexican cuisine is lamentable, however. Thanks for the help so far, everyone. I'm quickly building a list of places to check-out and people to meet. Should be a good time. Once I firm up my itinerary and other responsibilities I will post a rough itinerary. Yes, I am staying right in downtown, so that's my base of operations. Should be within walking distance of a lot of nice spots. I'm very excited. The only disappointments are that I won't be able to make it to Salumi's retail location because my flight on Friday arrives too late, and, similarly, I won't be able to eat dozens of happy hour oysters. Oh well. ← You can buy Salumi salami at DeLaurenti, which is at the Pike Place Market. Bring some home with you.

Seattle rocks... was in Seattle for five and a half days before Thanksgiving and hit the following places, Lark being my favorite. I read a lot of threads here on eG and composed the itinerary of my dreams, as well as fitting in some random bonus places. My only gripe is that I didn't make it Mistral: Monsoon (dinner and dim sum brunch) Kingfish Cafe (brunch) Dahlia Lounge (dinner, cocktails) Lark (dinner) Nishino (omakase) Veil (dinner) Le Pichet (dinner) Matt’s in the Market (lunch) Macrina (brunch) Grand Central Bakery (lunch) Palace Kitchen (cocktails, snacks) Union (cocktails, snacks) Zig Zag (cocktails) The Crumpet Shop (breakfast) Top Pot Doughnuts (snack) Belle’s Buns/Belle Epicurean (snack) Snacked constantly at Pike Place Market, as well... Stayed at the Pan Pacific which is attached to Whole Foods, so it was coffee and usually a little something extra there every morning. Finally, ending up bringing back 50 lbs of food, including stuff from Chefshop, Porcella, Salumi, Pike Place, bread from Essential Bakery etc. When the suitcase hit the conveyor belt at the airport back home, this whoosh of garlic and salami (which was wrapped and packaged inside two other suitcases within the larger one) came wafting out for all to smell... Will you be staying downtown?

Just.... beyond.

I have no idea how to post a timetable that won’t be tedious drudgery to read, so apologies to anyone who makes it through this post. For the record: -People were told to arrive between 6 and 7 p.m. for starters and cocktails, and dinner was on the table at three minutes past 8 p.m., as scheduled (while people were getting settled I scrambled to get two desserts into the oven, which took about three minutes). I have an open kitchen/living/dining area so I couldn’t afford any last minute catastrophes. -A lot of my planning was determined by how little fridge space I had to store stuff in various stages of completion. -Once the turkey went into the oven at 5 pm, everything else had to be prepared in a small toaster oven (such as the brie en croute) or on a stovetop. During the half hour while the turkey was resting, I made the gravy, heated up all the vegetables in the oven, put the boiled potatoes through a ricer and beat them with lots of butter and cream. -The table was set in the early afternoon. After the turkey was placed in the oven at 5 p.m., I took a half hour breather to shower, have a cup of tea, and get dressed. -Plates were put in the oven to heat at five minutes to 8. -Just as we sat down to eat, I popped the tarte tatin and the gingerbread pudding into the oven. -No microwaves were used, because I don’t like them. And finally, if you have lived at 7,000 feet, then you understand how big a factor the following can be: -Water boils at 92 degrees. If you think a hard-boiled egg takes a long time to boil. try a potato. -Nothing stays hot for more than a couple minutes once it is taken off the heat, so you have to work FAST. Abra's White Gazpacho 11/21 11 p.m. Made and put into a pitcher in the fridge 11/22 6:15 p.m. Sliced chives and cucumbers for garnish 11/22 6:30 p.m. Poured gazpacho into small, chilled glasses, garnished, placed on a tray and served … Brie en Croute Walnut toast, fried sage leaves, apple compote, saba 11/21 11a.m. Made apple compote and reserved 11/22 9 a.m. Put puff pastry in fridge to thaw 11/22 11a.m. Fried sage leaves until crisp and reserved on a paper towel in a dry place until serving 11/22 5:50 p.m. Toasted bread, wrapped in napkin and set aside 11/22 6:05 p.m. Placed pastry-wrapped brie in 275 degree toaster oven … Sigara Borek 11/22 11:30 a.m. Made filling, put filo dough out to thaw 11/22 2 p.m. Made boreks with individual sheets of filo dough (a teeth-gnashing task, if ever there was one). Baked, covered loosely with foil and set aside Tana Butler's Spicy Roasted Herb Nuts 11/20 11 p.m. Made and stored in Tupperware containers far, far away from my greedy little mitts … Salumi Salami Pullman croutons, mascarpone 11/22 8 a.m. Used meat slicer at friend’s restaurant to slice the goods 11/22 4:30 p.m. Cut round slices from loaf, bathed in butter and toasted 11/22 5:30 p.m. Assembled … Smoked sablefish Beet and horseradish marmalade, crème fraiche 11/21 8 p.m. Made pita toasts and stored in Tupperware 11/22 3:30 p.m. Sliced fish and refrigerated 11/22 5:45 p.m. Assembled …………………… Crisp Apple-Scented Turkey with Cider-Calvados Gravy Not sure how much detail is wanted, but the turkey has to be slipped into the brine at half past 2 a.m. the morning of Thanksgiving in order to get its full 12.5 hours. This meant that the brine had to be made at around 1 a.m.. I rendered the fat from 2lbs of chicken thighs at 3 a.m. and that, along with the giblets etc., was the base for the broth that would later make the gravy. … Cornbread Stuffing Sausage, Sage, Green Apples 11/22 10 a.m. Browned sausage and set aside 11/22 1 p.m. Made stuffing and set aside 11/22 7:40 p.m. Heated through in oven for 10 minutes … Traditional Mashed Russet Potatoes 11/22 6 p.m. Boiled potatoes. 11/22 7:30 p.m. Put potatoes through ricer, beat with butter and cream, placed on warm stovetop. … Pan-fried Brussels Sprout with Duck Bacon 11/21 9 p.m. Par-boiled sprouts, halved them, wrapped and sealed in airtight container. 11/22 3:30 p.m. Chopped and fried bacon, tossed sprouts into pan with bacon and cooked until outer leaves crisp but still crunchy throughout 11/22 7:30 p.m. Placed in Tierra Negra baking dish and roasted in oven for 25 minutes … Braised Red Cabbage with Bucherondin Goat’s Cheese and Trockenbeerenauslese Vinegar 11/21 5 p.m. Cooked cabbage on stovetop until reduced by half 11/22 9 a.m. Braised cabbage in oven until reduced by half again 11/22 7:30 p.m. Warmed cabbage in oven for 20 minutes. Finish with aged balsamico, garnish with round of Bucherondin. … Braised Endive with Meyer Lemon and Panko 11/22 12 p.m. Braised endive until tender and placed in fridge 11/22 7:30 p.m. Sprinkled with panko and heated for 20 minutes in oven … Roasted Kabocha Squash with Apple Compote and Maple Creme Fraiche 11/22 1 p.m. Roasted squash until soft and edges are caramelized, approx 1.5 hrs 11/21 11a.m. Made apple compote and reserved 11/22 1:30 p.m. Maple crème fraiche mixed and refigerated … Orzo made from Saffron, Porcini Mushrooms, and Sweet Potato with Porcini Butter and Pinon Nuts 11/21 7 p.m. Orzo cooked until almost al dente and refrigerated. 2 c. pasta cooking water reserved 11/21 6 p.m. Toasted pinon nuts 11/22 7 p.m. Reheated pasta, added cooking water, seasonings. Finish with pine nuts and porcini butter … Fresh Cranberry-Orange relish 11/21 4 p.m. Prepared and refrigerated … Butter Lettuce Salad Almond oil, 30 year old balsamico, raw milk pecorino, blackened sherry vinegar onions 11/21 3 p.m. Blackened onions and refrigerated 11/21 3:30 p.m. Shaved pecorino into slices and refigerated 11/22 7:15 p.m. Washed and dried lettuce, made dressing and set aside. 11/22 7:50 p.m. Dressed salad … Vegetarian Sage Mushroom Gravy 11/20 9 p.m. Purchased from Whole Foods! …………………. Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust 11/20 5 p.m. Made crust and filling, baked pie and refrigerated 11/22 1 p.m. Made garnish of pepita brittle and maple granola, decorated pie … Tarte Tatin 11/22 9 a.m. Put puff pastry in fridge to thaw 11/22 3 p.m. Began preparing apple mixture, let sit for 40 mins 11/22 4 p.m. Caramelized apples and set aside to rest 11/22 4:15 p.m. Rolled out puff pastry and set aside 11/22 8 p.m. Draped puff pastry over apples and and placed in oven … Neil Wyles' Warm Gingerbread Pudding with Caramel Sauce 11/20 7 p.m. Made evil, evil caramel sauce 11/21 10 a.m. Baked gingerbread 11/22 7:20 p.m. Made custard for soaking gingerbread and set aside 11/22 8 p.m. Cubed and tossed gingerbread with custard base and placed in oven … Ice Creams: Vanilla (homemade, midday on the 20th), Cinnamon Dulce de Leche, Black Walnut (store-bought)

It was my first time making/eating kabocha squash-- it's so much richer and creamier than any other squash I have tried. All I did was slice the squash (the pieces were shaped like the letter "C"), toss with olive oil and bit of Maldon salt, maple syrup and cinnamon, spread onto a baking sheet and throw into a 375 degree oven for an hour and a half, until the edges caramelized and turned crisp. To serve, I layered the pieces on a long, white rectangular platter to form a row of C-shaped squash slices. I garnished this with the apple compote that I also used for the brie en croute starter, and then spooned some creme fraiche mixed with a little maple syrup on top of all of it (though I will skip that step next time). The goat cheese on the braised red cabbage was inspired by the greatest dish I have ever eaten at a chain restaurant, 'braised red cabbage with Montrachet goat's cheese' from Houston's. I don't live near one but I tasted the dish last year while visiting family in Jersey and became obsessed with replicating it at home. I have made it a number of ways, and using a number of different vinegars, but my preferred method is use the trockenbeerenauslese vinegar (this,which I bought from chefshop.com) and finish before serving with an aged balsamico. As far as the cheese, I used the Bucherondin because I wanted something that would look gorgeous crowning the dish, but I now know for certain that I prefer the same sort of cheese and presentation that Houston's uses: a mild, creamy log of goat's cheese pulled into small lumps and scattered atop the cabbage. The turkey and gravy... well... umm... I was not impressed at all. I don't know if it's the law of diminishing returns that makes a turkey nothing more than a turkey at the end of the day, but that's what it was. I couldn't believe how little reward there was for a recipe that was such a pain in the butt. Granted, it was my first turkey, but I wish I had just done something simpler and had more time to relax as a result. The gravy was not delicious and most of us ended up eating the Whole Foods vegetarian gravy that I doctored. It was a good learning experience, though!

Okay, so I never posted that timetable, I know. The reason for that is I was writing it until it started writing itself. And that was partially due to the fact that I (unexpectedly) didn't get back to my house after an extended trip away until 48 hours before yesterday's dinner. Wait... that's not an excuse? I definitely wasn't as organized as I usually am. But that's my lame excuse and I'm sticking to it. Dinner went amazingly well considering the fact that I hadn't slept in three days (jet lag). Two guests cancelled at the last minute due to personal crises (No comment... or, on second thought, @#%!) so there were eight people present, including one vegetarian. To be frank, there could have been another eight guests and I'd still have leftovers. Here is the menu from yesterday's meal. It was the first time I had hosted Thanksgiving or any dinner party for more than six people. It was also my first experience with turkey and gravy, and my first taste ever of this strange but wonderful thing called stuffing. I had a 12.5 lb heritage bronze turkey, and for it I used the recipe out of last month's Saveur: Crisp Apple-Scented Turkey with Cider-Calvados Gravy. The wines were provided by a dear friend who runs a restaurant and wine cellar locally. My only regret is that I forgot to take pictures! Here is what I served: .............................. Abra's White Gazpacho … Brie en Croute Walnut toast, fried sage leaves, apple compote, saba … Sigara Borek … Tana Butler's Spicy Roasted Herb Nuts … Salumi Salami Pullman croutons, mascarpone … Smoked sablefish Beet and horseradish marmalade, crème fraiche …………………… Crisp Apple-Scented Turkey with Cider-Calvados Gravy … Cornbread Stuffing Sausage, Sage, Green Apples … Traditional Mashed Russet Potatoes … Pan-fried Brussels Sprout with Duck Bacon … Braised Red Cabbage with Bucherondin Goat’s Cheese Trockenbeerenauslese vinegar … Braised Endive Meyer lemon, panko … Roasted Kabocha Squash Maple crème fraiche, apple compote … Orzo made from Saffron, Porcini Mushrooms, and Sweet Potato Porcini butter, pinon nuts … Fresh Cranberry-Orange relish … Butter Lettuce Salad Almond oil, 30 year old balsamico, raw milk pecorino, blackened sherry vinegar onions … Vegetarian Sage Mushroom Gravy …………………. Pumpkin Pie Gingersnap crust … Tarte Tatin … Neil Wyles' Warm Gingerbread Pudding Salted butter caramel … Ice Creams: Vanilla, Cinnamon Dulce de Leche, Black Walnut … Royal Tokaji 2001 …………………. Thanks you so much to everyone who responded to my amateur questions. Of course, I was naughty and disobeyed many of the sound suggestions here because I am a) a glutton and b) perpetually and irrationally terrifed of not having enough. I think I was nervous because Thanksgiving dinner is not like a regular dinner party to me. I'm not American, but after living here for a few years I know that people have certain expectations and emotional associations with this meal, so I wanted to fulfill all of them, which was silly and unrealistic. I've learned my lesson, though I had a lot of fun and I loved every minute if it. Thanks again, everyone!

Visiting Seattle for a week of eating (we keep getting asked, "you came to SEATTLE in November for vacation??"). Ate at Le Pichet last night after remembering this and other threads lauding it, plus having it recommended to us by our wonderful waitress at Lark (where we worked our way through 14 incredible plates of food, including 3 desserts). It was a Saturday night and we did have a reservation and were seated immediately. I was prepared for the cramped tables (I had a stranger within elbow room of me on either side of the banquet all night). Fine. No problem there. But what I found shocking was the noise level. Neither of us had ever experienced anything like this, ever, anywhere. The waitress had her mouth three inches from my ear and was shouting the specials and we missed every single word (luckily they were abbreviated on a chalk board). I seriously wanted to start pouting after my fourth attempt to discuss wine with my dining partner. It was incredibly annoying to be leaning my entire body across the tiny table and still not be able to speak audibly. It seems like the space is designed to maximise poor acoustics; fairly low, flat ceiling, not a soft surface in the place etc. We ordered two green salads, two sausage dishes, two terrines and the roast chicken and everything was great. To drink we had a couple glasses of sparkling rose and a pichet of riesling. The bread served with the meal was awesome and we ate a ton of that as well. I just can't believe that I did not find one other complaint here about the noise factor. Is nobody else bothered by this or was this just unusually loud, even for Le Pichet? We agreed that we would never go back, no matter how incredible our meal had been (and it was really very good). Someone mentioned that they play live music in there occasionally. Just thinking about that gives me a headache. I hardly ever complain and really don't like to so this was very unusual for me. Before yesterday, I'd have been hard pressed to come up with anything getting in the way of perfect happiness wherever pate and good bread are involved.

I just found out that Inn of the Anasazi is doing Christmas Dinner. I haven't eaten there since Chef Martin Rios left The Old House and took over, but in my opinion he is the best chef in this town, all things considered. Here's the menu: Christmas Dinner I may go. It's very tempting. You're going to do the Canyon Road Walk on Christmas Eve, right? Farolitos... hot apple cider... the crisp New Mexican air...

Awesome. Can you wrestle a 16 lb turkey into an oven? Do you know what gravy is supposed to taste like? Because... uh... I don't. I've never actually had any before. All I know is that it's supposed to be delicious and piping hot. And so: practice practice practice practice. And Jack, no to the green bean casserole. I am not from American shores, and have never even tasted this legendary side dish that gets so much attention here on eG, so it doesn't hold any sentimental value for me. Nor does it sound very appealing, to be honest.

Again, tons of helpful input so thank you very much. In addition to being really informative and supportive, I find it just fascinating to learn how others approach the challenge of cooking this holiday while still having a good time. I live in Santa Fe, but will be in Seattle until the early morning of the 20th so none of my shopping or prep will begin until then, though I'm sure that I will be bringing back an oppressive amount of food from Seattle since I cannot resist Pike Place Market and will be making a trip out to Porcella in Bellevue. When I complete my timetable for those few days before the feast I will post that as well. I also just found out that a good friend who is Muslim will be coming by, so I removed or subbed everything containing pork (the candied bacon in the salad, the sausage in the stuffing). A lot of people have commented on the fact that it is unnecessary to have both cornbread (vegetarian) AND a cornbread stuffing (non-veg) on the table, but I am uncertain. I am taking it off the menu for now to see how it feels ie. if the idea of going without it keeps me awake at night I figure that since I am going to be buying the cornbread for the stuffing from Whole Foods so it wouldn't be a big deal to just buy an extra tray, warm it, brush with butter and pile it onto a plate in slices so that the vegetarians can have a little something with corn in it to enjoy. But it definitely won't be homemade. I know that I can't do any better than Whole Foods under the circumstances, and if I bake a bad batch of high-altitude cornbread it will probably make me cry. Also, what can I say, I haven't been the best friend these past few years as I've been living abroad and incommunicado. So now that I'm back, I want to spoil the people I love. But I can see from looking at my menu that showing some restraint would not be a bad thing! Revised Menu: Cocktails Cranberry Kir Royale Hors d'oeuvres -Tanabutler's Spicy Roasted Herb Nuts -Filo rolls: Swisskaese's "ducklava" and Sigara Borek (vegetarian) -AlexP's White Gazpacho -Brie en croute with apple compote, fred sage, port reduction Dinner Mashed potatoes Goose-fat roasted potatoes with semolina (for crunch) Green Salad wth pecorino, pecans and blackened onions Maple sweet potato custard Braised red cabbage with goat's cheese Roasted brussels sprouts with pecans Some kind of cornbread, sage and turkey sausage dressing Cranberry sauce Gravy Bird (called, pled, and switched it out for a 16 lb turkey) Dessert-- I really cannot pare this down as a) I have no reason to; it should be easy enough for me to manage and b) an additional four people are dropping by for dessert and I am terrified of not having enough! Royal Tokaji 2001 (I have four bottles that I am willing to share) Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust SLKinsey's Derby Style Pecan Tart Tarte Tatin Cinnamon Ice Cream Salted Caramel Ice Cream

Wow. I never expected to get so much help so quickly. Thank you so much. I will be sure to post my abbreviated menu in a day or two. You guys are my heroes...

Sigh... I knew someone would say that pretty quickly once I posted the menu. Can you believe that I have already pared it down a half dozen times? I am HORRIBLE with decisions like this. I might have to just put everything into a hat and pull out half of them.

Wow-- some incredibly useful information here so thank you all. I didn't grow up with Thanksgiving and have only experienced it a few times, so most of what I've learned was found here on eG. Which is just so cool. Here is my working menu. Many of the recipes for starters are ones that I got from reading older threads here! There will be 2 ovolactovegetarians at dinner, so I will be making almost all the vegetable sides without the addition of turkey stock or bacon fat. I don't think I'll bother with a vegetarian "gravy" however. Cocktails Cranberry Kir Royale (?) Hors d'oeuvres -Tanabutler's Spicy Roasted Herb Nuts -Goose-fat roasted baby potatoes with creme fraiche and caviar -Swisskaese's "ducklava" -Sigara Borek -AlexP's White Gazpacho Shooters -Crostini, Pate, Cornichons, Mustard -Deviled Eggs First Course Warm kabocha squash salad wth greens, candied bacon, pecorino, pecans and blackened sherry vinegar onions Brie en croute with fried sage, apple compote, port reduction Small cups of SLKinsey's cauliflower soup with pureed spinach and curry oil Dinner Cornbread Mashed potatoes Goose-fat roasted potatoes with semolina (Nigella Lawson) Pan-roasted balsamic onions (Nigella Lawson) Spiced orzo OR wild rice and toasted almonds (haven't decided) Braised endive with garlic and lemon Butternut maple custard OR roasted sweet potatoes with brown sugar and spices Braised red cabbage with goat's cheese Roasted brussels sprouts with pecans Creamed spinach Some kind of cornbread, sage and sausage dressing or stuffing or whatever it's called when it's cooked outside the bird Cranberry sauce Gravy For the bird, I've been thinking about this gorgeous creation, made by Ling and Hhlodesign. Cheese Course Dessert Royal Tokaji 2001 Pumpkin Pe with Gingersnap Crust Tarte Tatin SLKinsey's Derby Style Pecan Tart Cinnamon Ice Cream Salted Caramel Ice Cream Sleep Aide/Death Sentence/Second Wind Coffee, Tea, Hot Chocolate, Armagnac Earl Gray Truffles and World Peace Cookies

Wow- we are in astonishingly similar positions actually. This will be the first big dinner I host in my new home, which I bought in April. And technically I am hosting 9 as well since one is my sweetie who'll be helping me host and cook in my not-very-big home. So you are definitely not alone there! Don't know about you but I have an open kitchen so I can't have any meltdowns in the middle of this whole project if it all falls apart! Your idea about using outdoor appliances is great, and while I contemplated borrowing a grill since I don't own one myself yet I am somewhat intimidated by the idea of managing an additional cooking surface. Is that weird? I am definitely going to consider, though. What kind of charcoal grill do you own? Also, have you given thought to what you will be serving to drink? Folks will bring wine, but I wanted to supply one or maybe two great cocktails. Do you have anything special in mind for your own dinner?

I am hoping that more seasoned home cooks and/or entertainers will chime in with some input here. In a moment of legendary idiocy, I offered to host Thanksgiving to around ten guests at my home this year. On the one hand, I am insanely excited (I started menu planning a month ago and ordered my heritage 20 lb bird) but on the other I worry that I am in over my head, having never done this, or anything approximating it, before. I have a four burner 30" down draft gas stove with convection and no microwave. And I've never even roasted a chicken (its true). So, I have a pretty grand menu planned and have divided everything into categories of: 1) What can be made in advance and what can't. 2) Whether a dish will be served Hot, Warm or Room Temperature. 3) What needs to be cooked in the oven and what can go on the stovetop, so that I can delegate space accordingly. Having done this as well as sketching out a chart and timetable I am stunned that people manage to get everything on the table simultaneously for a big feast like this without having it all go cold. I already know that I will be renting extra tables for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, and also borrowing a friend's fridge for the extra space, but what of the cooking? My main questions are: In your opinion, how hot does food have to be? Is it okay for mashed potatoes and roasted brussels sprouts and braised endive to be barely warm by the time they reach the table? I feel like I need to switch out dishes I love with dishes that can be served a lttle cooler in order to make this feasible. Has anyone had experience with this? Tricks or tips for organizing? Opinions about the ideal temperature for gravy? How do you pull it off?

We loved the food at La Boca but really didn't groove on the atmosphere (which is unusual, 'cause for the most part we could care less about atmosphere). Deafening sound level (not a soft surface in the entire place), tables jammed close together - felt like we had never left New York. Although the cooking was far superior to El Farol, I am more likely to end up there for the local character and atmosphere. ← I can see that. Every time I have been to La Boca it's been late, and half empty.

Okay, I just read my long post above and realized I forgot to mention one crucial thing about the bar at Rio Chama: the nachos! I had never been a fan, never craved them, never gotten excited about them before a friend of mine ordered some for us to share. Godfrey Jaysus! I always order the starter of habanero guacamole and two salsas alongside the nachos for extra dipping and scooping magic, and I get the nachos with green chile -no chicken- and a side of their wonderful red Chama Chile. Under these circumstances a normal person might be able to eat eight or nine nachos, but I always manage to eat these until they start inducing visions. I am talking about a mountain of freshly fried corn tortilla chips crowned with the good stuff. They are just...... beyond..... . Ah. Oh, and they make lobster nachos too.

I'll second Cafe Pasquals for breakfast but I also like it for lunch. The grilled chicken sandwich with manchego cheese, carmelized onions and jalapenos on chile corn bread is fantastic! Their green chili cheese burger is even better than Bobcat Bite, but it's also pricier. The dinner menu and atmosphere just isn't as interesting for me. We just had breakfast at the Panty for the first time this week and it was great. Tecolote is okay. I like the egg dishes better than the french toast that every one had raved about. ← I agree with you; God the BLT at lunch there is incredible (candied bacon, green chile cornbread, homemade mayo... just wow) but if I had only 5 days to spend in Santa Fe I still think it's a better bet for breakfast. They do serve breakfast right through lunch until 3 pm, but it's usually dang crowded. I have been to La Boca for dinner a handful of times. Like a lot of places here it is very good but a bit inconsistent. I do think it outshines all the other tapas joints in town and I love the space, though they don't feature a lot of the staples (croquettas, gazpacho, boquerones) that I crave when I go out for tapas. And the service is terrific. Totally agreed about Tecolote vs. the Pantry. What gives? The Pantry is so much better.

With the exception of Bobcat Bite, I'd definitely classify the restaurants listed above as being among the most touristy in town. Not that that's a bad thing in and of itself, but as a local I avoid them because a) I despise the waits, and b) in the case of Tomasita's and Tia Sophia's I don't think they offer anything distinct or special that you can't get elsewhere in town. Personally, I am a big fan of Maria's for Northern New Mexican food, and though they do take reservations I don't mind waiting for a table there, probably because it's usually other locals that are doing the same and it's not a cramped space to wait around in. Insanely good margaritas that will ruin you for others. That said, Cafe Pasquals is a great breakfast place to hit if you can get there early, before the lines form. When I go, I go at 7am. I wouldn't bother with dinner there. The spirit of the place is what makes it special, and it transforms after dark into something serene and much less vibrant. Great breakfast and lunch options outside of the downtown area include The Chocolate Maven on Second Street (they run a humongous bakery wholesale business but I don't like their baked goods at all- too sweet, and they use oil in lieu of butter in many of their products- their cafe, however, is outstanding; fabulous breakfast (chilaquiles!), lunch, brunch). I also adore the baked goods at Counter Culture on Baca Street; their cinnamon rolls are absolutely life-affirming, and they bake them on Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday mornings. For a Northern New Mexican breakfast I am a diehard Pantry devotee. Love the Buenos Dias, Christmas (both red and green chile). A lot of folks prefer Tecolote but I don't get the hype. The Guadalupe District has its own thing going on on as well... people seem to love the Cowgirl. Though it's not my cup of tea (loud as heck) it is always packed and they have a varied, barbecue-centric menu, waitresses strutting around in cowboy hats. It cracks me up because while it's always swimming with locals it looks so darned touristy at first glance. I mean, it's called the Cowgirl Hall of Fame for goshdarn sake. Oh, and by the way, Santa Fe is an EARLY town for food, but Pranzo in the Sanbusco Center on Montezuma (just off Guadalupe) serves a late-night menu and cocktails until 11:30 p.m. And they make a peerless Caesar salad. For drinks alone, my favorite bar, hands down, is the Rio Chama. It's a great, great bar, and very Santa Fe. Construction workers and legislators breaking bread over Roundhouse gossip... and the Humidor off the courtyard at Rio Chama, in case you're interested, is the only bar in town where smoking is allowed. As far as fine dining, well, in my opinion, Aqua Santa and Trattoria Nostrani are both places I am lukewarm about. What I mean is, they're good, solid restaurants that make for a nice change of pace for us locals here in Santa Fe, but if you live in NYC then I would be surprised if you find either restaurant particularly memorable. I was devastated when Kasasoba closed in August of this year as it was, to my mind, a totally singular and exciting restaurant that I think would make an incredible addition to any dining community. That said, my personal favorites for fine dining in Santa Fe are Ristra, Tulips and Geronimo. I find them to be the most consistently wonderful and I can invariably count on a memorable and surprising evening when I dine at any of them. Come to think of it, all three restaurants are also distinguished by a measured application of Southwest style to what is just generally very good food ( but not Southwest kitsch as in Mark Miller and mango mojitos ). I love the fact that while a restaurant like Aqua Santa could be found in any big city, Ristra, Tulips and Geronimo are distinctly Santa Fe in the most classic, lovely way. Just my two cents. Feel free to PM me for specifics or additional questions.

Once the first black spots appear, the flesh starts to turn slimy to the bite. I definitely prefer them drier, firmer, and less sweet.