Thanksgiving (U.S.) 2025

[paul o' vendange]

Not much, but we're not doing our usual.  No whole roast bird, buying a whole duck and breaking down the legs for confit, breasts for pan-roast, jus/sauce of some sort from the carcass, Robuchon mashed, Tom Colicchio's brussel sprouts (love his recently released Why I Cook!) and a mix of Estonian and German sides.  German or French dessert.

[gulfporter]

We set our menu.  

 

It's a warm November here in Central Mexico and my non-insulated stove isn't a great idea for an hours long roasted big bird. 

 

We get excellent seafood daily from the Pacific and Jalisco chickens are a delight, so paella mixta will be our main course. 

 

Mi esposo is making a pumpkin panna cotta.  It took trips to 4 stores before we scored the needed heavy cream. 

 

I use my edited version of Pierre Franey's 60 Minute recipe for paella (I double up on shrimp, and skip the clams). 

 

The recipe which I first made in the late 1970s, doesn't mention developing a socarrat which to me is vital.  I'm not always successful; I manage to get it right 75% of the time.