DC DelMarVa Thanksgiving! (hint hint)

[JPW]

So what are everyone's plans?

What are you up to?

What are you looking forward to?

Staying at home, traveling, or hitting a restaurant?

Which relative is going to get drunk and be a complete pain in the ass?

Edited November 22, 2004 by JPW (log)

[jgm]

So what are everyone's plans?

What are you up to?

What are you looking forward to?

Staying at home, traveling, or hitting a restaurant?

Which relative is going to get drunk and be a complete pain in the ass?

←

Misery loves company, so here goes. Heading to father-in-law's house in a very small town (pop. 1700) that is 500 miles from anything of decent size. Will be there Wednesday thru Sunday, although Wed and Sun are travelling days. One restaurant in town; it's inside the grocery store and everything they serve is fried. Sister-in-law is planning to stuff the turkey and a little quizzing reveals she isn't worried about what temperature it will reach. Vegetables are the kind that come frozen with cheese sauce. Potatoes will be good. Gravy will be decent. Biscuits will be from a box or a can.

Upside: I'm making the pies, and they will all be from scratch. I'm taking a stash of other food.

Downside: I will have to take ALL of the ingredients for the pies, and all of the equipment to make them.

Upside: Family consists of lovely, easy-to-get-along-with folks, even if they aren't cooks.

[Mark Sommelier]

So what are everyone's plans?

What are you up to?

What are you looking forward to?

Staying at home, traveling, or hitting a restaurant?

Which relative is going to get drunk and be a complete pain in the ass?

←

Some of us are stuck working

[Busboy]

For years, thanksgiving at the Busboys has been spiralling out of controll -- a couple dozen people at a sit-down dinner, plus another dozen or so washing in and out over the course of the day and into the evening -- so this year, we decided to kill the beast and have an anti-Thanksgiving: carryout chicken wings and delivery Thai food, some Indian, maybe a little Mexican, all eaten in front of the TV and a steady diet of old movies.

Unfortunately, the only open carryout we can find is Chinese (City Lights, for the curious) and we just don't think it will be Thanksgiving without Nam Sod, Crispy Thai Duck and and Buffalo wings delicately sauced with my own secret combination of Wish Bone dressing and Pirate's Cave Blue Cheese.

So we're braising a pork butt in cider and calvados.

The guest list is already up to 15.

If you're in Mt. Pleasant, drop by -- everyone else does.

[fero style]

will be working all day serving white and dark meats of turkey

[VenerableBede]

driving 12 hours to visit my mother in huntsville, al and spend time with my mom, aunt and sister. . .on the bright side, i get to make my annual pilgrimage to the jack daniel's distillery.

in the meantime, i have to make 15 pies by wednesday (my fiancee sells them at a craft fair at her work, and the people there clamor for them).

[Chef Shogun]

Going home to Connecticut for Thanksgiving with the family!

[FunJohnny]

I will -- beginning tonight with the cornbread for the stuffing -- be doing 100% of the cooking. Therefore I plan to be the relative who will be the first to get drunk (after the Bird is safely out of the oven) and be the major pain in the ass as well.

Edited November 22, 2004 by FunJohnny (log)

[JPW]

I guess I should chime in since I started all this.

Mrs JPW and I decided that we needed to rest so we decided to stay at home instead of driving to see the relatives. I'm definitely looking forward to the four day weekend. Plenty of football on and the bar is fully stocked.

I'll be cooking a bird and other stuff. We have a couple of friends coming over for dinner and might have a few neighbors drop by for cocktails. There's usually someone unexpected who shows up, so I always have an extra place set. It's sort of a family tradition around the holidays.

Like Busboy said - you're welcome to stop by -- if you can find my house!

PS - Deepest apologies to those who must work. We'll be thinking of you during our gluttonous orgy of overindulgence.

[mdt]

What are you up to?

What are you looking forward to?

Staying at home, traveling, or hitting a restaurant?

Which relative is going to get drunk and be a complete pain in the ass?

←

Since my kitchen will still be in the middle of being remodelled I will be dining at my sister's house. Thankfully it is only a 5 minute drive away. I will assist with the cooking duties, which in my family means, "Woo Hoo, Mike's cooking so we can do XYZ...". At least they do the cleaning.

As for the relative who is going to get drunk and be a complete ass, well that will probably be me!

Looking forward to a relaxing day of football, food, and wine!

[iamthestretch]

I'm cooking for 3 Germans, 2 Brits and 1 3/4 Americans. Menu is set to include Wabeck's butternut soup with pickled onions -- or, most likely, a poor imitation thereof -- confit of Turkey thighs (anyone know where I can find some whole star anise?), roasted cauliflower, wild mushroom bread pudding and a green dish to be named later. (Frisee au lardons? Can you get frisee this time of year?) Dessert dropped out when our Japanese guest had to, so that we're going to have to buy. On the wine front, Rocks decrees Hermitage, but I might cheat and slip in some South African shiraz.

[hillvalley]

So we're braising a pork butt in cider and calvados. 

If you're in Mt. Pleasant, drop by -- everyone else does.

←

Like Busboy said - you're welcome to stop by -- if you can find my house!

←

Someone remind me why I am going out of state (make that District) to eat?

[Malawry]

I'm heading to my old Carolina home. I chef, Mom sous-chefs. There's a bunch of little kids around and since we don't get together in December we exchange Hanukkah gifts at Thanksgiving every year. So with little kids, presents, alcohol, football, and tons of food, it's always an exciting holiday. I personally am looking forward to checking out the alcoholic loot from my parents' recent tropical cruise vacation, eating copious amounts of braised red cabbage and stewed apples with my turkey, and watching the little ones open their prezzies.

We usually drive back on Saturday to avoid the worst of the traffic.

[Malawry]

BTW, has anybody ever had Thanksgiving dinner at 1789? I sometimes have a little fantasy whereby I am whisked there for a long, leisurely Thanksgiving meal where I don't cook a single item. I've heard the meal is legendary there and that they book it up by the beginning of January every year.

[Crabby]

Thankfully staying home in (the real) Silver Spring. I do 99% of the cooking for the family, but my beautiful wife takes over on Thanksgiving. She does an excellent job and has even come to appreciate this native Marylander's obsession with oyster stuffing. We keep it simple: turkey, stuffing, a veg, and pie -- oh, and ample quantities of vino rosso. Our only guest is my incredibly spry 84-year-old father.

Bon voyage to those of you who are travelling.

And I promise to drink a toast to those of you who must work.

[morela]

BTW, has anybody ever had Thanksgiving dinner at 1789? I sometimes have a little fantasy whereby I am whisked there for a long, leisurely Thanksgiving meal where I don't cook a single item. I've heard the meal is legendary there and that they book it up by the beginning of January every year.

←

No, but I'd like to go and slurp up some champagne oyster stew and drink a little too much at that itty bitty bar...

not a lot of people speak of that place in these rooms. Not sure why.

[hjshorter]

I will be cooking a small turkey, Brooks Hamaker's oyster dressing, dried cranberry/spiced pecan/goat cheese salad, and cranberry compote. My brother and his wife are bringing a pumpkin pie, and my sister-in-law's mom is bringing green beans. We'll eat, drink, watch the kids run around and maybe play cards after dinner.

Later I will pack up a plate of leftovers for my dad. He'll be spending Thanksgiving Day with my stepmother's family but prefers my cooking.

[sweetfreak]

For the past five years, we have had three Thanksgivings in one day, my family lives in VA, husband's parents are divorced and both live in MD.

So, this year, I have decided to host a Thanksgiving brunch for my family, husband's mom, brother and brother's girlfriend.

Am making brunch-y foods and have my menu planned. Mr. Sweetfreak then decided it would be "fun" to fry a turkey and has since filled our back porch with a turkey fryer, gallons of oil, funnels, injectors, gloves, fire extinguishers, etc.

If the house does not go up into flames, we will be dining on french toast complemented by fried turkey.

Then it will be off to stepmother-in-law's for dinner for 30 (I told you there is A LOT of family). That is when I sit in the basement with the men and drink beer and watch football. Much more fun than gossiping with the ladies upstairs.

[SWoodyWhite]

We will be spending the meal with my illegal half's family, and his daughter is doing most of the cooking. She has requested I make the sweet potatoes with marshmallows . Der Brucer, in turn, wants me to fix a side of creamed onions. And I'll be roasting a Smithfield ham, some of which (by no means all) will be going with us to the dinner. It debrines in the kitchen sink as I write. We'll also be supplying the wine.

The big topic of discussion at the Thanksgiving table this year? Handling Christmas. Der Brucer's ex-wife, the mother of his daughter, is coming from California, and the family has decided to bite the bullet and put both of us together in the same room. Much hand-wringing will take place before the yuletide event, to be sure. I'm looking forward to it all.

Edited November 23, 2004 by SWoodyWhite (log)

[mktye]

What are you up to?

Cooking up a carb-fest for the in-laws. Eight people plus two guest dogs (in addition to our own pooch).

Doing our traditional grilled turkey accompanied by: sourdough dressing; mashed potatoes; gravy; roasted sweet potatoes & turnips; brioche rolls; peas with bacon & garlic; carrots glazed with brown sugar/mustard/chives; hericorts verts with a roasted onion/basalmic topping; scalloped onions, shallots & leeks; and apple chutney & mother-in-law's cranberry relish.

Plus six pies (2 pecan, 2 french apple, 1 plain pumpkin & 1 pumpkin with a cheesecake layer). Yes, 6 pies for 8 people -- we have a family tradition of eating leftover pie for breakfast the next day. Last year I made only three pies and it got really ugly... crying, bargaining, wrestling, begging and pieces of pie being hidden for those stilling snoozing.

What are you looking forward to?

Dinner at Corduroy on Friday!

Which relative is going to get drunk and be a complete pain in the ass?

I'd better not answer in case my mother-in-law is reading this!

[Mrs. P]

(anyone know where I can find some whole star anise?)

←

I just picked some up last night at the Giant in Silver Spring - Badia brand in the hispanic food section - about $.60 for a dozen if I recall correctly.

Our T-day will be at my house (no dry turkey here!). We'll be hosting my bro, mom, my dog, and a friend's puppy. Hopefully my brother will fill in as sous chef. The menu includes turkey with cornbread chorizo stuffing, roasted veggies, potatoes, cranberry relish, and pears two ways - poached in red wine & POM juice and a pear-frangipan tart. Starting off with a pomegranate kir royale - might finish off with one too!

[JennyUptown]

I'm heading to Northeastern PA to see my parents. For the past few years we have spent the holiday with their best friends (who are like an aunt and uncle to me), and the day after with assorted family members who don't want to travel on the Thursday of. There's family drama this year (my cousin's sociopath husband landed in jail last week for reasons that include grand larceny and a high-speed police chase) so I am expecting my relatives to make themselves scarce.

Anyway...My mother makes the bird and the stuffing (best, best part of the day). My aunt makes most of the rest. Some of the stuff will be good, the rest will be just OK, but there's good company and they don't mind if I fall asleep on the couch or act grumpy because my boyfriend has been out of town for almost three months on a trial and his return date continues to be uncertain.

[Gastro888]

So what are everyone's plans?

What are you up to?

What are you looking forward to?

Staying at home, traveling, or hitting a restaurant?

Which relative is going to get drunk and be a complete pain in the ass?

←

Staying home. No traveling for me! (Although I tried finding a cheapy package to Europe for this time but I was too late. Seems like you have to book those at least 2 months in advance...oog)

Looking forward to sleeping in and just resting. Ahhhh. Oh yeah and my dad's prime rib with a side of rice. He roasts it with pickling spice on top (I know, it's weird but trust me you just use a wee bit and it's really good). We don't do turkey at our house. We may roast the odd potato but we usually do rice.

We may go do dim sum in the morning but that all depends on how we feel. Gah, the crowds may just drive us bonkers.

None! We don't invite them over b/c they're all a royal pain in the hineyparts!

[Al_Dente]

I'm having Thanksgiving dinner at my GF's folks up in Bethesda. I'm making a batch of collard greens with kosher smoked Turkey legs instead of the usual ham hocks, and I think I'll give the Onion Confit a try after reading that thread here on eGullet. For some reason, I'm also in charge of the gravy even though I'm not the one making the turkey. I've only made gravy a couple of times, so if anyone has any tips or ideas, please let me know. My GF's mother is an excellent cook, so dinner should be first rate. There will be lots of great wine too.

Then I'm off to the eastern shore for a weekend with my family. I'll probably pick up some good wine and cheeses for the trip-- you can't get much of anything in Smallsbury.

I hope everyone has a great holiday! Cheers!

[bilrus]

My wife and I (and Barkley - see avatar) are spending the day at home. No guests, no travelling, no having to make vegetarian side dishes to accomodate anyone else.

Were going to sleep late, watch some movies saved up on Tivo.

Then for dinner, I'm making a turkey breast with bread salad (a la Zuni Cafe's chicken) along with a small batch of Cranberry Sauce and a Pumpkin Ice Cream from the Inn at Little Washington cookbook. And maybe a few bottles of wine mixed in.

Barkley will probably have some turkey too.

Edited to add - I think I need to make a soup as a starter. Maybe cream of mushroom.

Edited November 23, 2004 by bilrus (log)