Holiday Menus

[southendmd]

Back to menus:  

Here was the menu for Thanksgiving in the South End:

With drinks:  three cheeses (tangy goat, crumbly cheddar, gooey mont d'or), crab dip, nuts.

Main course:
Roast turkey--organic, walk-around, chemical-free from Vermont (best I ever had).
Stuffing/dressing--bread and sausage with lots of celery and sage, and one for vegetarians.
Gravy made from giblets simmered in red wine.
Onions that were roasted with the turkey.
Butternut squash purée with maple syrup and sour cream, topped with caramelized onions.
Eastham turnip purée (kind of like a rutabaga, pure white and peppery).
Steamed and sautéed haricots verts.
Cranberry-clementine-ginger relish.

Wine:  Stephen Vincent "Crimson"

Dessert:
Homemade mincemeat pies.
Very strong coffee.

For the weekend:  turkey consommé made from the bones.  Yum.

[Sason]

Sounds YUMMI!!!

I'm a bit confused by the mincemeat.  I suppose it isn't meat, but what is it?

[southendmd]

Sounds YUMMI!!!

I'm a bit confused by the mincemeat.  I suppose it isn't meat, but what is it?

I think mincemeat originally contained meat, and/or beef suet.  But, nowadays, most versions contain seasoned, chopped dried fruit (like raisins, currants, dates, prunes, orange peel spiced with cinnamon, cloves, mace, nutmeg).  Often mixed with brandy and baked in a pie.  

[Sason]

Mmmmm --- sounds delicious!!

Any nuts in the mixture?

[southendmd]

Mmmmm --- sounds delicious!!

Any nuts in the mixture?

No nuts.  It has enough texture on its own. 

I hated it as a kid, probably too strong, but now I love it.  In fact, I had a little piece for breakfast today.

[Meryl]

Thanks for the South End menu, Paul.  I was wondering how our resident gourmet chef would celebrate Turkey Day.  Sounds wonderful! 

I had pie for breakfast, too, of course.  A rare treat:  homemade apple pie made with Macoun and Empire apples and a buttery crust.  Oh boy! 

[Front-Ranger]

I just finished a mince-cranberry pie for tomorrow's dinner. I found that the mincemeat you buy in a jar has no beef suet in it, in fact, no meat of any kind. Therefore, I can serve it when my sortof kosher daughter and her son visit. I fortified the mincemeat with some special golden raisins I have been macerating in brandy for a fortnight or so.

I was thinking of serving the pie with vanilla ice cream...Paul, what do you think? It has a crust on top.

For your homemade mince pie, did you use beef suet? It's surprisingly hard to get. You have to order it from a butcher in advance around these parts.

[southendmd]

Mmm, I'm sure golden raisins and cranberries will brighten up any store-bought mincemeat.

I think beef is not necessary in any form.

Vanilla ice cream is always a welcome with pie.  Another option would be ginger ice cream.  Yum. 

[southendmd]

Here's the Christmas menu for tomorrow:

Drinks with Joey's gougeres (extraordinary cheese puffs), patés--venison and mousse truffée.

Savenor's Market best rack of lamb crusted with juniper berries, garlic, rosemary, black pepper, dijon mustard, breadcrumbs. Rosy rare.
Gratin of potato and celery root.
Little haricots verts.

Barolo for wine.

Again, homemade mincemeat pies, because everyone loves them.
Very strong coffee.
Dark chocolate covered orange peel from La Maison du Chocolat.
10 year tawny port, Taylor Fladgate.

[Front-Ranger]

Mmm, I'm sure golden raisins and cranberries will brighten up any store-bought mincemeat.

I think beef is not necessary in any form.

Vanilla ice cream is always a welcome with pie.  Another option would be ginger ice cream.  Yum. 

I think ginger ice cream might be do-able! Thanks for the inspiration, friend! Enjoy your dinner!!