Thanksgiving 2008

I had a fabulously local Thanksgiving! The meal was the culmination of a years’ worth of locavoring with several dishes from the freezer, jars, and vacuum-sealed packages, where they’d been since they were picked and preserved in season. I enjoyed collecting and preparing the various menu items as much as I did eating them!  I feel like I really celebrated the bounty of the land where I live. I thank the farmers and their employees, the market managers, others who sell local foods, the people who post recipes and instructions on the Internet, my fellow local food bloggers, and my family for this feast.

My menu was as follows:

Appetizers

appetizers

  • Chilled Roasted Beets
    From Missy’s Farmstand in Goshen, NY
  • Spiced Icebox Pickled Carrots
    Carrots from Don Taylor Farm in Danbury, CT, jalapenos & other hot peppers from Cherry Grove Farm in Newtown, CT, local garlic
  • Roasted Red Peppers
    From Missy’s Farmstand with local garlic
  • Sliced Baby Fennel Bulbs
    From Stone Gardens Farm
  • Garlic Pickles
    From Stoneledge Farm in Southbury, CT
  • Kalamata Olives
    From out there
  • Assorted Cheeses
    Pleasant Cow, Pleasant Sun, Aged Feta, and Fresh from Sankow’s Beaver Brook Farm
  • Sage Cheddar
    From the Vermont Country Store (a gift, from someone who was there)
  • Sweet Soppressata and Mozzarella Cheese (we are Italian and it is not a holiday without these)
    From out there
  • Crackers & Breads & Butter
    Crackers from out there; bread from Rockland Bakery; my own home-made butter

Soup

Chicken Soup with bow tie pasta (based on this chicken soup recipe)
Chickens from Beaver Brook Farm and Ox Hollow Farm; onions, celery, and carrots from Stone Gardens Farm, garlic and parsley, local from our co-mingled collection; our own sage. Pasta from out there.

Main Course

Beverages

local_beverages

And yes, we had these for those who prefer them:

unlocal_beverages

Dessert

  • Apple Crisp
    Made by Blue Jay Orchards, with their own apples and other worldly ingredients
  • Pumpkin Pie (based on this pumpkin pie recipe, without the canned milk)
    Pumpkins from Don Taylor Farms and Killam and Bassette Farmstead; eggs from Ox Hollow Farm; white winter wheat flour from Wild Hive; butter from the Vermont Butter & Cheese Co.; heavy cream from Trinity Dairy; salt, pumpkin pie spice, and brown sugar from out there
  • Fresh Whipped Cream
    Heavy cream from Trinity Dairy; vanilla and sugar from out there
  • Vanilla Ice Cream
    from Rich Farm
  • Fresh Fruits
    Golden Delicious apples, Empire Apples, and Bosc pears from Killam and Bassette Farmstead; Cortland apples from Blue Jay Orchards
  • Torrone
    A nougat delight from Italy
  • Mixed  Nuts, Chestnuts, roasted Pumpkin seeds Dates, & Figs
    All from out in the world, except the pumpkin seeds
  • Coffee and Hot Chocolate
    From out in the world

As you can see, there were some Marco Polo exceptions on the table. For the most part (excepting some seasonings, oils, nuts, some beverages, and such), these were items that were not required for the meal, but special holiday treats for various members of my family and so I served them.

The turkey from Quattro Game Farm was outstanding! It was well worth the $4/lb price tag. I don’t believe I’ve ever gotten as many compliments on a turkey before. Thanks to John Holbrook for making these available. The pumpkin pie turned out to be a hit as well.

End Notes

google_thanksgiving08
While Googling for this post, I came across this Westchester Magazine article and this NY Times article, which may provide useful resources for other local foodies in my region.

Also, my apologies for the lack of discipline in shooting photos. In the flurry of activity, I forgot about the camera—completely by dessert time!

Laura: Consider this my local meal of the week (with the leftovers most likely lasting until the end of the Dark Days Challenge!).

UPDATE: If you have a moment, check out Catherine Grace’s exceptionally local Thanksgiving.

5 thoughts on “Thanksgiving 2008”

  1. I’ll second that WOW! You plan so well, I hope I can do the same next year. Isn’t Wild Hive Farm awesome to have in our zone? As a relatively new localvore, your posts (especially this one!) have been great resources for me.

  2. Did you shower with your Patchouli soap and wear your Goatboy sweatshirt?

    Thanks for sharing all your great places and for shopping locally!! We all appreciate it!

  3. Biblioholic: I love your site!

    Mangochild: You are so right–having Wild Hive Farm (and Lightning Tree Farm) in our zone has opened up a world of locavore opportunities. Who knew having our own wheat and milled corn would be so exceptional? It’s the little things, I guess. (Note to local farmers: could someone please grow beans/legumes?)

    Lisa: Surprise of all surprises–I did NOT use my patchouli soap on Thanksgiving; I used Frankincense and Myrrh! Very nice, as you can see here. (It was a little warm in the kitchen to wear my Goatboy sweatshirt, but I did show it off!) Happy Holidays to you and the kids!

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