This was an interesting year for agriculture, to say the least. Still, our farmers and producers were able to pull it off. Here’s our Thanksgiving 2011 feast:
Appetizers:
- Chilled Roasted Golden Beets from Fort Hill Farm
- Spicy Icebox Pickled Carrots from my 2010 canning adventure
- Roasted Red Peppers Maple Bank Farm
- Assorted Cheeses: Pleasant Cow, Pleasant Valley, & Fresh Cheese from Sankow’s Beaver Brook, Goat’s milk Ricotta Salade from Beltane Farm, Provolone from Italy
- Crudites: Carrots from Holbrook Farm, fennel from Migliorelli Farm, broccoli from Stone Gardens Farm
- Vegetable Dip. Yogurt from Arethusa Farm Dairy seasoned with Zukay cucumber mint salad dressing
- Three Sisters Salad/Dip. Cranberry beans from Don Taylor Farms, Danbury, CT, corn niblets and butternut squash from Sport Hill Farm
- Table Crackers and Cornmeal Crackers from Wild Hive Farm and Micro Mill
- Other Crackers & Bread. Not local
Soup
Chicken soup with bowtie pasta or brown rice. Broth made from chickens from Stone Gardens Farm, Stuarts Family Farm, and Laurel Ridge Farm. Onions and carrots from Holbrook Farm, celeriac from Yale Farm, parsnips from Don Taylor Farm, Danbury, CT and Migliorelli Farm, and my own garlic. Pasta and rice: not local.
Main Course
- Roasted Turkey from Quattro Game Farm
- Pan Gravy from the natural juices of the bird, flour from Wild Hive
- Cornbread Stuffing. Butter and heavy cream from Smyth’s Trinity Farm, onions from Holbrook Farm, and my own sage and chicken stock. Cornbread made from Wheat flour and corn meal from Wild Hive, maple syrup from Bluestone Farm (the last of the 2010 vintage), eggs from Greyledge Farm, milk from Stone Wall Dairy, Cornwall Bridge, CT. Baking powder, salt, safflower oil: not local
- Whole-Berry Cranberry Sauce. Cranberries brought by a friend from a farm stand in Cape Cod, MA, maple syrup from McLaughlin Vineyards, apple cider from Lyman Orchards. Cinnamon stick: not local
- Applesauce made from assorted apples from Maple Bank Farm, Waldingfield Farm, and Rogers Orchards.
- Mashed Potatoes made from potatoes from Riverbank Farm, butter from Smith’s Trinity Farm, sour cream from Hudson Valley Fresh, Poughkeepsie, NY
- Baked Sweet Potatoes from Sport Hill Farm
- Roasted Butternut Squash. Squash from Sport Hill Farm. Olive oil and cinnamon: not local
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts from Stone Gardens Farm
- Sautéed Swiss Chard from Waldingfield Farm
Dessert
- Apple Pie: Northern Spy apples from Maple Bank Farm, pastry flour from Wild Hive, butter from Smyth’s Trinity Farm. Sugar and other spices: not local
- Pumpkin Pie: Kuri Squash from Maple Bank Farm, eggs from Greyledge Farm, pastry flour from Wild Hive, butter and heavy cream from Smyth’s Trinity Farm, maple syrup from McLaughlin Vineyards
spices: not local. - Fresh Whipped Cream: Heavy cream from Smyth’s Trinity Farm Vanilla and sugar: not local
- Campfire, Black Raspberry, and Vanilla Ice Cream Ferris Acres Creamery
- Lemon Sorbet: Homemade from non-local ingredients
- Fresh Fruit Basket: Not local
- Mixed Nuts: Not local
- Figs: Not local
- Roasted Chestnuts: Woodbury, CT via New Morning
- Coffee, Tea: Not local
Beverages
- Apple Cider: Lyman Orchards
- Egg Nog: Smith’s Trinity Farm
- Soda: Assorted flavors from Foxon Park. Pellegrino: not local
- Red Wine: Cabernet Franc from Hopkins Vineyard
- Beer: XLimited from Cavalry Brewing Company and Vixen from Sam Adams
Thank you to my family for their help in making this a fabulous day!
Hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving.
This is awesome, the more that people realize that they can source all of their food locally the better off we all will be in the future. This is truly going green. How do we get more and more people to realize that this is possible??
Quite the local feast!
@Fred: Indeed! And it’s so doable, particularly in our area where we’re lucky to have so much. Thanksgiving began in New England so it’s the easiest holiday for a local and seasonal menu.
@Maureen: You know I love it!
Sophie! I am SOOOO impressed! WOW!
Now I know where the REAL foodie is lol!
@PMM: Well now we have a real Mutual Admiration Society going! Thanks with your help on the pies and such.
What a cool blog! Your food looks delicous, being a foodie you knew I would have to look!
Have you ever considered some links one where people can search for local produce and meats in their area? that would be so good for people to find out that right in their own backyards they can get some REAL food.
I have some links somewhere if you are interested.
If you would like a link on the ubiquitous and obnoxious UW blogroll, let me know!
Thanks Uppity–means a lot coming from you!
There are a bunch of real food search sites at the bottom of the My Foodshed tab. I should probably put them in a more prominent location so people can find them. I’m open to suggestions.
Nice link collection! I didn’t realize that tab was for that. I was thinking something for people who aren’t in CT, would increase readership. Just a thought.
This blog is inspiring to people who didn’t realize they can buy local foods that are healthier and the bane of Monsanto.
Example here’s a site where people can find local produce using zip in any state.
http://www.localharvest.org/
LOL!! A link to Local Harvest is there! Proves the point that those search sites need to be in a more obvious location. But where?
OK…I set up the local food search sites as a widget. Enjoy!
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You’re gonna post Christmas feast photos right?
“But where?”
Maybe a sidebar graphic that says Click Here to find local food in your area…and have the link go to the tab.