h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

We're up, have had a long, leisurely breakfast, and have split a bottle of local bubbly. It is time to wrestle the bird into the oven. Of course I really ought to change into something more appropriate; currently I'm dressed as Arthur Dent.

Happy Thanksgiving!

*flutters around the kitchen, occasionally getting caught in updraughts from the oven much the amusement of any watching s*

Just make sure that your're not put in the oven by mistake Vip!

*brings in a harp*

*arrives with a dish of olives, both black and green, stuffed with pimento*

I only get to use this dish when I serve olives. Look how long and thin it is, just wide enough for an olive train.

Top Turkey Day to ya!

*Arrives with two casserole dishes.*

The larger one is sausage dressing. The other has my famous whipped sweet potatoes.

*arrives bearing candycorn and a Pile of carrot and turnip mash*

Who wants mash!?

mini

I didn't realise I was supposed to bring anything

That's okay, Pastey, with all these lovely dishes, we seem to have plenty for all.

The bird went into the oven at 11:30 am. It's a 16 pound bird; at 325F it will take 4 hours. The giblets went in a pot of water on the stove.

Time for a cheese and fruit plate. The cheese is Humboldt Fog from Cypress Grove, Arcata, CA, there's the local apple, a Sierra Beauty, and a red pear. And we are pouring Husch 2009 Gewurztraminer.

*shares with everyone*

*puts vip's and mini's Gewurztraminer in appropriately-sized shot glasses*

*pops in with some freshly baked dinner rolls*

*sits right in front of the olive dish*

We're having a tofurky with mashed potato, mushroom gravy, green beans, and sage stuffing. Crescent rolls. And I'm having some white zinfandel because I drank the bottle of I bought for tonight last night because I was so beat up from work. OH doesn't drink so I picked up him a 2-liter of Coke.

Two of the local wineries bottle Gewurztraminer juice. I get some for Mama Nerd for Hogswatch because she doesn't drink.

Okay, does everyone have enough to tide them over? I have to raid the garden for some herbs and then duck in the kitchen and start the baked dressing.

I would love some of that Gewurztraminer juice. I should look them up and see if they can ship to IL. Or if anyone local carries some.

mmmmm

hey i like this holiday.

Today i'm thankful for friends, even if they do live on the interwebs.

mini

*emerges from kitchen*

Baked dressing (toast, minced giblets, some of the broth created by cooking said giblets, egg, currents, celery, walnuts, onion, garlic) is now in the oven, next to the roasting turkey. Mr Nerd has just made the cranberry-orange relish in the blender.

So probably time to tidy up the kitchen again before the next bout of cookery.

Everyone has enough wine? Cheese?

Not so sure about the toFurky, PC but all the rest sounds real nice.

And HN, I like to toss any giblets I might be lucky enough to get - inside the bird. Still cook nicely to my satisfaction (I'm the one who eats 'em) and adds a little flavour to the broth that later becomes the gravy

In 'honour' of our southern neighbors (and just because I wanted some) I roasted a small chicken for our supper. And it was real nice.

Thanks for joining the party, Nick, even though you northerners have already had your Thanksgiving.

I use everything on the bird too, just differently. They and the aforementioned ingredients go in a glass baking dish, not in the bird.

Now the oven is quite full. Time to work on the pie.

Despite having feasted well, I'm sure that I can round up some appetite when your feed is ready. Dark meat for me, please.

*slices from the thigh*

We have roast turkey, baked garnet yam, baked potato, steamed broccoli, cranberry relish, baked dressing, and gravy.

And three really happy cats because Mr Nerd made a tiny error in vector analysis.

No biggie, I have to mop later anyway.

*Arrives fashionably late carrying a bag filled with several bottles of rather expensive and excellent beer*

Who's for some three-year-old Dogfish Head 120 Minute