Here she is, Miss America

We're joining 20 people in Sea Cliff for this year's Thanksgiving feast. I'm in charge of the birds. Rather than trying to roast one giant bird I'm roasting two smaller American Bronze turkeys from McDonald Farm, one 6.5 pounds and one 12 pounds. I'm doing the dry brine and then carrying them in an insulated bag over the Long Island Railroad. Think it'll work?

I'll also be whipping up some chicken liver pate and this pear, walnut and brandy cranberry sauce, and making a gravy with turkey stock and apple cider. Otherwise our hostess has her own vision for this dinner and it's going to be grand: cornbread stuffing with pork sausage, creamed onions, pumpkin soup, squash, salads, tart, pies.

I am thankful for all the farmers who raised the food we'll be eating this weekend. And I am thankful for the friends we'll share the meal with and for our families near and far. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Spiced pork belly with apple cider glaze

I finally got organized enough to enter a Food52 contest! One of the themes this week was pork with apple cider. I probably could have made this with hard apple cider instead of fresh apple cider with vermouth. Anyway, I'm just proud I managed to create a recipe, write it up, and photograph it in time for the deadline. (At least I think I met the deadline.) Have a look-see.

Slaughterhouse blues

The problem of finding quality, USDA-approved independent slaughterhouses here in the northeast is a reoccuring problem small farms face, according to this Edible Manhattan article by Ann Monroe. Veritcal integration--when the same company that owns the animals and the land also owns the slaughtering and butchering facilities--makes slaughtering expensive and difficult for smaller operations. And demand for good slaughterhouse workers is high--but it's a tough job that requires talent and passion. What to do?

Birthday vanilla scallops

Don't you hate it when you order the scallops at a restaurant and you get just three little ones atop some pile of starch? And they're so good and you wish you could have more? Well since Lane did not want to go out for his birthday ("I see no reason to celebrate turning 42...") I used that as an excuse to buy lots and lots of scallops at the greenmarket for dinner. Oh, they are so sweet and tender.

I discovered a recipe for scallops in vanilla sauce years ago but have since lost it. But it's not that hard to replicate. First I seared the scallops in butter (in batches). Then I set them aside and deglazed the pan with about 1/3 cup vermouth. Once I'd cooked out enough of the alcohol I added a cup or so cream, a few more pats of butter, salt, and 1/2 tablespoon vanilla. At this point I would have added saffron as well but I was out. Shoot.

I simmered that on low while the linguini cooked, then I tossed the noddles in the sauce with the scallops. And we ate so many, many scallops!

While I was having fun with the butter I also made purple carrots with tarragon. I steamed the carrots and then put them in a covered pan with butter and fresh tarragon over low heat.

Unfortunately Jasper threw a magnet at the window of my oven Friday night and shattered the glass. This was partly my fault as I had left the oven on at 400 degrees after roasting a chicken (cringe). Still, that meant I couldn't bake Lane a birthday cake. Instead I bought cupcakes from the Treats Truck. And then the three of us danced the night away.

November garden

Just because I'm so proud and can't believe I pulled it off I'm showing you more pictures of my tiny rooftop garden greens. Hopefully the weather will cooperate so I can harvest the spotted lettuce in early December. By the way, I got the seeds for these greens and carrots from the Hudson Valley Seed Library.

Some kind of squash inflicted with fungus