Memories of my first Thanksgiving

I was so thrilled to experience my first real American Thanksgiving dinner hosted by Sam's friends Fatemeh and C. I was actually very nervous as I'm quite shy when it comes to social gatherings and I was wondering how I would fit in with a group of people who know each other very well. I needn't have worried because everyone especially Catherine and Jeff (with whom we shared a taxi) were very welcoming and immediately made me feel at ease. Another of Sam's friends Joy had given birth to a delightful little boy the previous week and her husband's family, who were visiting, also joined the party so there was another 'grandma' among the guests!

On thanksgiving morning Sam was very very busy in her kitchen preparing the dishes she was taking. I was put in charge of preparing mushrooms and generally helping to clear up. Sam made a mushroom stuffing, creamy leeks with crunchy topping, Cranberry jelly, pumpkin ice cream and S'mores pie.
We headed over the Bay Bridge for Oakland around mid-day, all the food was either balanced on trays or packed in an ice bag. Luckily the only mishap was the taxi driver taking the wrong exit off the freeway and taking us on a little detour!!
When we arrived preparations were in full swing and everyone pitched in to help set up the table and complete the final touches to the cooking. I was so impressed with the Fatemeh's organisational skills as everyone who needed it had oven space and time allocated. Actually why was I surprised~they are all good cooks and food bloggers so naturally they are always well organised and not a bit chaotic in the kitchen like me. As Sam pointed out, if I had everything weighed and ready in bowls the cooking bit it easy and although I'm reluctant to admit it she is of course right. It's how I was taught way back in the late 50's when I was taking Domestic Science as they called it then.
Just look at the lovely cheese board that we sampled along the way.


Below are pictures of Sam's mushroom stuffing the creamed leeks and the cranberry wine and rosemary jelly together with Joy and Jon's wild rice stuffing and Catherine's bean,almond with lemon zest dish.

These are some of the best mashed potatoes I've ever tasted and you can find the recipe here. Mind you won't need to be counting calories!! I'm going to try and reproduce this dish for one of our meals over Christmas.

As well as the turkey there was a delicious Fatted Calf Cider-Brined Ham and lots of other side dishes including green salad.
Popular consensus voted Sam's pie a huge success and she even made her own Marshmallow from scratch. If my memory serves me correctly she substituted corn syrup for Golden Syrup and I brought McVities Digestive biscuits with me from England for the base. My photos do not actually do it justice. If I've got this wrong she will soon put me right. I don't have the recipe and I bet someone will want it~ so Sam be prepared! Actually I bet Beccy and co would like it so maybe you could send it anyway or give us a link!

This is one of the three cute little French Bulldogs I met on Thanksgiving day. Do you remember when Sam looked after them last year. Since then Olive has joined the family. She's just a puppy and a bundle of mischief, unfortunately I didn't manage to get a photo!

Everything was very relaxed and I can honestly say that I had a memorable thanksgiving thanks to Sam, Fred and all their friends. I hope you have enjoyed this little glimpse into our day.

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December 6th 2006: Gibraltar (The Rock)