Trial Thanksgiving 2011

We call it Trial Thanksgiving. In name only, it’s a dress rehearsal for the actual day. In practice, it’s an excuse to get together with friends who are for all intents and purposes a family as well as to try out new recipes.

In the past few years, we’ve settled on a division of labor.  Tsunami de-bones the turkey with surgical precision and the Dr. makes sticky rice stuffing and bakes the turkey.  Cupcake and Ice Cream Guy provide dessert (obviously).  I make traditional stuffing and gravy because for me, that is an essential part of Thanksgiving.  All the guests bring their own signature dishes to complete the table.

This year’s turkey was dubbed the “Turpiggen” because it was stuffed with sticky rice and…

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Trial Thanksgiving 2010

I can hardly believe that Thanksgiving is over already and I barely had time to curl up on the sofa and savor the proverbial crumbs from Trial Thanksgiving the week before as it was truly epic. Within a matter of moments, everyone’s careful menu planning and diligent cooking was laid to waste by a hungry horde and all that was left was a decimated turkey carcass and a pile of dishes in the sink. My job has hogged most of my brain cells so all I can offer is a visual account so you can fill in the blanks.

Rye Pecan Pie made by the Doctor

Trial Thanksgiving: More is Better, Less is Not Good Enough

The Doctor's Saveur Turkey, oven-roasted

Thanksgiving is obviously my favorite holiday, and that of my friends, who dutifully heed the call of a nationally-sanctioned day of feasting.  With all the fun that goes into sharing a great meal with friends and family, my East Coast friends have long been having annual Trial Thanksgivings as a precursor to the real deal.  This year, some bay area friends decided to host a pre-Thanksgiving potluck before we all scattered away to our respective roosts for the Holiday.  It promised to be a delicious extravaganza so I answered the cattle call and hopped on a Southwest flight for a traditional Thanksgiving with all the trimmings.