For Thanksgiving I drove down to Silver Spring, site of, well, my childhood. The T.'s, our former neighbors and close family friends, had extended the offer soon after Mom's funeral and Dad and I quickly, and gratefully, accepted. I left early on the morning of Thanksgiving, as I figured it would make for easier travel than right after work on Wednesday. I was right.
Appetizers that were eventually put out once the day got a little later included this crab/shrimp/cream cheese dish.
I wandered over to my former home and took a few photographs of the train rolling by and the new paint job.
This used to be my playground.
While the turkeys did their thing and other dishes were properly dealt with, I drank a sparkling drink with cranberry. I was entirely unhelpful with the cooking.
There were 13 of us, so two turkeys: one smoked, one roasted. This first turkey is the smoked one.
This is the roasted one.
Though I had heard much about them, this was my first time meeting B. and D.'s grandkids, and the first time in a long time that I had seen either of their parents.
Boy in the background is the older brother to boy in the front and his twin bro not pictured.
Mmmmmmm.
Mmmmmmmm.
Desserts were just as plentiful as the turkeys and sides. So much so that both I and B. and D.'s son R. got pies with candles and a round of 'Happy Birthday.' This is me pretending to eat all the pie.
There were also turkey cupcakes with gravy filling.
And apple pie. Man. I was definitely stuffed by the end of the meal.
After dinner there was much sitting about.
And being cat-like. Or at least I think this is what he's being.
Some even walked on ceilings with the help of their tall uncle.
And by some I mean all three people under four feet tall.
Eventually it was down to B., D., R., my dad and myself. All rather wiped from the eating and drinking, but pleasantly so I think.
Here D. and I are, looking how we look all of the time: perky.
Thanksgiving over the years has always been a relatively good holiday for me. My birthday falls on or around it, so there are presents and that's always nice. Growing up we'd go to a family friend's in D.C. and celebrate with her and her extended family, but as I got older I bowed out of returning home once or twice, then started hosting the holiday myself (to mixed and often drunken results). Since I left Chicago and haven't had a life partner type or good apartment for entertaining, my interest in trying to gather my parents and a motley crue of friends together for the holiday has gone by the wayside. All I can think about is all the dishes and time, and the lack of places for people to sit. If Thanksgiving was in June I'd do it on the deck. Anyways. My point is that it was nice to blend in with the T.'s larger crew on this first Thanksgiving sans Mom. Another point may be that there is some relief in the lack of traditions my nuclear family had, as this makes the holidays less of some sort of minefield of recollection and loss. This is only my take, of course. My overall point is that I was thankful for the longstanding friendship of B. and D. to my parents and me...which is how one should be on a day like Thanksgiving.
Eventually it was go-time. The first course was Champagne Thierry Triolet, NV paired with a roasted sea scallop with citrus, Bordier seaweed butter and julienne truffles. I believe LW said of the first champagne "it tastes like money" but that may have been the second? I took photographs of most of the bubbly, but they all looked pretty much the same, so I'm not bothering. The scallop was similar to other scallop dishes we've had at the cheese/wine/food events. Good, but not quite hot...like it was one of the first plated, but last to be taken out or something. Still tender and tasty, but I would have liked it more if the temperature had been up just a bit. Of all the courses, this was the one where the truffle element didn't come through quite as much. For me, anyways.
Next up was a Champagne Brut Reserve, Henri Billiot Fils. Paired with Coeur de Cochon Pithivier with creamed salsify and Perigueux sauce. The sauces on all of these dishes were off the hook. It doesn't look like a lot in any of the photos, but each slurp or scoop was just rich, rich goodness personified. Only not personified. Foodified.
Hearty and rich, wonderfully flaky outside. Mmm. I think I may have literally used one of my fingers to get the last of the sauce from the plate to my belly.
On to the Champagne Brut "Tradition," Gaston-Chicquet paired with sauteed foie gras with picked prunes, Sauce Foyot and sliced truffles. I'm a sucker for foie gras, so it probably won't come as any big surprise that this was my favorite course. I also liked the prune element, as I'm most familiar with foie being paired with cherries or balsamic...or both in some combo, so trying something slightly new and different was neat-o. Rich. Fatty. Melty madness. Just. So satisfying.
The final course was Champagne Rose de Saignee Brut, Rene Geoffroy, and went along with Wild Scottish Pheasant "Demi-Deuil" with potato fondant and truffles. The potato fondant. My goodness me. LW asked T. what he had done to them, and he said something about cooking them in butter for six hours. This made me laugh and laugh, partially because of the champagne, and partially because of course butter made it so good...but also of course if I tried to cook potatoes in butter for six hours, I would get nothing like the results of this dish. Butter is your friend, but only if you know how to wield it. Because we all wield friends. The pheasant was plentiful and tender. Perhaps not my favorite game/fowl, but that's a reflection of my preferences.
Last up were assorted desserts including pistchio brittle, a truffle, a macaron, and something else. I was so stuffed and champagne giddy by this point that I didn't really have the wherewithal to properly investigate. I recall the brittle being tasty and crunchy. I need to develop a better appreciation of macaroons, so many other people love them and yet I'm just sort of 'meh.' 
A whirlwind. It was very cool to try some above average champagnes, and the dishes that shined, shined bright. Thanks to the whole McCrossen's staff for a great meal and evening.
