On giving Thanks

Over here at Casa D'Oak Cottage, the weather has turned considerably ucky and wet and decidedly unpleasant this past week. We had a small bit of sunshine yesterday afternoon, but that quickly turned to rain again. It reminds me of my first year over here in England, which turned out to be the wettest autumn and winter on record . . .

Just now as I watch the sun creeping up over the horizon there is the promise of a better day today . . . plenty to be thankful for and, this is the season of thankfulness, and indeed all over American today they will be celebrating one of their most treasured holidays of the year, Thanksgiving.

I know that I now live in England, but Thanksgiving is still a special time for me. I find myself wondering why the English don't celebrate it. Do they not have a reason to be thankful at this time of year . . . when all the apples have been picked and the larders are full to the brim with all of summer and autumn's delicious bounty?



Normally most years I am cooking a huge Thanksgiving Dinner up at the big house, with umpteen different dishes and delicacies, but they have gone away this year, and so I am on my own to do as I will. I do enjoy cooking their celebration dinner. It's always a challenge, and I do so enjoy a challenge. There are always several appetizers to get ready, and normally a beautiful soup on offer for the first course, usually a roasted autumn vegetable one. That would be followed by a traditional American turkey dinner with all the trimmings, and for dessert two delicious pies, both pumpkin and pecan and probably a rich and sweet coconut cake.



The first year I was here, I had a huge turkey to cook for them. It was enormous, as one would expect a turkey large enough to feed 25 people would be. It was so big, that I had to take all the racks out of the big American stove that they have, except for only one, and I had to have that one at it's very lowest position. I carefully prepared the turkey, rubbing it all over with butter and herbs and placed it in the oven, then popped back home here to the cottage for a short break and a quick bite to eat.

Imagine my horror when I returned to the big kitchen and could smell something burning when I entered the kitchen door. Yes, it was the turkey. . . I had managed to burn a very expensive, Bronze free range organic turkey. Imagine my distress when I had to report this to the Mrs, and, this being my first year as their cook and all, I was mortified. What a horrible beginning. She took it in her stride though, and said to me, "Marie, it just wouldn't be Thanksgiving unless something happened to the turkey . . ." Todd was sent down to the local shops to find two smaller turkeys that could be quickly cooked and we managed to salvage what we could of the other. With a load of parsley tucked all around it's base one could hardly tell there was anything wrong with it.

This Thanksgiving as they are away, I am free to cook my own dinner of thanks. Actually the Canadian holiday is alot earlier in the year, falling in October, but I do love the American tradition of holding it much closer to Christmas. It is like the ushering in of the Christmas Season, my favourite time of year . . . a very fitting beginning to what is a very wonderful season of celebration.

Guests have been invited, and I have my turkey thawing out in the laundry room sink. Yes, I know that goes completely against everything they tell you is right and proper when thawing out a turkey, but it's the way I have always done it and I have never had any problems with it. Perhaps I've just been lucky . . .



A huge basket of vegetables is just waiting for my capable hands to start paring and chopping. There will be fluffy mashed potatoes and gravy. My own sage and onion bread stuffing, made with potatoes as was my mother's and her mother's before. Roasted sweet Butternut squash and mashed turnips, carrots and peas, tasty and lightly caramelized roasted brussels sprouts with pancetta . . . freshly made cranberry chutney . . . fluffy white bread rolls . . . and for dessert, pumpkin pie.

A really good pumpkin pie, full of sweet spice and rich pumpkin flavour, a pie that very deservedly goes with Thanksgiving . . .



*Pumpkin Pie*
Makes one 9 inch open pie

You can fancy up pumpkin pie however you want, with a crusted and sweet crunchy pecan topping, or a caramel flavoured filling. Nothing can top a plain old fashioned pumpkin pie however. This is the pumpkin pie of my childhood. It's the best in my opinion.

Basic short crust pastry for one 10 inch tart tin
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups cooked or canned pumpkin, mashed or pureed
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
1/2 cup whole milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten


Pre-heat the oven to 220*C/425*F. Line a 10 inch tart tin with a removable bottom with the pastry, trimming the sides evenly. Prick the bottom all over with a fork and line it with some tinfoil. Fill with some baking beans or rice and place it on a baking tray. Place in the heated oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes. Remove the foil and beans and bake for 10 minutes longer.

Mix the pumpkin and other ingredients together in a bowl in the order given, whisking all together well, until completely incorporated.

Now comes the tricky bit. I like to leave the tart tin on the baking tray. Pull one of the oven racks about halfway out and place the tart shell on the baking tray on this rack. Carefully pour the pumpkin filling into the pastry shell and carefully slide the oven rack back into the oven. (This helps to keep the filling from slopping over which is what would happen no matter how carefully you tried to carry it from the counter to the stove!)

Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 165*C/325*F and bake for 40 to 45 minutes longer, until the filling is firm, and a knife inserted near the centre comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for at least two hours before serving. A lightly sweetened and spiced whipped cream is the perfect accompaniment.