filed in Holiday Cheer
In Need of Nourishment
Apart from my post-election obsession with social media and the coming apocalypse, I’m trying to focus on happier things, like Thanksgiving. It’s hard to believe it’s next week. My responsibility is limited. I only have to bring an appetizer – though it’s for 25 people, so it takes planning. I love the planning part, the scouring of cookbooks to figure out what to prepare. This is mostly a Jewish crowd, so I landed on a recipe that I’ve made before from the Barefoot Contessa for chopped chicken liver. It’s fabulous, and reminiscent of holidays around the Brooklyn dinner table of my Latvian-born grandmother. What are your Thanksgiving plans?
Photo by Brenton Clarke Little
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16 comments for “In Need of Nourishment”
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Wendy, how do you render the chicken fat or do you use something else? I get off easy this year with only a persimmon, arugula, pine nut, parmesan salad.
Chicken fat is an essential ingredient for this dish. And I buy it at a Kosher market (on Fairfax Ave). It’s hard to find, but just scored some today.
I love cooking with chicken fat. Duck fat is also great. i haven’t seen it in a long time so haven’t used it recently. i wonder how it’s made. Enjoy what I’m sure will be an exceptional appetizer!
How to make “schmaltz” or chicken fat from The Splendid Table http://www.splendidtable.org/story/how-to-make-schmaltz
Yikes, that’s a process. Wendy have you ever made yours? it does sound absolutely yummy though.
I’ve never made it, and can’t imagine. I’m not even sure my grandmother did.
I am hosting! I’ve done this for the past few years. Usually my parents visit, but last year it was a Friendsgiving. This year it’ll be a mix. My parents and sister are visiting, as are some friends of mine plus my boyfriend. It’ll be 9 of us. I love cooking and hosting, and with what has been a very busy semester, it’ll be a great respite from work.
Planning is the key–I’ve already made the base gravy (just add pan drippings). I’m prepping the apple pie today–the crust is in the fridge and I’ll put it all together tonight. Then it’s into the freezer until the morning of Thanksgiving, when I’ll bake it and the green tomato mincemeat pie. Also making homemade pumpkin spice ice cream (a request–I’ve never made it before). Later this afternoon I’ll braise the red cabbage, which will go into the freezer until Thursday.
May you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Wendy!
Oh, and isn’t going through cookbooks fun? I too love doing that!
We share that love, Petra.
9 is a lovely number. Not too big. You have lucky guests to be eating your delicious food.
Not sure yet. I’ll travel 2 hours to see my parents either at their house in one direction or at their other house in the other direction. They haven’t decided yet if they’re going to stay home or go to their weekend place. Thanksgiving is often small and last minute with my family but we cook something good and relax and take a hike or walk if the weather is nice.
It sounds like a lovely day, Claire.
I felt very much at a loss about how to spend my first Thanksgiving without my mother, so I chose an avoidant strategy. I am going to visit some friends in Canada, where it is not Thanksgiving! I look forward to seeing them, and to a few days of remove from holiday hubbub.
My close friend who is a therapist often says that the first year of a loss is so hard because it’s the first time being without your loved one on special and even mundane occasions – the first Sunday, the first birthday, the first Thanksgiving, the first Christmas. It’s good to know that you’re taking good care of yourself.
Ehm, take care of yourself. You’re in my thoughts.
All of our thoughts –