Thanksgiving 2008

This year was probably the smallest Thanksgiving dinner in our hosting lifetime. Our guestlist was in the single digits, whereas in the past, it averages between 15-25 heads. Even though I missed having the hustle and bustle of a pack filled home, the quaintness of our intimate dinner with our lovely family members was a relaxing change.

What really helps this [frazzled] hostess now is her teens can do a lot of the prep work. In the past, I've been known to spend the ENTIRE day before Thanksgiving (or any other formal dinner) just dressing up my table. Ironing linens, polishing the silver to shiny perfection, setting the table per Emily Post etiquette, creative napkin folding, finding the perfect centerpiece, and even the final touch of personalized place cards. Yes, I get much satisfaction from these arduous tasks. And, I admit, this is the time, when I have been known to almost turn Martha Stewart crazy (short-tempered, nit picky, and maybe a bit of yelling here and there). ;)

However, since we had a smaller fete this year, these tasks were delegated to Domi and Jay. As Domi polished the silver candlesticks and Jay set the table with the Lenox Solitaire China and vintage circa 1921 Grosvenor flatware, I tell them, "one day, these heirlooms will be yours!". They both looked at me with this blank stare, and then went back to work, without saying a word. Ah well.

I share the same passion with certain antique items as both my maternal and paternal grandmothers. My paternal grandmother was an antique reseller herself. Maybe Sophia will be share in her mom's enthusiasm when she's older. She did after all, get giddy herself about having her very own place setting at the table and even managed to drink out of a small wine glass (filled with Cranberry juice) without a single spill or breaking it. Those practical life skills we work on are coming in handy!

Our (everything homemade) Menu consisted of:

Appetizers~ Baked Black Cherry Brie with Toast Points (Eric)
Main Dinner~Honey-baked Ham, Deep-fried Turkey (David), Rice Dressing, Green Bean Casserole, Green Chili Macaroni and Cheese (Eric), Shallot Whipped Mashed Potatoes (Eric), Sweet Potatoes (Holly), Fresh Cranberry Sauce, and Dinner Rolls and Cornbread.
Dessert~Bread Pudding (Eric) and Pecan Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream and Pralines.









Adding this photo to balance some of the refinement with evidence of a good ol' cajun deep-fried turkey.



Hope you all had a wonderful and restful Thanksgiving with your loved ones.