An Off-the-Hook-Rook Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is, of course, one of the best holidays of the year, especially for a foodie. Almost every holiday is an opportunity to cook copious amounts of food, but Thanksgiving revolves around it. Families and friends come together, create a mess in the kitchen, and cook enough food to feed an army. This year Thanksgiving dinner was definitely off the hook at the Rook house.

So what was on the menu? Tasty snacks, bread and butter, salad, soup, turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts, cranberry relish, ambrosia, banana pudding, and raspberry bars. Yes.

The turkey was going to take about four hours to roast, so around noon I popped open a beer and prepared the guest of honor, cleaning it, patting the skin dry, coating it with my special combination of butter, sage, rosemary, and thyme, and stuffing it with apples, onions, garlic, herbs, carrots, and celery.

While I got the turkey ready, Tara put out a nice repast of cheese, crackers, olives, and cocktail shrimp. No Thanksgiving is complete without snacks to munch on throughout the day before the big meal.

 

This year we decided to break up the meal a little bit. When I took the turkey out the oven to rest for a while before carving it, we devoured a first course of bread and butter, soup, and salad. Tara baked the bread--it was fabulous. The bread was hearty, warm, and perfect for dipping into the amazing soup that Tara also made. 

The soup was a combination of vegetable stock, carrots, buttercup squash, butternut squash, apples, and a variety of spices. After allowing all the ingredients to cook through until soft, Tara pureed it and served it with just a little bit of sour cream on top. It had a hint of spiciness and lovely flavors that invoked the autumnal season.

My mom prepared the salad--a waldorf salad with a bed of romaine lettuce that was topped with green grapes, apples, celery, and walnuts. The light dressing she tossed it in was delicate and refreshing. Again, it was a perfect representation of fall flavors.

All in all, the bread, soup, and salad were a perfect way to pregame for the main course. We also opened up a delightful bottle of red wine to start off the meal.

Next up was all the traditional fixings for a Thanksgiving meal. The turkey turned out just the way I like it--the skin was nice and crispy and the meat was still moist. I carved it successfully and served it up, snacking a bit on pieces of skin along the way.

Sonya is the queen of mashed potatoes, and as usual she prepared a perfect dish of creamy mashed potatoes. She uses red potatoes and leaves the skin on, also adding some garlic and half-and-half to make it the right consistency. As always it was delicious.

Last year I made a cranberry relish with a recipe that my friend Melissa gave me, and it was so good that my mom requested I make it again this year. The recipe consists of bourbon, shallots, orange zest, sugar, black pepper, and cranberries--it's slightly sweet but still has a nice bite from the bourbon, shallots, and orange zest. This year we decided to try it with spiced rum since we already had some on hand and it added a little different flavor but was quite delightful.

Tara made the ambrosia salad this year. Ambrosia is kind of a 1950s' throwback, but we still make it every year. It's definitely a Rook tradition. Our ambrosia consists of mini marshmallows, shredded coconut,  sour cream, mandarin oranges, pineapple, and maraschino cherries. Somehow this year the maraschino cherries didn't make it in the ambrosia, but as always it was sweet in that way that only ridiculous doses of high-fructose corn syrup can create. An American classic.

We always make the stuffing (or dressing rather since we don't cook it in the turkey) using our Grandma's recipe. The recipe isn't written down anywhere, we just do it by intuition. The basics are bread, pork sausage, celery, onions, salt, pepper, and Bell's seasoning. This year I took over preparing the stuffing--tearing up chunks of wheat bread and mashing it together with the other ingredients until it was combined evenly. When it was done the top was lightly browned and crispy and the inside was soft, hearty, and perfectly seasoned. It might have been the best stuffing I've made yet.

We usually try out different vegetable sides every year, so my mom made a brussel sprouts dish using a recipe by Chef Ric Orlando. She opted for the balsamic roasted brussel sprouts, tossing the little strange vegetables in olive oil, garlic, shallots, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, salt, and pepper and then roasting them until tender. It was a lovely new addition to the more traditional aspects of our Thanksgiving dinner.

I had completely forgotten about gravy until I went to carve the turkey and saw the the gravy boat was sitting on the table. I was about to give up on the idea of making gravy but instead placed the giblets and turkey neck in a small sauce pan and covered it with water, allowing the water to come to a boil while I carved the turkey. I melted some butter and added flour to create a rue, removed the giblets from the water, and mixed it all together, hoping that it would reduce quickly. It didn't get as thick and flavorful as I would have liked it, but when it was close enough I poured it into the gravy boat and we were ready for dinner. 

After dinner we were so stuffed that there was nothing else Tara and I wanted to do except lie around and watch Labyrinth. After an hour and a half of David Bowie, psychedelic scenery, and wacky Jim Henson puppets, we emerged to find out parents noshing on dessert. Ever had banana pudding from Magnolia Bakery? If not, you need to try it. The pudding is nice and creamy with pieces of banana and Nilla wafers mixed throughout it. Covering the pudding was a layer of whipped topping. We were promised it would be phenomenal, and it definitely was. Tara also made some delicious raspberry bars. Normally we would have some sort of apple or pumpkin pie, but this year the pudding and raspberry bars were more than enough.

 

Thanksgiving is a great holiday for eating rich food, raising a toast, and giving thanks for all that we have in life. I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving as much as we did. Cheers!

Thanksgiving Eve at New World

The night before Thanksgiving the fam got together and we all headed to New World Bistro Bar for a delicious dinner. New World is probably my favorite restaurant in Albany. I've reviewed it before, so I'll just give you the highlights of the meal and entertain you with some photographs to titillate your visual taste buds.

I finally got to try an Italian Greyhound--a drink composed of grapefruit vodka, grapefruit juice, soda, campari, and a sprig of fresh rosemary--which I'd read about on the New World Web site weeks ago and have been dying to try. It was a fantastic cocktail--light, refreshing, and loaded with liquor. 

I also ventured into the Forbidden Pleasures section of the menu and tasted roasted beef marrowbones with apple butter, sel gris de mer, and rye toast for the first time. They were phenomenal. The luscious marrow spread beautifully on the toast and the apple butter added just enough of a light sweetness to complement the fatty, savory marrow. It definitely qualifies as a forbidden pleasure.

For an entree I ordered the Thai-Italian Love--paparedelle with panang bolognese made with local, free-range beef, panang curry, tomato, lime leaves, and coconut. This dish had tempted me since I first saw it on the menu, but I had resisted and always ordered something else. I'm so glad I gave in and tried it this time. The fusion between Thai and Italian cuisines was done absolutely perfectly. It had the heartiness of a rich bolognese with the refreshing spiciness of a Thai curry. And those noodles! They were thick, beautiful, and cooked just right. 

If you live in the Capital Region and haven't treated yourself to a dinner at New World Bistro Bar yet, I highly recommend you get your ass there pronto. I promise it will be worth it.

 

Italian Greyhound:

Grapefruit Vodka, Grapefruit Juice, Soda, Campari, 

and a Sprig of Fresh Rosemary

 

Luscious Olive Oil with Balsamic Vinegar and Tasty Bread

 

A Festive Casuela of Warm Olives

Saigon Street Style Fried Calamari with Cuke Noodles, Peanut-Tamarind, and Chile Sauce

Korean BBQ Pork Belly with Daikon Kim Chee

Roasted Beef Marrowbones with Apple Butter, Sel Gris de Mer, 

and Rye Toast

New World Jerk Chicken:

Free Bird Half Bird (Marinated, Grilled, and Finished in the Oven), Plated with Coconut Peas and Rice, Island Yams, Greens, and Plaintains

Yellow Curry Shrimp and Fat Noodles 

with Crisp Veggies and Fresh Basil

Thai-Italian Love:

Papardelle with Panang Bolognese, made with Local, Free-Range Beef, Aromatic Panang Curry, Tomato, Lime Leaves, and Coconut

Thai BBQ Ahi Steak Glazed with a Lime and Garlic Dressing, with Peanut Slaw, Organic Brown Rice, and Greens

Arugula Salad with Local Pears, Beets, Slivered Almonds, Manchego, and Truffle-Moscato Vinaigrette

Espresso

Cardamom Creme Brulee

Dessert Tapas Trio

Nutella and Mascarpone Mousse

Chocolate Chevre Truffle Rolled in Chile and Cinnamon

A Shot of Yates Street Lemon Curd with Berry Compote

Be sure to check out my other posts on New World Bistro Bar:
New World Bistro Bar
New World Oysters
Thalamus Anyone?

Quote of the Week: Four Main Food Groups

"We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup."

--Buddy the Elf

White Inn

In celebration of my sister Tara’s 21st birthday I recently made the long drive out to Fredonia in western New York to visit her and drink copious amounts of alcohol. Ah, the joys of reaching legal drinking age! She had been saying for a while that she wanted to have a martini at the White Inn, a nice hotel and restaurant in town, so one night we headed there for delicious food and a perfectly crafted martini.

We decided to sit at the bar, which had a nice rustic feel to it. A fire roared nearby, diners sat and ate at their tables, and the soft sounds of a young man and woman singing and playing guitar filled the room. We started off with martinis—Bombay Sapphire gin, on the dry side, straight up, with olives. To me this is the perfect martini and apparently I’ve schooled my sister well because she ordered the same thing. The bartender made our martinis perfectly. It was just the right combination of gin and vermouth—crisp, clean, cool, and refreshing.

For food we started off with two appetizers, opting for a shrimp and goat cheese crostini and bacon-wrapped beef tenderloin. The crostini was nice and lightly toasted with a smooth, delicate spread of goat cheese, herbs, and minced shrimp layered on top. The cool creaminess of the cheese and crispiness of the crostini balanced well with the other appetizer. The bacon-wrapped tenderloin came with a sweet and spicy hoisin sauce. The bacon was fantastic, of course, and while the tenderloin could have been, well, a little more tender, overall it was a very satisfying and tasty start to the meal.

 

Next we moved on to entrees. I ordered the rack of lamb. The lamb was lightly breaded and cooked medium rare. It was accompanied with wild rice pilaf, carrots, and broccoli. Lamb is one of my favorite meats but I rarely have a chance to eat it, so although other items on the menu, such as duck and scallops, tempted me, I was happy I went for the nice, tender lamb. Tara ordered grilled salmon with a honey Dijon sauce, rice, and vegetables. She adored it. 

 

After we finished our entrees we switched from martinis to White Russians, which are made of vodka, kahula, and cream. Again the bartender crafted the drinks perfectly—they were lusciously creamy and a perfect way to anticipate dessert. 

Even though we were incredibly full from dinner we felt it was appropriate to order dessert since we were celebrating Tara’s birthday. We ordered a decadent cake with layers of coffee and chocolate deliciousness. Mmm, chocolate. How can you go wrong? We sat at the bar, taking bites of cake, sipping on our White Russians, and enjoying each others company.

A nice dinner with superb drinks was the perfect way to elegantly celebrate Tara’s birthday. We were very impressed with the White Inn, and even though it was on the fancy side the prices were very reasonable. If you ever find yourself in the quaint college town of Fredonia and want to indulge a little you should definitely stop by the lovely White Inn.

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving is clearly a time for eating heartily and raising a few toasts, but this year I do feel a stronger sense of thankfulness than I have in recent years. The past year has been one of my most transformative, and there are many things to give thanks for.

As I write this I sit at my family’s home. It’s the first time in three years that I’ve had to travel to “come home,” and it feels good to be with my parents and sisters. Truly, the most important thing I’m thankful for is my family. I’m blessed to have people in my life that are always there for me. We don’t get to choose our families, but we can choose to build strong relationships with our family members. My sisters are my best friends—what more can I say? Tomorrow we’ll sit together once again and enjoy a bountiful meal, making good conversation, laughing over jokes that only we get, and being our uniquely weird selves.

I’m also incredibly thankful for my friends. There are too many to name, but I appreciate the friendships that have been resurrected, strengthened, and created over the last year. My life grows richer every day from all of these relationships. Last week was the seven-year anniversary of the death of one of my best friends. When I woke up and realized what day it was, it totally threw me off. Could it really be seven years since he left my life? And yet he hasn’t completely left. Another aspect of friendship to be thankful for is that it stays with you, no matter if the person is physically there or not. I can’t see him or speak to him, but the memories sustain me. I’m still thankful for all the time we had together. Life is not to be lived alone—I’m thankful that so many amazing people either have been or continue to be a part of my experience of this world.

Of course, as any reader of this blog should know, I’m thankful for delicious food and cheerful drinking. I still can’t believe all the incredible experiences I’ve had over the last year. A year ago at Thanksgiving I had just booked a flight to Hawaii and a hotel room with a balcony overlooking the ocean. It was one of the most amazing trips I’ve ever taken and I fell in love with that beautiful island, tasting local cuisine and getting into the rhythm of relaxed Hawaiian time. I also traveled to Boston, Maine, Philadelphia, and spent lots of wonderful days in New York City with some of my favorite people. I went to Portland, Oregon, twice. I've been all over the damn place! And in all these locations, as well as in my day-to-day life, I enjoyed great food and imbibed a variety of tasty drinks—not only consuming meals but taking each moment to learn a little and continue to explore this great world. 

I’m also incredibly thankful for moving to New Jersey and starting a history doctoral program. I get to read and write on a subject that I love. I’ve met amazing people. I get to travel and experience new things. Almost everyday I sit back and smile, realizing I’ve been incredibly lucky and blessed.

Life is good.

We all have things to be thankful for. Tomorrow is not just a day for succulent turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, delicious stuffing, and sweet pumpkin pie—it is truly an opportunity to reflect on our existence and be thankful for what we have.

To everyone who reads this post, I hope you have an exceptional Thanksgiving this year and that you take just a moment to think about what is important in life and give thanks. Happy Thanksgiving!