03 Nov Family Meal
It is difficult to fathom that the time has come to prepare a Thanksgiving menu; it seems that just yesterday we were swooning over the tomatoes of Summer. Now the fuzzy sweaters have been removed from their storage bins, the oven is at full-steam operation — and it is time to reunite with The Family.
This presents two distinct challenges: (1) to prepare for the dysfunction quirks associated with family dining; and (2) to prepare a menu that is creative, but not so unusual as to inspire mutiny at the table.
An interesting conversation was started at eGullet not long ago about this Thanksgiving dynamic: For some reason, that is the meal that must not be tampered with. The Family wants pumpkin pie, stuffing, gravy, some form of biscuit, and a veg. Don’t get too fancy or weird, now. Sigh.
My sister and I have battled this mindset for years, and in some cases have prepared the traditional menu in addition to our newer creations; some dishes have been phased in as staples of the Thanksgiving menu forevermore, while others have been dismissed for their betrayal of tradition.
So to really stick it to the traditionalists this month, we are featuring game meats for your perusal; perhaps you might consider them as an alternative to boring turkey (now I bet they’re really nervous — muahahahaha…).
We realize that preparing game can be intimidating to the uninitiated, so we’ve done our best to make it approachable and manageable. The Test Kitchen has been opened to game experts from around the world who will share their experience, techniques, and flavors with us.
Of course, it wouldn’t be November without truffles, so we are going mental for them toward the second half of the month. I can’t wait.
Bon aventure!
Photo: Kelly Cline