Thanksgiving

Yum… the aroma of turkey roasting, pies baking and cranberries, popping in a rich sauce on the stove, fills the house with the festive scent of Thanksgiving. What a luscious and comforting promise of the feast to come! The day is filled with family and friends arriving with their delicious favorite Thanksgiving food to share. The joy of being together to give thanks for all of our blessings makes this such a special day, and everyone has a uniquely special anticipation, for gathering at the table for the bountiful feast . Laughter and special memories of family and friends ring with warmth between the “mmms” of delicious food being passed around for second helpings. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.

Every hostess wants a beautiful table to herald the beauty and bounty of this celebration. My choice of a centerpiece is the classic cornucopia, but a mix of fruits, vegetables and flowers makes it so interesting. A classic cornucopia basket may be bought at Food City, it is in the produce section on the top shelf, above the oranges and lemons. Ask for help if it is hard to find. I love the bright colors of eggplant, artichokes, red yellow and green peppers, squash, bunches of fresh broccoli and cauliflower for the chosen veggies. Pineapples, oranges, apples, bananas and lemons are perfect for fruits. Go to the florist area and ask for large “mums” with short stems to be placed in a florist’s vial of water. One may choose a variety of colors or all the same color choice. A dozen will be needed to really bring out the flowers in the arrangement. Start with the pineapples and continue with the mix of fruits and vegetables spilling out of the basket, then insert the vials of flowers among the mix. Do not let the vial show, only the bloom of the mums. Scatter unshelled nuts around the cornucopia and, of course, candles on each end of centerpiece.

This is a truly beautiful centerpiece. Also, another tradition of mine is to garnish the turkey platter with canned peach or pear halves, filled with mincemeat or cherry preserves. It is a beautiful and delicious addition to the feast. Heat the peaches or pears just slightly, and fill the center with a warm choice of filling. Add sprigs of parsley between the fruit. Magazine presentation!

Tip: HAVE A BLESSED AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING. One of my greatest blessings this year is my readers, I thank you each and everyone.

Love,

Caroline