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I adore Thanksgiving — the thought of all the goodies associated with the holiday simply make my mouth water! Turkey, ham, sweet potato casseroles, relish trays… as a child did you ever put all the olives on the ends of your fingers? My mother didn’t get mad, she just laughed at my one hand of black fingertips, the other green. What can I say, I like variety.

I’ve especially grown to love variety at my Thanksgiving table. Take cranberry sauce (I love the jellied variety the best) this year I want to also offer Port Wine Jelly. And a new addition to the dessert table, an Apple Tart with a drizzle of Calvados – a French apple brandy.

Not exactly new to my table is my grandmother’s Corn Pudding. Still I experimented with the recipe this year, we’re NOT running everything thru the food processor or blender in small batches before cooking. WHEW! What a relief, and how much easier, and how much better it seems to turn out. I love the brown crust that forms on top when baking, however I think I can cut down on the butter without sacrificing taste. The corn kernels seem to sink to the bottom and a lovely custard rises to the top—the layers seem to separate more and blend better at the same time. I like how up you can cut through with a spoon and have sweet and savory at the same time.

Then, of course, the inevitable leftovers, a little reheated stuffing with the very last of the mushroom gravy, a glorious turkey sandwich, made, by the way, on some of the leftover crusty bread, smeared with some of that Port Wine Jelly, a new twist for Thanksgiving.

Kinda makes you want to dance around the kitchen singing that song from the musical Oliver!—Food, Glorious Food!!

I won’t be with my mother this year for Thanksgiving, but I always have loved how she loved Thanksgiving—the table was beautiful, fresh flowers, she’s a stickler for fresh flowers, everyone together, and for the blessing, hands around the table, grateful, thankful, blessed, and incredibly full, in more ways than one. Happy Thanksgiving to all, enjoy.

Recipes:
Ann’s Apple Tart
Cheese Soup
Corn Pudding
Port Wine Jelly