I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving! It was a very special Thanksgiving at our home this year! Our sons and their girlfriends, fiancees, wives (yes!) were seated at our table!
This past year both couples were married, and we feel truly blessed to welcome our daughters-in-law as official members of our family.
We couldn’t be happier, and look forward to so many more Thanksgivings together.
As you probably know I love setting the table for a holiday almost as much as preparing the menu.
This year I found inspiration at one of the local Farmers’ markets.
Without a real plan in mind for the table last week I found myself purchasing a variety of fruits and vegetables at the Saturday market based on their autumnal colors and natural beauty.
The amazing bounty available year round in San Luis Obispo County at the numerous markets is one of the reasons I love living here so much.
And at this time of year the selection is endless.
With my arms straining under the weight of my bags I was eager to get home and start thinking about what I was going to do with all the colorful persimmons, peppers, pears, zucchini, satsuma mandarins, and other squash I had selected.
My color scheme was coming together.
In looking through my tablecloths I chose one I’ve had for years, in shades of green and taupe, and patterned with oak leaves.
When the salad plates I had been eyeing for the last couple months at our recently opened Williams Sonoma shop downtown went on sale early Thankssgiving week I snatched them up as fast as I could.
Placed on my everyday white dinner plates they seemed to bring everything together on the table.
I had not even realized the very same oak leaves on the new plates matched those on the tablecloth until I unwrapped them and placed them on the table. Kismet?
With my color scheme defined I arranged the fruits and vegetables in my white pedestal based serving piece ( a gift from my best friend years ago) in the center of the table.
Some time ago I had purchased at Trader Joe’s some local beautiful purple artichokes tinged with green that I had never seen before.
Instead of eating them I used them in an arrangement on the kitchen island for weeks, and eventually let them dry naturally (my sister’s idea). They were the perfect addition to my Thanksgiving centerpiece!
With the placement of several amber colored votives I seem to use every Thanksgiving the table was complete.
Lest we forget…there was FOOD! And lots of it! Here’s a preview…
First, the appetizers ( I tried to show some restraint this year)…
The Salad… (assorted greens, cucumbers, red onion with persimmons and pomegranate seeds dressed in a champagne pear vinaigrette)…more about that vinaigrette in a future post…
The FEAST…
The biscuits… (light as a feather southern Angel biscuits…recipe to come)
The turkey…
The turkey platter (expertly carved by my husband )
Twice -baked white sweet potatoes with bacon and chives
Mom’s mashed potatoes and Sheila’s make-ahead gravy
Roasted brussel sprouts with caramelized cippolini and pearl onions and
cranberry sauce with dried cherries
The cranberry fruit mold (so refreshing with all the rich food)
And last but certainly not least, the Desserts…
Double apple pie and lemon curd meringue tarts
Louisiana bread pudding with whiskey sauce
Stay tuned…recipes to come, and again…
HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2016!