The Bitten Word

Thanksgiving 2011: The Final Wrap-Up + We're Going to China!

Well, that's it. We've made it through our whole Thanksgiving menu!

We've loved hearing from you guys about what you think sounds good, and what you're planning on making this year. And keep it coming!  Got an old family favorite recipe? Try something new this year that you absolutely love? Email us and let us know -- and include photos if you've got them. We love seeing the dishes you make!

Below, we've listed all 17 Thanksgiving dishes we tried this year. If you're still looking for Thanksgiving Day inspiration, you can always look at the list of what food magazines recommended this year. And be sure to check out our favorite holiday recipes for all of our top picks for Thanksgiving fare.

Us? Believe it or not, we're heading to China! (In fact, thanks to a little Internet sleight of hand, we're already there!) We're spending two weeks in the PRC, staying in Shanghai, Beijing and Yangshuo. We're incredibly excited!

So if you email us with a question, or you write to tell us about your favorite Thanksgiving dish, we apologize if we don't get back to you for a little bit. We'll be busy eating turkey dim-sum and cranberry egg rolls. Or something.

Anyway, here's our full menu for Thanksgiving 2011. Hope you have a marvelous Thanksgiving, and we'll be back soon!

 

Thanksgiving 2011: Apple Cider Cream Pie

Food & Wine (November 2011)

As we were selecting the dishes to make for our Fakesgiving, this Apple Cider Cream Pie was one of our earliest picks. Not only did it look delicious, but the recipe in Food & Wine has an accompanying essay by Samantha Bee, which is what initially got us to really focus on this recipe.

We adore Samantha Bee. Her segments on The Daily Show are hilarious. When she talks, we laugh. 

And when she said she loved this pie, we listened.  

Thanksgiving 2011: Cranberry Pomegranate Gelatin

Martha Stewart Living (November 2011)

You know how people like to make fun of Martha Stewart by saying how unnecessarily complicated her recipes can be? And you always feel the need to defend her, but your friend is all, "Oh no, it's like, 'Here's a recipe for roast chicken. First step, raise a free-range chicken from birth before killing and dressing it.' " And you're all, "Whatever, some of her recipes may involve a few steps, but it's worth it." But your friend is all, "No way, it's ridiculous and over-complicated."

This is the kind of recipe your friend is talking about.

Thanksgiving 2011: Carolina Sweet Potato Sonker

Cook's Country (November 2011)

First, we fell for "spatchcock."

Then, "sformato." 

This year, we couldn't resist "sonker."

What is it with us and the funny Thanksgiving words? 

We just had to make Carolina Sweet Potato Sonker.

Thanksgiving 2011: Salted Caramel Six-Layer Chocolate Cake

Martha Stewart Living (November 2011)

Back in October, when we first started planning our Fakesgiving/Thanksgiving menu, we each individually pored through all the food magazines, flagging different recipes on our own before comparing notes. Then we sat down and went through our lists.

Here's a verbatim account of how that conversation began:

Clay: "So. What are we thinking?"

Zach: "Well, clearly, Martha's Salted Cara--"

Clay: "I mean, obviously."

Aaaaaand, scene.

Thanksgiving 2011: Green Bean Casserole With Crispy Shallots

Food Network Magazine (November 2011)

Most of the green bean casseroles we've encountered (99 percent of which have been at Southern potlucks) have been some variation of this:

Combine two cans green beans with one can cream of mushroom soup and a splash of milk in a casserole dish. Top it with canned fried onions. Bake it for an extended period in a casserole dish.

And you know what? It tastes pretty good.

Oh, it doesn't taste at all like actual green beans. And the beans themselves are usually overcooked to the point that they're soggy, stringy and unrecognizable. Still, it's a fine enough casserole.

That casserole? It's like the country cousin to this Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Shallots.

It's as if the classic green bean casserole got a new haircut, started working out, and high-tailed it to the city where it lives in a nice little apartment, happily ever after.

So what sets this casserole apart? 

Thanksgiving 2011: Crispy Cauliflower with Capers, Raisins, and Breadcrumbs

Bon Appétit (November 2011)

We're always up for a dose of different.

And in perusing the November issues of the food magazines, this Crispy Cauliflower with Capers, Raisins and Breadcrumbs stuck out as being very different. Capers and raisins? Plus some anchovy paste, too?

We were certain this was going to be unlike any cauliflower we've ever tried, with big, bold flavors. 

Turns out, that isn't the case. There's something amiss with this dish.

Thanksgiving 2011: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Capers, Walnuts and Anchovies

Food & Wine (November 2011)

In this life, some people leave behind great inventions.

Others leave great works of art.

Us? Well, we'll be leaving a bunch of Brussels sprouts recipes -- along with more than a few Brussels converts.

Based on what we've heard from you all over the nearly four years (!) we've been writing The Bitten Word, we've turned more people on to Brussels sprouts than any other single food. We've heard from scores of former sprouts haters who now say they're big Brussels fans.

As for us, we've pretty much never met a Brussels sprout recipe we didn't like. Which is why we were eager to try these Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Capers, Walnuts and Anchovies.

Anchovies? In Brussels sprouts? Um, okay!

Thanksgiving 2011: Spiced Wheat Berry Pilaf

Saveur (November 2011)

Picture a pilgrim.

Now picture that pilgrim going on a year-long yoga retreat in India and then moving into a vegans-only communal house in Berkeley, and she's super sweet, but also she's always lighting incense all over the house and insisting that you let her "clear your chakra," and it's like, okay, we get it, you lived in India, but she's actually really, really nice, like that one time she helped you build the rainwater-recycling system for the house when none of the other roommates could be bothered, and so you put up with all her sunrise om-shanti-shanti-ing because it turns out she actually did learn a thing or two in India, and she's actually kind of a really awesome cook.

That pilgrim is bringing this Spiced Wheat Berry Pilaf to Thanksgiving.

And you know what? It's pretty good! Several of our dinner guests said they really enjoyed it. But with its Eastern spices and exotic flavors and aromas that you don't normally find at a Thanksgiving feast (apricots, cumin, pistachios, cardamom), this Wheat Berry Pilaf is a decidedly alternative alternative. 

Thanksgiving 2011: Celery Root, Kohlrabi, and Apple Purée

Bon Appétit (November 2011)

For many people, mashed potatoes are a non-negotiable part of the Thanksgiving menu. Their place on the table isn't up for debate: No mashed potatoes, no Thanksgiving.

It's easy to understand why. Creamy, buttery mashed potatoes are a warm and welcome part of the feast.

But let's all be honest here. Let's call a spade a spade. At Thanksgiving, mashed potatoes serve one purpose, and one purpose only: Gravy-vehicle.

They don't really taste like anything, except the butter and salt and pepper you add to them. Sometimes we think they're really only there because it's considered impolite to eat gravy with a spoon, straight outta the gravy boat.

But what if you had a mash that actually brought something to the table? A root-vegetable mash that actually had flavor?

What if you had this Celery Root, Kohlrabi, and Apple Purée?