Thanksgiving Pictoral Extravaganza - Part 1

Hit a dry hole in your constant exploration of interesting topics to write about in your blog? Or even uninteresting topics to write about in your blog? That's why the creator made holidays. Because even if you just have one person visiting you, a holiday is an excuse for excess and a magnet for disaster -- always good ingredients for writing.

We here at de-I Central in Imperial Albuquerque have had the great, great fortune to be have our good friends, the disgraced Procounsel, Gaius Derf and the always engaging super plotter, Agent W joining us for the weekend. As Gaius Derf is currently banished to Salt Lake City, it took some plotting by Agent W to make this happen and Imperial dispensation so Gaius Derf didn't have to worry about being thrown into the Colosseum with the beasts.

I have taken this occasion to try a completely revamped Thanksgiving menu featuring new recipes for most of what we are serving.

Of course Mrs. de-I started of by baking up a storm including these wonderful whole wheat loaves.


My turkey this year is a brined version based on apple flavoring of all things (cider and actual apples).

Turkey in Brining Container

After an overnight brining, the turkey needed to be drained and dried

"Boy everyone seems to be having such a good time. I sure is nice to be out of the cold brine path"

Then one lays the butter slathered bird on a bed of aromatic vegetables, basil and white wine.

"Golly, I think this guy is a bit kinky rubbing me all over with butter"

Of course, one needs to make stock from scratch for the gravy


We're making a yam dish with Thai flavorings and a dressing with Southern and Italian influences (bread, corn bread, Italian sausage, pancetta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese)

Ginger, garlic, chiles for the yams

Agent W making bread crumbs for the dressing

Finished Yams and Dressing

More on the extravaganza in the next post.