Pilgrims, Pies & Pancreatitis: An American Thanksgiving

[AdamH]

For those of you who dwell in those parts of the globe outside the boundaries of the U.S. of A., (more familiarly known as "Land of 60 Million Dumb Voters"), the coming week holds our national holiday of giving thanks.
What's it about, you ask? A bunch of religious fanatics eating squash? Agrarian settlors enjoying the rewards of a capitalist common market? Family get-togethers? Yes.

We celebrate the prosperity of our land, the bounty of the harvest, the profundity of the glucose, by annually enduring a journey over the river and through the woods to visit distant and dysfunctional family members, soothing the uncomfortable, detatched, mundane conversation with alcohol, and over-indulging in a feast of roast turkey, cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes, candied yams, pumpkin pie, and groaning afterwards about how painful our swollen bellies feel, watching football on TV with our pants unbuckled. Great fun.

I have noticed an absence on the boards this year of recipe ideas for Zone-friendly side-dishes and desserts: Mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes. Fresh pears with yogurt in place of apple pie and whipped cream. Reduced chicken stock in lieu of buttery roux-thickened gravy.

I am dragging my Canadian lady friend down here to The States to show her the right way to do it. (Canadian Thanksgiving is comparatively wanting, admit it, A-M)

I'd like to warn my readers that this year I will be preparing dinner for nine. I am making traditional food, using fresh, traditional ingredients. I will be going through a pound of Amish butter, a gallon of white flour, a good sack of granulated sugar. I'm making real mashed potatoes, with butter and cream. I'll be simmering chicken-neck stock and stirring home-made gravy. I am hand-kneading all-butter pastry crust for an apple pie, from scratch, served with home made vanilla ice cream.

(This is not a boast as much as it is a pre-sin confession.)

It is not to late to submit your favorite recipes, if you think I'm not over-doing it enough.

Please think of me next weekend while I will be in hospital with a diabetic coma, gall bladder attack, or some worse gastric ailment.

[Anne-Marie]

For those of you who dwell in those parts of the globe outside the boundaries of the U.S. of A., (more familiarly known as "Land of 60 Million Dumb Voters"), the coming week holds our national holiday of giving thanks.
What's it about, you ask? A bunch of religious fanatics eating squash? Agrarian settlors enjoying the rewards of a capitalist common market? Family get-togethers? Yes.

We celebrate the prosperity of our land, the bounty of the harvest, the profundity of the glucose, by annually enduring a journey over the river and through the woods to visit distant and dysfunctional family members, soothing the uncomfortable, detatched, mundane conversation with alcohol, and over-indulging in a feast of roast turkey, cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes, candied yams, pumpkin pie, and groaning afterwards about how painful our swollen bellies feel, watching football on TV with our pants unbuckled. Great fun.

I have noticed an absence on the boards this year of recipe ideas for Zone-friendly side-dishes and desserts: Mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes. Fresh pears with yogurt in place of apple pie and whipped cream. Reduced chicken stock in lieu of buttery roux-thickened gravy.

I am dragging my Canadian lady friend down here to The States to show her the right way to do it. (Canadian Thanksgiving is comparatively wanting, admit it, A-M)

Well I must admit that ours doesn't last 4 days!!!

But believe me, our Thanksgiving is definitely traditional, just like yours.

The best part of the turkey is the turkey neck which I also admit to eating. Yum!!!

I'd like to warn my readers that this year I will be preparing dinner for nine. I am making traditional food, using fresh, traditional ingredients. I will be going through a pound of Amish butter, a gallon of white flour, a good sack of granulated sugar. I'm making real mashed potatoes, with butter and cream. I'll be simmering chicken-neck stock and stirring home-made gravy. I am hand-kneading all-butter pastry crust for an apple pie, from scratch, served with home made vanilla ice cream.

(This is not a boast as much as it is a pre-sin confession.)

Can I come to dinner?? Pretty please?

It is not to late to submit your favorite recipes, if you think I'm not over-doing it enough.

Please think of me next weekend while I will be in hospital with a diabetic coma, gall bladder attack, or some worse gastric ailment.

Well you might have to bump up your cardio, or is that allowed with S-S Better still, you could join the exercise challenge on Monday.

[Graeme]

Hi Adam,
Wish I could come. I voted with the wine but with 4 days that may be a bit light.

One of the great zone traditions is the monthly carb pig out. There are no limits this thankksgiving thing (Foreign to Kiwis) seems made for it.

In my legalistic opinion you can have anything you like for 1 meal a month, so as long as you dont stop eating you are covered.

as for recipees, here is one suitable for carb pig out day

Graeme Rum Balls

200g malt meal wafer
1 tin condensed milk
1/2 cup mixed peal
1/2 cup sultanas
1 1/4 cups desicated coconut
1/2 cup lemon juice 2 TBLS Cocoa
3 TBLS OP Inner Circle rum (75.9% Alcohol by volume)

[Dave Flory]

Graeme - for us'ns who speak 'merican English could you describe/explain what "peal" is and also "sultanas?"

I've never seen that rum here but I'm betting Bacardi 151 proof rum would work. Here's a recipe of my own that uses Bacardi, It's called Glögg. (The original recipe, from Sweden, call for a quart of 190 proof alcohol. I think this is smoother)

Dave's Glögg recipe - two cups is good for whatever ails you, you won't be cured but you won't care!!

one quarter pound of raisins
one gallon of red wine
one bottle of 151 proof rum
three sticks of cinnamon
12 cardamom seeds
12 cloves
a medium piece of ginger root
the peeling of a medium Orange
Brown sugar or honey to taste if the wine is dry

Take that 12 cardamom seeds and crush them between two spoons. Place all of the spices, the raisins, orange peel in a cloth bag or a tea strainer and put them and the gallon of red wine in a large pot. Heat to boiling, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for twenty minutes. Taste, and if it tastes too dry (tart) add enough brown sugar (or honey) to make the taste good. Allow it to cool and let it sit over night, then remove all of the spices, raisins, orange peel etc. Add the bottle of rum to the Glögg mix. I usually store the finished drink back into the gallon wine bottle and the rum bottle.

Before serving heat to coffee drinking temperature and place a couple of blanched almonds in the bottom of each cup before filling the cup. The almonds are so that when you see people fishing out the almonds with their tongues instead of a finger or spoon you can cut them off from any more Glögg.

Drink and feel warm. It goes down like mulled wine but hits you like a velvet covered hammer. Be careful, excessive consumption makes for a very messy drunk.

[Graeme]

Hi Dave,
Thanks for the reci pee, are you making funny of my spillin ?

Peal was most famous in the Avengers form with the lovely Emma but the skin of fruit is what i was referring to.

Sultanas are dried grapes that Sultans eat.

Yes your Barcardi is a perfect substitute for my Inner Circle.

Graeme - for us'ns who speak 'merican English could you describe/explain what "peal" is and also "sultanas?"

I've never seen that rum here but I'm betting Bacardi 151 proof rum would work. Here's a recipe of my own that uses Bacardi, It's called Glögg. (The original recipe, from Sweden, call for a quart of 190 proof alcohol. I think this is smoother)

Dave's Glögg recipe - two cups is good for whatever ails you, you won't be cured but you won't care!!

one quarter pound of raisins
one gallon of red wine
one bottle of 151 proof rum
three sticks of cinnamon
12 cardamom seeds
12 cloves
a medium piece of ginger root
the peeling of a medium Orange
Brown sugar or honey to taste if the wine is dry

Take that 12 cardamom seeds and crush them between two spoons. Place all of the spices, the raisins, orange peel in a cloth bag or a tea strainer and put them and the gallon of red wine in a large pot. Heat to boiling, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for twenty minutes. Taste, and if it tastes too dry (tart) add enough brown sugar (or honey) to make the taste good. Allow it to cool and let it sit over night, then remove all of the spices, raisins, orange peel etc. Add the bottle of rum to the Glögg mix. I usually store the finished drink back into the gallon wine bottle and the rum bottle.

Before serving heat to coffee drinking temperature and place a couple of blanched almonds in the bottom of each cup before filling the cup. The almonds are so that when you see people fishing out the almonds with their tongues instead of a finger or spoon you can cut them off from any more Glögg.

Drink and feel warm. It goes down like mulled wine but hits you like a velvet covered hammer. Be careful, excessive consumption makes for a very messy drunk.

[Anne-Marie]

Well I would definitely be coming to dinner if I could taste both Graeme's Rum Balls and Dave's Glögg recipe.

I wonder if I would get much food eaten once those 2 recipes hit my brain!

[cduane]

Yes, sampling both would be very brave

(very informative answer by Dr. Barnard today. thank you)

[AdamH]

<---- Squeezing in a few more plate settings and rum glasses. Sounds good, guys, you're always welcome.

[Anne-Marie]

<---- Squeezing in a few more plate settings and rum glasses. Sounds good, guys, you're always welcome.

So you're picking me up along with your Canadian girlfriend?

[Anne-Marie]

Yes, sampling both would be very brave

(very informative answer by Dr. Barnard today. thank you)

Thanks Charlie. I thought it was too.

[cduane]

Okay, who's the spoilsport skipping Adam's party?

Anne-Marie, glad to see you posting again.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! .

[Graeme]

Hi Charlie,

Okay, who's the spoilsport skipping Adam's party?

Anne-Marie, glad to see you posting again.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! .

We do not know the spoilsport but we respect their right to express his or her opinion.

We all agree it's great to see A-M posting again.

When do we see your question to the good Dr. ? We know you have several unresolved excellent questions.

[Anne-Marie]

Okay, who's the spoilsport skipping Adam's party?

Anne-Marie, glad to see you posting again.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! .

Thank you Charlie. I am trying.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and all Americans.

[robert_Thomson]

Has anyone heard which hospital Adam is in? When is he to be released, when his blood sugar drops below 800?

[AdamH]

Oh, I'm back at work all right. Thanks for the concern, though, Bob.

I ate a lot this weekend, how about the rest of you?

I weighed myself Wednesday afternoon and Sunday evening, and did not gain (or lose) an ounce. I like to think that's a good thing.