Every year my mom and her sister cook up an incredible feast for the family. And every year, incredibly, the food gets slightly better.
We open with the real Chardonnay from my cellars (hauled 3000 miles): “The Domaine Fevre 2006 Chablis (there is a separate cuvee from purchased fruit which I did not taste) displays an uncanny combination of creaminess of texture with firm underlying suggestions of chalk and stone. Mouthwatering honeydew melon and lime run with the mineral suggestions right through to a long luscious back end of exceptional quality for generic Chablis.”
Then back it up with a red burg, cousin to last nights. Parker 93. “Super-ripe aromas of cookie dough, spices, and black cherry syrup can be found in the nose of the medium-bodied 2002 Nuits-St.-Georges Les Pruliers. Its fabulously satiny texture, concentration, and purity are immensely impressive. This medium-bodied wine coats the palate with innumerable black fruits, minerals, and spices. Projected maturity: 2008-2018.”
My mom in the kitchen, hard at work on the turkey.
her cohort and sister, also at work.
Turkey and stuffing.
The appetizer spread. Various breads and crackers (mostly picked over).
Caponata.
bean salad.
Guacamole. I didn’t make it, so it isn’t incredibly spicy. Sometime I’ll have to do a post on mine.
A decent chianti clasico. Parker 90. We had two fabulous meals right in this town in Chianti. “The 2007 Chianti Classico is a pretty red laced with dark cherries, dried flowers and spices. The perfumed bouquet melds seamlessly into a caressing, attractive mid-palate that turns delicate on the finish. The Chianti Classico is 95% Sangioveto and 5% Canaiolo. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2014.”
The main spread.
Bread from a great Philly bakery.
Two types of cranberry, this one is more a jam, with a bit of spicy kick.
And a cranberry relish.
Salad (dessing in the background).
Nuts, separated out for the allergic.
Marinated carrots, sort of Moroccan style.
Brussel sprouts. Don’t knock the veggie until you’ve tasted these.
Roasted beets. Yummy — and pink pee.
Butternut squash puree.
The turkey. We BBQ the big fellows on the charcoal grill.
Stuffing.
Gravy.
A total blockbuster. Parker 96. “The top effort, the 2007 Cotes du Rhone-Villages Rasteau Fleur de Confiance, is awesome. An inky/blue/black color is followed by a stunning bouquet of scorched earth, incense, blackberry jam, coffee, and spice. This full-bodied, massive, stacked and packed Rasteau is destined for two decades of life. Its sweet tannin and textured mouthfeel are compelling. Give it 2-4 years of cellaring and consume it over the following 20 years.”
This year’s plate.
And what little I left of it.
After dinner we move onto this incredibly grapey wine. Parker 01. “The 2007 Shiraz Angel’s Share reveals a Cote-Rotie-like nose with its scents of mineral, meat, game and bacon. On the palate there is plenty of sweet, spicy blueberry fruit, silky tannin, and incipient complexity. Give it 1-2 years of additional cellaring and drink it from 2010 to 2017.”
Me, after more than a little wine and food.
This rare cream sherry was opened to go with dessert.
And for dessert, homemade (like everything else) plum tart.
And pecan pie!
And my grandmother’s special brownies.
Plus Haagen daas vanilla to wash it down with.
This was another spectacular homemade ThanksGavin dinner as usual. It was arguably even better than ever before.