Comments on: On anticipating the Thanksgiving feast http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/2009/11/27/on-anticipating-the-thanksgiving-feast/ This is a journal, of sorts, of an organic garden in SW Michigan. "Ut sementem feceris, ita metes: non semper erit aestas." Tue, 29 May 2012 17:42:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Sylvie http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/2009/11/27/on-anticipating-the-thanksgiving-feast/#comment-7487 Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:11:53 +0000 http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/?p=3934#comment-7487 El, no I have never made candied angelica – although I use to like the in-your-face green candied stems which we used to get as kids (good for the digestion, you know…). Probably still love it – just haven’t had any in a long time. But yes, making your own would certainly spare you the ingestion of whatever green coloring is used to make the store-bought one.

I have candied lemons and oranges, and I make candied ginger regularly. I imagine the process is very similar. You probably have to blanch it though, and then cook it slowly in syrup and let steep over the course of several days, and watch that syrup as its getting stronger. You’d hate to burn the confection on the 4th day because of 15 seconds of inattention. (I speak from experience)

Now it makes me think I should get Angelica archangelica for my garden too. I certainly have the room for it, now!

and then I could make angelica liqueur too!

]]> By: stefaneener http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/2009/11/27/on-anticipating-the-thanksgiving-feast/#comment-7486 Sun, 29 Nov 2009 23:28:24 +0000 http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/?p=3934#comment-7486 What a lovely squash! I realized this year that while I adore my extended family and was very happy to see them, it wasn’t the meal I would have made or enjoyed if I could have been in charge.

That’s what they need to do — put ME in charge!! ha ha ha.

]]> By: El http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/2009/11/27/on-anticipating-the-thanksgiving-feast/#comment-7483 Sun, 29 Nov 2009 15:39:28 +0000 http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/?p=3934#comment-7483 Aimee, great. I thought about the price of your turkey and frankly that’s what I’d have charged, too: quality sometimes does come at a price. Next time, try flipping the bird over 3x during cooking; helps with the moisture thing!

Sparow, it’s one that did well. Ordinarily, these squash are covered with these caterpillar-like tan bumps but somehow our squashes were mostly wart-free. I don’t think that hurts them and actually it made it a lot easier to peel, for the part I peeled for the soup. Give it a go! The world of squash is such a huge one.

Dennis, I will admit a little tension when we insisted on two courses before the big meal (soup, then salad) but too bad, you know? The chatting still occurred, even though our tummies were otherwise filled with soup and salad. I do agree, though: we should try to slow this holiday down and not just stuff our faces! And then: eat lots of pie.

Sylvie, candied pumpkin, pumpkin jam??? Whee! You’re reminding me that I need to ask you if you’ve ever made/eaten candied angelica stems: it’s one of those gorgeous plants that I “should” find an edible use for, as I grow it mainly for its pollinator-attracting potential. I’ve been making lots of pumpkin bread but that cake sounds good too: I make an applesauce cake that must be similar. But yeah, I so agree with you on the craziness that’s our national harvest holiday. Baby steps, make the changes happen at your own table…

]]> By: Sylvie http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/2009/11/27/on-anticipating-the-thanksgiving-feast/#comment-7482 Sat, 28 Nov 2009 21:43:07 +0000 http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/?p=3934#comment-7482 What a beautiful Galeuse, El! Pumpkin soup is one of my favorites, as well as gratin. I love pumpkin cake too (sorts of like an apple cake but with pumpkin puree). When I was growing up, mu mom would also make candied pumpkin and pumpkin jam.

DennisP – that’s why I don’t do Thanksgiving too well… I want to serve multiple courses over several hours so we all a chance to chat & connect… Glad to see I am not the only one…

]]> By: DennisP http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/2009/11/27/on-anticipating-the-thanksgiving-feast/#comment-7481 Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:13:24 +0000 http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/?p=3934#comment-7481 We enjoyed having my sister and her husband and one of our sons present. Much good conversation. But afterwards I started thinking about the meal. We put all the food on the table, passed it around so each of us could load up our plate, and then we gobbled it down too, too quickly without much conversation until afterwards.

This did not allow us to develop a fullness sensation until we had eaten far too much food. We did not eat in a leisurely manner with conversation. We did not take time to truly savor each course of the meal.

Next year I’m going to insist that we serve one or two items at a time, eat slowly and savor them. Then serve the next course, eat it slowly and savor it, with conversation. Etc., etc.

Yes, we enjoyed the dinner and each other. But it could have been so much better.

]]> By: Sparow http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/2009/11/27/on-anticipating-the-thanksgiving-feast/#comment-7480 Sat, 28 Nov 2009 02:13:09 +0000 http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/?p=3934#comment-7480 Wow! What a great looking squash. I’ll have to try growing that variety–many thanks for including the name! This year we used grocery store acorn squash which were pathetic, to say the least…even more so than usual.

]]> By: aimee http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/2009/11/27/on-anticipating-the-thanksgiving-feast/#comment-7479 Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:44:36 +0000 http://fastgrowtheweeds.com/?p=3934#comment-7479 beautiful! Yes, we had a great feast here.

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