giving thanks

our first thanksgiving in our new home was amazing. amazingly tasty. amazingly fatiguing. amazingly successful. first, my list of thanks:

  • to mp, who brought 6 chairs so i didn’t have to sit on my bar stool, salad plates to accommodate our multiple courses, silverware, a stockpot, apple cider, and folding tables; who helped me make pasta; for being my cheerleader
  • to jt, for the flowers, doing multiple courses of dishes, and not being shy about sneaking pasta sauce
  • to lcr and kl, for 2 more chairs and moral support and dish duty and more moral support
  • to everyone who helped rearrange tables to accommodate 10 and then 12 and then 16 as the night progressed; to the extroverts who mingled and helped make everyone feel welcome and included throughout the evening; to the organized people who helped make sure everyone had plates and silverware and was seated when food arrived on the table (i was in the kitchen most of the night but (every single time) when i exited to eat, everyone was seated and eagerly anticipating the next course. whoever did that was *awesome*. we owe a great deal of our success to you.)

where do i even begin?

menu:

we didn’t use as much butter or cream or even milk this year, but we probably upped the salt, or at least it seemed like it. we used a lot of our specialty gadgets: meat grinder, permanently loaned KA with pasta attachment, tabletop proofer, mandoline, induction cooktop.

we nailed the quantity on most things: just the right amount of rillettes (single batch) and baguettes (double batch – although we could’ve made 6 batches and they would have been consumed. it’s fresh bread, after all.). just the right amount of pasta (double batch) but only because i messed up and tossed the first double batch and turned what should have been the third batch into a double batch. just the right amount of turkey (one 20lb turkey). just the right amount of stuffing (single batch). just the right amount of relish (four batches). just the right amount of green beans (2 batches). just the right amount of apple cake (2 cakes – we have only 1/2 of a cake left.) – most preferred the official french apple cake – almost like custard and the layered apples are awesome (the cake was *money* despite our initial assessment of it being too oily.). the cake with m’s mods was more tart (lemon juice) and more apple-y and perhaps a bit too sweet.

we made too much meatball sauce on purpose so we definitely had too much but now we have awesome leftovers to go with our many fresh pasta meals. we made waaaaaaay too many potatoes. even if they hadn’t had a funky texture, we made too many – two serving bowls only.

salad was a wash because in terms of leftovers, we made about the right amount, but it seemed so filling, we probably could’ve made less and been just as happy.

it’s not even worth mentioning what we made too little of because there was not an ounce of “too little” present at this meal. no, wait! too little time. always too little time. but we only fell behind by about 45 minutes and hopefully the progression of courses allowed people time to mingle and digest.

i overcooked the turkey (even more so than previous years) which makes me sad because cooked properly, it would have been a fantastic heritage bird. and everything was wrong about the potatoes from the beginning so next time i won’t let them sit in salt water for over an hour, i won’t overcook them, i won’t let them sit on the stove unmashed, and i will rice them (see? everything was wrong…) but even thomas keller says there’s something that’s not always perfect at thanksgiving so i’m not being too hard on myself…the turkey deserved better, though; even the compound butter couldn’t save it, but it did give it a lovely brown color (no photo, sadly).

2 thoughts on “giving thanks”

  1. j Post author

    cook’s illustrated removed/updated their baguette recipe so here’s the one from 2000 for posterity…

    BAKERY­-STYLE FRENCH BAGUETTES

    makes two 15- by 3-inch baguettes
    For this recipe you will need an instant­read thermometer, a scale, a lame or a single edge razor blade, a rectangular pizza stone, and a spray bottle filled with water. We prefer SAF instant or Perfect Rise yeast, but other instant dry yeasts work as well. For the sponge, the ideal ambient temperature is 75 degrees; if it is cooler, fermentation will take longer. This recipe will yield baguettes for breakfast; the related version uses altered rising times so that the baguettes are baked in time for dinner. In either case, begin the recipe the day before you intend to serve the bread; the baguettes will emerge from the oven 20 to 24 hours after you start the sponge. Do not add flour while kneading or shaping the dough. The baguettes are best served within 2 hours after baking.
    INGREDIENTS
    Sponge
    1/8 teaspoon instant yeast or 1/4 teaspoon regular dry yeast
    6 ounces bottled water (by weight) or spring water, 110 to 115 degrees 6 ounces unbleached all­purpose flour, preferably King Arthur
    Dough
    1/2 teaspoon instant yeast or 3/4 teaspoon regular dry yeast
    Glaze
    INSTRUCTIONS
    4 ounces bottled water (by weight), plus additional two teaspoons if necessary, (or spring water), 75 degrees 10 ounces unbleached all­purpose flour, preferably King Arthur
    1 teaspoon table salt
    1 large egg white, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
    1. For the Sponge: Combine yeast, water, and flour in medium bowl and stir together with wooden spoon to form thick batter. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and punch a couple of holes in plastic wrap with paring knife; let stand at room temperature. After 4 or 5 hours, sponge should be almost doubled in size and pitted with tiny bubbles. Let stand at room temperature until surface shows slight depression in center, indicating the drop, (see “Rise and Fall of a Pre­ferment” below), 2 to 3 hours longer. The sponge now is ready to use.
    2. For the Dough: To sponge, add yeast and all but 2 tablespoons water. Stir briskly with wooden spoon until water is incorporated, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and continue mixing with wooden spoon until a scrappy ball forms. Turn dough onto countertop and knead by hand, adding drops of water if necessary, until dry bits are absorbed into dough, about 2 minutes. Dough will feel dry and tough. Stretch dough into rough 8­ by 6­inch rectangle, make indentations in dough with fingertips, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon remaining water (see illustration 1 of “How a Baguette Comes Together”), fold edges of dough up toward center to encase water, and pinch edges to seal. Knead dough lightly, about 30 seconds (dough will feel slippery as some water escapes but will become increasingly pliant as the water is absorbed). Begin crashing (see “Crashing the Dough”) by flinging the dough vigorously against the countertop and kneading dough alternately until soft and supple and surface is almost powdery smooth, about 7 minutes. Stretch dough again into rough 8­ by 6­inch rectangle and make indentations with fingertips; sprinkle dough with salt and remaining tablespoon water. Repeat folding and sealing edges and crashing and kneading until dough is once again soft and supple and surface is almost powdery smooth, about 7 minutes. If dough still feels tough and nonpliant, knead in 2 additional teaspoons water.
    3. Test dough to determine if adequately kneaded by performing windowpane test (well­kneaded dough can be stretched into a nearly translucent membrane, see “Achieving Windowpane”, below). If dough tears before stretching thin, knead 5 minutes longer and test again. Gather dough into ball, place in large bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand 30 minutes, then remove dough from bowl and knead gently to deflate, about 10 seconds; gather into ball, return to bowl, and replace plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1⁄2 hours.
    4. Decompress dough by gently pushing a fist in center of dough toward bottom of bowl (see illustration 2 of “How a Baguette Comes Together”); turn dough onto work surface. With dough scraper, divide dough into two 12­ounce pieces. Working one at a time, with second piece covered with plastic wrap on work surface, cup hands stiffly around dough and drag in short half­circular motions toward edge of counter (see illustration 3) until dough forms rough torpedo shape with taut rounded surface, about 6 1⁄2 inches long. (As you drag the dough, its tackiness will pull on the work surface, causing the top to scroll down and to the back to create a smooth, taut surface.) Repeat with second piece of dough. Drape plastic wrap over dough on work surface; let rest to relax dough, 15 to 20 minutes.
    5. Meanwhile, line an inverted rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Working one at a time, with second piece covered with plastic wrap, roll torpedo seam­side up and press indentation along length of dough with side of outstretched hand (see illustration 4). Working along length of dough, press thumb of one hand against dough while folding and rolling upper edge of dough down with other hand to enclose thumb (see illustration 5). Repeat folding and rolling 4 or 5 times until upper edge meets lower edge and creates seam (see illustration 6); press seam to seal. Dough will have formed cylinder about 12 inches long. Roll dough cylinder seam­side down; gently and evenly roll and
    stretch dough until it measures 15 inches long by 2 1⁄2 inches wide (see illustration 7). Place seam­side down on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with second dough piece. Space shaped dough pieces about 6 inches apart on baking sheet. Drape clean dry kitchen towel over dough and slide baking sheet into large clean garbage bag; seal to close. Refrigerate until dough has risen moderately, at least 12 but no longer than 16 hours.
    6. To Bake: Remove one oven rack from oven; adjust second oven rack to lowest position. Place pizza stone on rack in oven and heavy rimmed baking sheet on oven floor. Heat oven to 500 degrees. Remove baking sheet with baguettes from refrigerator and let baguettes stand covered at room temperature 45 minutes; remove plastic bag and towel to let surface of dough dry, then let stand 15 minutes longer. The dough should have risen to almost double in bulk and feel springy to the touch. Meanwhile, bring 1 cup water to simmer in small saucepan on stovetop.
    7. With a lame or single­edge razor blade, make five 1⁄4­inch deep diagonal slashes on each baguette (see illustration 8). Brush baguette with egg white and mist with water. Working quickly, slide parchment sheet with baguettes off baking sheet and onto hot pizza stone. Pour simmering water onto baking sheet on oven floor and quickly close oven door. Bake, rotating loaves front to back and side to side after 10 minutes, until deep golden brown and instant­read thermometer inserted into center of bread through bottom crust registers 205 to 210 degrees, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer to wire rack; cool 30 minutes.
    8. Timeline:
    Begin: 8 AM to 12 Noon
    Sponge: Rise at room temperature 6 to 7 hours
    Dough: Rise at room temperature 30 minutes; deflate, then rise 1 1/2 hours longer.
    Shaped Dough: Rise in refrigerator 12 to 16 hours; let stand 1 hour at room temperature before baking. Bake: The morning after you begin.
    RECIPE TESTING
    THE RISE AND FALL OF A PRE­FERMENT
    The final stage, or “drop,” is characterized by a slight sinking of the sponge, leaving a higher edge around the circumference of the bowl. At this point the sponge is ready to use.
    Its middle phase is characterized by substantial swelling and surface bubbling. In the beginning stages, a pre­ferment shows no evidence of rising or bubbling.
    TECHNIQUE
    CRASHING THE DOUGH
    The dough is flung vigorously and repeatedly against the countertop.
    Really a form of kneading, crashing is a good way to incorporate additional water into the dough.
    RECIPE TESTING
    ACHIEVING WINDOWPANE
    A well­kneaded dough can be stretched into a nearly translucent membrane.
    STEP-BY-STEP
    HOW A BAGUETTE COMES TOGETHER
    1. Add the remaining water.
    2. Gently punch the dough down to eliminate the gas.
    3. Round the dough with half­circular motions.
    4. Use the side of your hand to form an indentation.
    5. Roll the sealed upper edge over your thumb.
    6. Repeat this process several times to form a seam.
    7. Stretch and roll the dough into a baguette shape. 8. Slash it diagonally.

  2. j Post author

    the first batch of baguettes used 2 tablespoons of water more than the recipe calls for because we forgot to omit the small quantity and added more while crashing and kneading. as mentioned before, this yielded a fluffier crumb. using the proper amount of water according the the recipe yielded a chewier texture. both were fantastic. despite everything i ever thought and still sometimes think, it’s hard to ruin bread.

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