Thanksgiving for the Frenchies

So, while you were all enjoying a long weekend, I had to work. Thanksgiving went by as every other Thursday does for me in France, but I was reminded by several people I work with that I was missing the celebrations in the States...

Anyway, last week, or maybe it was longer ago than that, one of the teachers I work with asked if I could cook. Yes, I said, slightly confused. Then he said that I should cook Thanksgiving Dinner for all the English teachers. At first I thought he was kidding, but then I realized he was serious. And I had already said I would.

So, last week I spent a lot of time looking on the internet for how to cook a turkey. Mashed potatoes, casserole, no problem. But the turkey?? After reading up about it, I decided to just roll with it. Which is how I did the entire meal.

There is no pumpkin in cans, and no such thing as premade mushroom soup, either. There are many, many pumpkins in France, so that wouldn't be an issue. I also looked at recipes for pumpkin pie, since I'd never made that, either. But then the wife of one of the teachers offered to help, and I let her make the pumpkin pie, as I didn't have the oven room. (And her pies turned out excellent, just like home.)

The teacher whose idea it was to have a Thanksgiving for French people with the American as the cuisiniere hosted the event, and I came with Sidney to his house in the early afternoon. I had given him my shopping list for the ingrediants and everything was there waiting for me when we arrived. My recipes were in my head (as I like them). Olivier (the teacher) had gone to the butcher the day before the ask about a turkey, and the butcher had replied, "But it's not Christmas" so he had none. But he told Olivier to return the next day as there would be a freshly killed turkey waiting. So, the turkey we ate had just been killed, possibly the morning we ate it. Which, now that I've eaten it, is the way to go, I believe. No frozen turkeys.

I had no idea what I was doing, in all honesty. But I set out and told Sidney what vegetables to help me cut. When we were about ready to stuff the turkey, I admitted to him that I was making things up as I went. He was shocked, and slightly frightened, as I was making a huge meal for a good number of people.

So, here's what I made: turkey stuffed with carrots, celery, onions, and garlic with olive oil and thyme and sage rubbed over the skin; special Jenna-style mashed potatoes with lots of butter, cream, and cheese; green bean casserole with homemade fried onions and mushroom soup (which Sidney is now going to have me make time and time again); cranberry sauce, also Jenna-style (port, cranberries, apple and orange chunks with orange zest, and a good amount of sugar, served warm). There was also an entree (or appetizer) which is mandatory in France that another teacher brought, and champagne and wine flowing throughout the evening. And then the delicious pumpkin pie and also brownies for dessert. None of them had eaten pumpkin pie before, so they were slightly shocked at how it tasted, but I think it grew on most everyone.

And it was delicious. The turkey was moist and perfect, and the rest of it was fabulous, too. There are pictures, and I will post them soon.