Thanksgiving Table

I just carried my fifteen pound turkey home from the big city, a logistical nightmare I hadn't really considered when I set out to attempt a Farmers' Market-only Thanksgiving. As I lugged the giant bird back to New Jersey I tried to cultivate feelings of delight in my own virtue (Sutra 1.33) but found myself cursing instead. Turns out my hips are well designed for transporting heavy merchandise; the beast positioned himself nicely on the top of my anterior iliac crest. He made it home safely (not so sure about me) and is now tucked in the fridge, awaiting the oven tomorrow!

I set the table yesterday so it would be one less thing to worry about whilst I'm basting the bird. My favorite part of any holiday is the decorating and this year I decided to use gourds, squash, and fresh fruit instead of flowers (inspired by my journeys to Balthazar and Bouley)! I love the rustic feel of the burlap tablecloth; it's a nice contrast to the silver. The turkey plates belonged to my grandmother and I absolutely cherish them. I'm going to use the small little bowls for salt and pepper ('tis the season for my brown transferware ironstone). Tomorrow night I'll put out some small candles on the table and all around the house to make everything feel festive. I can't wait for my family to come over and spend time together. Right now I'm going to go finalize my cooking schedule so I can enjoy the Thanksgiving Day Parade tomorrow morning!