Thanksgiving Turnips – revisited

Dinner at Brian and Marge’s went well. A total of 46 people for dinner…glad it wasn’t at my house…we’d have to rent a tent, heat lamps, etc. to feed that many people!

The turnips all got eaten…not sure that is a sign of success or simply the ravenous hoard of 46 people

Tags: Thanksgiving, turnips

Thanksgiving Turnips

We’re off to Uncle Brian and Aunt Marge’s for Thanksgiving dinner today. Brian is Deanna’s father’s brother, and they live in Gorham, just outside Portland. Last year, I was in Hobart, Tasmania for Thanksgiving at Geoff Elwood’s home. I remember we had grilled salmon for dinner, plenty of beer, and piles of hot and spicy potato chips. Geoff, like me, craves anything hot and spicy! Since I wasn’t in Maine, I wasn’t here to bring squash as our family contribution to the dinner. Typically, Deanna’s family gathers 40+ people for dinner! Anyway, since I wasn’t here to bring squash, I “lost” my claim on that dish, and I’ve been relegated to Turnips.

In an email early this morning with Bob from the office, he noted:

Only God can make a turnip and I have, for my entire life, been questioning that decision!

Well, if that isn’t a challenge, I don’t know what is! I spent a little time online looking at recipes, and I found one that I thought might add a little zing to the dish. I got up at 4 am this morning (well actually, I was up at 11 pm, but I finally gave up and got out of bed at 4 am), and I started preparing the ingredients for Xiǎolóngbāo. More on that in another post…but after I got that going, I started on the turnips.

At about 7 am, I was informed that the turnips were supposed to be cut into blocks, and cooked…that’s it. Hmm…sounds boring, but I was Deanna tells me that only some people like turnips, and those that do, want it plain and simple. I think people don’t like turnips because they are cooked plain and simple. So, I set aside some of the turnip, but took the rest and went ahead and prepared the turnips as I had originally planned. The key is bacon. Everything is better with bacon, right? That’s what Emeril says anyway, and I tend to agree! When we return from dinner, I’ll have to report back on the results.

Tags: Thanksgiving, turnips