Thanksgiving: London Edition

Thanksgiving came a little early to Flat F7 this year, but it certainly came extravagantly. I knew from the day I realized that I'd be missing Thanksgiving at home that I wanted to make a meal of my own. After all, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. So I may not get to go home and see my family, do the annual Black Friday mall trip with Emily or live off of Aunt Minnie's Potatoes for days, but that wasn't going to stop me from making a kick ass meal.

After encountering numerous issues with Turkey defrosting (which ended with us submerging the 15 lb Turkey in a trashcan filled with cold water because no other container was big enough), we were able to start in on cooking. Charlotte and I did a massive Sainsbury's run and started cooking by noon on Tuesday. I took on the sweet potato casserole and cauliflower gratin (recipes courtesy of Colin), the stuffing, the cranberry sauce and an impromptu cheese pie. Charlotte did roast potatoes, apple crumble and brownies. We both looked after the Turkey which Joey kindly removed all the gross stuff from (even the term giblets weirds me out). Then Hannah helped with chopping carrots that Joey peeled and making the gravy.

We sat down to dinner with the whole flat minus Sascha using the lovely Turkey napkins my mom brought us. I'm not gonna lie, it was a classy affair. The boys were in ties (albeit only Louis' was actually tied correctly and up around his neck) and we set out bread and oil and vinegar to start with our classy £3 bottles of wine. Then as we got ready to eat I even got to be the one to carve the turkey! I had to keep reminding people that the point was to eat as much as humanly possible and to feel like you're going to vomit at the end. We all succeeded on that front. Had to take a break before dessert but we all ate gross amounts there too. And then we had a cheese plate!

My first big kid Thanksgiving where I made a significant portion of the food was a resounding success and I was excited to get to introduce the Brits to my favorite holiday.

Much Food

Preparations afoot

So proud of my first turkey

The chefs (Hannah, Char and I) and the turkey

Carving the roast beast

Turkey, Cranberry Sauce, Gravy, Stuffing, Carrots, Green Beans, Cauliflower, Roast Potatoes, Sweet Potato Casserole

F7 does Thanksgiving

F7 finishes Thanksgiving

I had copious amounts of tryptophan-induced dreams following the massive meal. And in the way that some people extend their birthday celebrations, I get to keep Thanksgiving festivities alive by going to dinner for Thanksgiving with Madelaine and her family on Thursday, by eating leftovers and through the promise of a skype date with my family on Thanksgiving day.