This Thanksgiving was full of firsts: I hosted and cooked my first turkey, first time to visit Graceland Cemetery, first sweet potato pie instead of pumpkin. The sweet potato pie was made by friend Sharon and it was a huge hit.
My guest tester for this PFR was my roommate Natasha, and my brother gave a couple of quotes as well. She gave the pie a solid 4.
Here's what she had to say: "This is much more complex than a pumpkin pie and the filling is airier. The ginger and lemon work excellently together. The crust is not remarkable but the filling is— the lemon is doing incredible things." This morning, after her breakfast slice she said she didn't think she'd ever be able to go back to pumpkin. (Full disclosure: the crust was frozen because Sharon ran out of time to make her own.)
My brother said of the difference between pumpkin and sweet potato, "They look the same but they don't talk the same." For him it was the ginger not the lemon (he is so a product of my father) that made the pie for him.
As for the rest of the meal... the turkey was okay. I'm glad my mother wasn't there and I only fed a couple of people, this seemed like tech rehearsal or something. I feel like I want to try this again. My favorite part was the cranberry sauce (recipe via Mav of Port2Port). I did a terrible job carving, which mystifies me because I usually do not so bad a job. Below is my first plate. After we ate we walked down to Graceland Cemetery and visited with the past elite of Chicago. I'll blog about that later. It was good to get a walk after dinner.
Claire, your photos always look like art. Pretty tablecloth, too.
I bet your turkey was great.
I have a funny turkey story, but I'm too dang tired to write right now.
Posted by: blue girl | November 24, 2006 at 01:45 PM
Claire, I can't get your pictures to load although I keep refreshing. Feel a bit cheated - wanted to see that sweet potato pie with my own eyes. Oh well. I am thinking that with homemade crust that pie would have moved solidly into the 4.5 range. Wondering how to wangle a slice here in Morocco. Or how about your friend sharing the recipe?
PS Come visit my blog if you have a chance - I just posted on our Marrakech guest house design - tell me what you think.
Posted by: Maryam in Marrakesh | November 24, 2006 at 06:22 PM
Hooray! I'm glad the pie passed! I wished I'd made my own crust! Dang!
Claire your Thanksgiving meal looked scrumptious! Thanks for letting me contribute.
Posted by: Sharon | November 24, 2006 at 06:45 PM
Claire! Your Thanksgiving dinner looks like it was a success!!! And that pie looks fabulous.
As for Graceland- I have been to that place so many times... it is so interesting... so much history.
As for pie... we need to set a date!!!! :)
Posted by: Jennifer | November 25, 2006 at 02:59 PM