Thanksgiving 2009 Part One

Now that we are safely away from turkey torpor and distended tummies, I can admire the feast we prepared on November 26. The challenge this year was to prepare a Thanksgiving meal using local or regionally produced food stuffs. The huckleberries, green beans, turkey, apples, pumpkin and cheese were all found and/or made right here at home in Southwest Montana. Instead of cranberries, we enjoyed Flathead cherries. I pan-fried local onions for the green bean casserole instead of fighting the masses for the last can of deep-fried onions. I made a homemade pie crust with butter made in Missoula from milk that came from Montana dairy cows. We sipped Montana-made Dandelion wine, and gorged on stuffing made with local bread and Lolo pork sausage. We allowed a few imports such as cinnamon and cloves, but everything was made from scratch. Yum. Now I need a nap.

The menu:

Made-from-scratch crackers with buttermilk fresh cheese and a huckleberry-sage compote
Hutterite turkey with gravy made with Wheat Montana flour
Pork and Sage stuffing
Pumpkin and squash casserole with Lifeline sharp cheddar cheese
Buttermilk mashed potatoes
Green bean casserole with a regional mushroom bechamel and local onions
Apple pie
Pumpkin pie