SF Strays Thanksgiving 2005

Thank you Michael for hosting such a wonderful Thanksgiving feast! As usual when Michael throws a party, you can always expect high standards. A carefully and elaborately planned menu, consisting of unique combinations, hard hard work put into the details and presentation, and a final result that always tantalizes. I am always impressed and it was no different for Michael's 2005 SF Strays Thanksgiving Dinner Party. On top of Michael's (and Kathryn's) awesome cooking, each of us guests had a role to play, concocting an element of the dinner. Some really great dishes were made...... Thank you all!


First course of the meal is set on the table. What you see here are various creations from the SF Strays gang. Michael made the comforting Carrot Cream soup with Pistachios and Audrey made the fabulous Pear, Cranberry and Blue-cheese Salad. Also pictured is Ellie's rich Red Wine, Pear & Apple sauce, Michael's tangy crack-laden Grand Marnier Cranberry "sauce" and Sarah's spicy Pumpkin Pie. (We were already on the way to being stuffed before the soup and salad came, due to the aperitif nibbles we devoured before-hand)


Mike doing the honors carving the roast. It looked really good, very elaborately created, with fine details such as roasted onions. Pictured is my Butternut Squash Mashed Potatoes, Michael and Kathryn's Brussels Sprout dish, and hiding behind that is my Roasted Sweet Corn. Notice Louisiana in front of the roast, inspecting Mike's every move...


Here is a close up of the soup and salad. Notice Sarah's Cranberry Quince Chutney that was so fabuloso.


Ellie, enjoying her Carrot soup by the fire.


After gobbling up the first course, Ellie and I are goofing off impatiently waiting for the main course to recieve it's final touches!


The turkey is served, we are all gathered round, and feasing away! As usual, Michael cannot hold still in front of the camera!


Michael doesn't cease to impress! A lady-finger based cheese cake with macerated blackberries. This cake was so gooood!


Sarah and Louisiana demonstrate what it feels like to be stuffed by Thanksgiving dinner by plopping on the couch! Sadly Louisiana (the doggie) chooses to demonstrate in a very rude way by being very very sinky...... in a fart-ish sort of way!