Hello Everyone !
It's been a long time since I sent out an update and thought what better time then now ...before the Canadian Holiday !
Historically (and most of you will know this already), Thanksgiving was a way for the First Nation's people in Canada to celebrate the first harvest. Pilgrims in the US celebrated with food and prayers to survive the winters ahead. Thanks to modernized food processing and packaging, now-a-days there is little worry about our food supply for the winter months. Therefore, this holiday too has changed in many ways. We gather to celebrate family and friends and stuff our faces silly. Some even gain bragging rights as they get to boast about their cooking skills of a dinosaurus-size bird (usually this being a turkey).
This year on thanksgiving, I am not with my family (but with people similarly important). Why? Because we can't seem to all be on the same continent at one time. Plus I am having a blast here so please forgive me for being selfish :-)
I however, just like the pilgrims of the past, celebrated thanksgiving with new friends from around the world: South Africa, Canada, USA, India, Dubai, and so on. I not only celebrated with special friends, but the dinner was at a location where I first arrived to Australia called Morningside. I cooked not one but 2 birds and for them being chickens of 2kg each ...they were easily dino-sized. The chocks (as they are called in Australia) were tender, juicy (even at the breast), and after each bite I had to pant a little as I was running out of breath from the thickness of the grease in my mouth. Ok, so I may have over greased these birds but there was going to be no complaints of dryness on my first try.
This was a group dinner where everyone made amazing contributions and I am eager to get those recipes from everyone one of these days.
So following a wonderful thanksgiving weekend, as I will be preparing one more dinner to my house mates in saying thank-you for being kind and welcoming ! The level of oils and butter will be adjusted as I don't think my heart will survive another chicken like the one before. But everything else will be made as it usually is by my own mother :-)
Happy Thanksgiving everyone and sending you best wishes near and far !!!
