A Transatlantic Thanksgiving

Red Pepper Marmalade

Honey and Jalapeño Cornbread

My family does not celebrate Thanksgiving in the traditional sense. For some reason this assertion is often met with surprise by my American friends, who might be convinced the entire planet takes a break on the third Thursday of November to gorge on green bean casserole and pumpkin pie. But even our close kin the Brits don't have Thanksgiving. I would know because I cooked a first-ever-Thanksgiving-dinner for my entire floor when I was abroad in England, which actually became more of an attempt at defending the merits of cornbread (Putting on a British accent: "But this is just cake with an identity crisis!") At least dessert was successful.

As much as our Thanksgiving features very little family and friends, and even less of the staple dishes that seem to flood every food magazine this time of year (Sweet potatoes with marshmallows? What?), I would never miss an opportunity to cook up a dinner in honor of my favorite season. Pass the Brussels, please.

My Hydration Station

So no, we haven't served turkey for years, and we don't prepare some grandmother's stuffing recipe in reverence every year. We didn't even celebrate Thanksgiving on the official Thanksgiving day (I was working a double at the restaurant). But we did make some fantastic food. Here is menu, never again to be replicated. I want more squash next year!

Endive and beet salad (adapted from this recipe)
Glazed ham, because we got tired of cooking an extra large chicken
Roasted Brussels sprouts, mushrooms and red onion
Braised red cabbage (adapted from this recipe, using red instead of Savoy cabbage and holding the mustard)
Braised parsnips (recipe here... Yes I did see it as a commercial for Fisher nuts!)
Garlic mashed potatoes (lightened up recipe here)
Jalapeño cornbread to set your mouth on fire (recipe here)
The crowning glory: red pepper marmalade. Spread it on your bread, on your turkey, on your veggies. It's seriously amazing, and next time I'm adding in some chiles. Thank you San Francisco Chronicle!(recipe here)

Hope you all had just the kind of Thanksgiving that fits your style and makes you smile!