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Lucy Lean

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in Books· Made in America· RECIPES· Thanksgiving· Vegetables

Lots to be Thankful For

I am thankful for so much right now it’s hard to say one or two things without feeling guilty about leaving someone out, especially since MADE IN AMERICA came out in October and has been so well received and truly supported – lists of people to thank and notes of thanks to write. It’s been a whirlwind of travel, celebrations and press…

I’m so thrilled that Time Out New York chose MADE IN AMERICA as one of it’s top ten cookbooks of 2011 for its Gift Guide edition, on newsstands now. There I am on page 25 -The Season’s Best Cookbooks – next to Heston Blumenthal At Home and above Nancy Silverton’s The Mozza Cookbook and Daniel Humm’s Eleven Madison Park The Cookbook… what company, truly honored.  The other’s that make up the ten are The Art of Living According to Joe Beef, Andrew Carmellini’s American Flavor, Home Cooking with Jean-Georges, Anita Lo’s Cooking without Borders, Mission Street Food and Edible Brooklyn, The Cookbook.

 

I’ve just returned from New York and a fabulous book launch party at Eataly – lots more on that to come once I get photos sorted – but for that once in a lifetime experience I am extremely grateful to my friend Joe Bastianich and everyone at Eataly – especially all the chefs who cooked tastes from the book and came out to play from far and wide – Dave Pasternack, Marc Vetri and Jeff Michaud from Phili, Alex Seidel and Jen Jasinski both flew in from Denver, Andrew Little – from Gettysburg, Brooks Headley, Craig Stoll from San Francisco, Gordon Finn (on behalf of Michael White) and Jean Jacques Rachou my father-in-law.

At a recent book signing for MADE IN AMERICA I was asked if there were any American recipes I had come across during my travels and research that I found shocking. The first dish that sprung to mind, that was never really a contender for the book, was mashed sweet potato with marshmallow topping. Try as I might I just don’t understand or like this dish – perhaps it’s something that just doesn’t translate and you have to have grown up with it being presented at the table every holiday?

But you have to love sweet potatoes – so American, so festive and just plain gorgeous on the Thanksgiving plate with that much needed pop of orange amongst the meat and the stuffing. The first dish I have prepared is the sweet potato – no marshmallow in sight. It’s based on Martha Rose Schulman’s recipe that is the best I have found and have cooked it ever since I took her Thanksgiving Without Tears class – it’s a mix of roasted sweet potatoes, apple, plain yogurt and lime juice. I add a little nutmeg to the top.

I am most grateful to my family – who actually took the time to come and collect me from the airport last night. We have spent the day preparing for Thanksgiving by crafting together – I covered more mini pumpkins with various shades of orange glitter for the center of the table.

Minty and Rémy crafted too – making these cute little pine cone turkeys – inspired by a recent post by my friend Marla Meredith over at Family Fresh Cooking.

Other food gracing our Thanksgiving table tomorrow – many from recipes in MADE IN AMERICA:
Todd English’s Confit Turkey with Clam and Sausage Stuffing
Bill Kim’s Brussels Sprouts with Chorizo
Daniel Boulud’s Celery Root Purée
Jean-Jacques Rachou’s Chestnut Purée
My cranberry sauce – made up on the fly using fresh cranberries and booze!
Richard Ruskell’s Not Your Same Old Pumpkin Pie
Alex Seidel’s Pecan Bourbon Pie

So as we head into the holiday season please keep MADE IN AMERICA in mind as the perfect gift for that hard to buy for person – and for that easy to please family member on your list… and if you’ve already purchased the book from Amazon please please please leave a review there and spread the news – I will also send anyone a signed bookplate should you live too far away for me to sign any book in person.

THANK YOU!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Filed Under: Books, Made in America, RECIPES, Thanksgiving, Vegetables Tagged With: Alex Seidel, American Flavor, Andrew Carmellini, Andrew Little, Anita Lo, Bill Kim, Bobby Flay, Brooks Headley, Cooking Without Borders, Craig Stoll, Daniel Boulud, Daniel Humm, Dave Pasternack, Eataly, Edible Brooklyn The Cookbook, Eleven Madison Park The Cookbook, Family Fresh Cooking, Gift Guide, Glitter Pumpkins, Gordon Finn, Home Cooking With Jean-Georges, Jean-Jacques Rachou, Jeff Michaud, Jen Jasinski, Joe Bastianich, Made in America, Marc Vetri, Marla Meredith, Martha Rose Schulman, Michael White, Mission Street Food, Nancy Silverton, Pecan Pie, Pine Cone Turkeys, Pumpkin Pie, Richard Ruskell, Thanksgiving, The Art of Living According to Joe Beef, The Mozza Cookbook, Time Out New York, Todd English, Top Ten Cookbooks

« Thanksgiving Confit Turkey with Clam and Sausage Stuffing – by Todd English
Handmade Holiday Gifts – Your Perfect Offering »

Comments

  1. Allison [Girl's Guide to Social Media] says

    November 23, 2011 at 9:27 pm

    INCREDIBLE! Congrats on being featured in ‘Time Out New York.’ What an accomplishment. You deserve it! It’s a fantastic cook book. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

  2. Marla says

    November 27, 2011 at 8:10 am

    LOVE this post. Those pine cone turkeys are just the happiest things ever. Your glittered pumpkins are stunning centerpieces. I need to make some of those too. I am so thrilled with how life is moving along too. Your book is a huge achievement in many, many ways. You are an awesome pal, a great mom and an amazing, talented woman. I am very proud of you friend. May you see continued success, health and happiness!!

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Always chasing rainbows 🌈 woke up to this odd l Always chasing rainbows 🌈 woke up to this odd light and thought if the sun just came up and it’s raining there must be a rainbow 🌈 and sure enough there it is! New administration and a new day for America and the world #GoJoe #GoKamala #MadameVicePresident
I lingered round them, under that benign sky; watc I lingered round them, under that benign sky; watched the moths fluttering among the heath and harebells; listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass; and wondered how anyone could ever imagine unquiet slumbers, for the sleepers in that quiet earth.  #WutheringHeights #EmilyBronte the in between - How it started How it ended - bedroom monochromatic light at 7am this morning to 7pm tonight and cocktail time with Tink gin and @david_austin_roses post parents evening and then in the middle I went on a walk with @chloescotland - actually it was an adventure to find the prettiest 13th century church with a moat and a graveyard filled with snowdrops and the tiniest grave - a child? And headstones that were leaning over - I thought tipsy Chloe thought giving up and I was reminded of the Brontë passage about #unquietslumbers #ghostsinmygarden swop harebells for snowdrops - the peace and quiet of a tiny graveyard with a moat and lopsided headstones and peace and quiet - a moment of calm and hope as the #inauguration looms large and as we keep to the rules of lockdown #stayhome #staysafe
Anxiety levels have been high these last few weeks Anxiety levels have been high these last few weeks and just when you think it can’t get any worse it does - Covid levels rising and hospitals dealing with record numbers of very unwell patients, a third lockdown and schools going online and exams cancelled, then there was the runoff in Georgia 💙 overshadowed by the insurrection in D.C. which led to the swift impeachment (again), there’s the excitement of Joe Biden’s inauguration that is being sucked away by the pandemic, the rise of white supremacy with troops guarding the Capitol and ever present fear.  But through it all we have to have hope - for the vaccine, for the teachers helping our kids learn online, for the nurses and doctors working against the odds, for M&S and Ocado deliveries,for a new administration, for arrests of violent rioters, for congress doing its job and for decency to be about to be sworn in.  It’s a lot and we all struggle daily to keep our heads above water.  On a personal level I find painting helps, as do walks in nature and family suppers, I’m wearing pretty dresses, silk underwear and wrapping myself in soft cashmere and yes I’m consuming more champagne than I usually do - if not now then when?  #Lockdown #Stayhome #staysafe #EnglishCountryHouse #EnglishCountryside
#snowdrops went for a walk to search for snowdrops #snowdrops went for a walk to search for snowdrops today - last year the lawn was carpeted in white, this year nothing.  Maybe they are late? Painted a small bunch #oilpaint #flowerpainting #snowdroppainting a sign of #spring I chickened out of painting the tiny glass jug that was a Christmas present - not sure I know how to paint that aqua colour - help!  #EnglishCountryhouse #EnglishCountryGarden #englishcountryside #Lockdown #Staysafe #stayhome
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