Thanksgiving

So obviously, being in France, Thanksgiving was a bit different this year. It was my first time not attending the ritual Aunt Gayle festivities, which I really enjoy. So when Thanksgiving reared it’s head this year, I didn’t even really get the sense it was even a holiday. Of course, I tailored my lessons to explaining the holiday and different Thanksgiving recipes, but on Thursday night, there was no turkey in sight.

My friend, Natalie and I had been discussing putting together a Thanksgiving potluck for Friday, but the plans were falling through the cracks each day. Initially, we were going to throw together a dinner along with some other French contemporaries. That plan fell through when we found out Natalie’s boyfriend had to work Friday night. So the plans dwindled down to cooking dinner for Natalie and myself; fine with me I like intimate small gatherings.

Low and behold however, by Friday afternoon, Natalie informed me that our plans had quickly changed with the help of Facebook. The party would no longer be made of two, but a whole group of language assistants. It was already 4:00 and I had to quickly get my butt over to Besançon to start cooking (Natalie isn’t too savvy in the kitchen). Fretting over exactly what we would make, Natalie and I split the grocery list and I quickly went shopping for half the menu and tried to catch the next train to Besançon, which wasn’t until 6:30.

Arriving in Besançon at 7:40, I was a bit stressed. We had planned to cook the whole day and obviously we had gotten to a late start. I sort of figured I would be chained in the kitchen for most of the night cooking and rushing, getting everything together last minute. But after a glass of wine and a couple of minutes to freshen up, some of the stress began to disappear. As soon as people arrived everything fell into place. Our wonderful guests brought various desserts, needed extra plates, Pringles and copious amounts of wine.

By 9:30 we had the meal ready. Jose, Natalie, Keith, Chiara and I managed to shimmy around each other in the tiny kitchen and produce a great meal. Keith made potatoes, which we topped with cancoillotte cheese, I made some roasted veggies and bow-tie pasta in a tomato creme sauce, Natalie sauteed some mushrooms and onions and made a tomato, mozzarella and avocado salad, Jose carved the pre-cooked chicken James brought and Chiara, an Italian assistant was sous chef to us all.

Maybe it was the wine or maybe just the good company of friends, but the meal couldn’t have tasted better. Our plates were piled high and magically we had enough food for everyone. I still can’t believe that we actually pulled it off. Everything just fell into place with such ease. All in all we ended hosting 12 people from England, Canada, Germany, Russia, Honduras, the U.S. and Italy. We talked (a mix of English and French), ate and glasses were always full; the festivities finally finished around 5 in the morning (the party was down to 5 by that point).
Quelle Thanksgiving!