23 November Wednesday

I heard on the news this morning that two and a half million people are expected to visit the Atlanta airport this weekend. Two and half million at one airport? Why? I can´t answer this, but I can tell you one thing- I am so so grateful this Thanksgiving to not be flying anywhere. Holiday travel is exquisitely painful. We spend so much money and the time isn´t quality because there are so many people that aren´t normally together trying to catch up. The dinner is over in just a few hours and everyone goes back to as before. Then, you fly home, wondering what happened to that time and you go back to work on Monday, disoriented and with a bit of an emotional hangover.

Now- the battle plan. What must be done today? Anything that can´t wait until tomorrow and things that will make tomorrow more difficult. First, the former. The turkey must be encased in salt today. Cranberry sauce needs to macerate. Cocktail sauce needs to mature. Pie dough needs to rest, and the pie should be made tonight. Bread pieces for stuffing need to dry out. Today. Mashed potatoes will keep beautifully overnight, they make the should do category. I will make the turkey stock for gravy tonight too. Green bean casserole can be assembled tonight and cooked tomorrow. Everything else is tomorrow.

Tom was pulled from his wrapper, and is now exfoliating comfortably back in the fridge. His innards and bits are simmering on the stove top with vegetables. The Russets are in their water but haven´t started bumping around yet. I will finish the cooking day with cranberries and pie.

For the most potatoey tasting potatoes, simmer them without peeling them, peel and mash them when they are cool, then add salt and two cups at least of half and half. No butter!! Wacky I know, but the potatoes will be snowy white and taste earthy like potatoes should. Oh yes, and white pepper too. Julia would be so proud.

Do you remember any Christmas commercials from your childhood? There´s one I always remember- it was the Folgers coffee one where the son comes home as a surprise before the folks get up and only the little sister knows he´s there. Then he makes the coffee, mom wakes up confused, rubs her eyes and descends the staircase. Peter!! She shouts and embraces him as though he´d come back from the dead. It´s here that we are reminded about the best part of waking up.

And oh!!!! the house is filled with the rich scent of turkey stock. The potatoes are soft and ready for the food mill, and I am listening to some favorite things. Right now it´s Lily Tomlin as Ernestine interviewed by Joan Rivers. YouTube. Check it out. Ha! now there´s a great diversion. What do you like to listen to while you are cooking? A lot of music is too distracting to me, I will sing along, hear a favorite piece and need to go back to that wonderful moment. Music is an event. I like to hear people talk, so podcasts, interviews of all sorts fit the bill.

Last year I was in Akron for Thanksgiving, and I woke at around six in the morning to the very same smell I am smelling now. Celery, onion, turkey neck. I went downstairs where my mom was already well underway with the food prep and listening to Bob Dylan. I happened to come down during one of his groggier offerings, and decided to go back to bed. I have nothing against anyone´s musical choices, and mom had been up for a while, probably had a cup of coffee or two, and was ready to hear him.

Night before last, I had a dream that the family was gathered for a holiday feast when my brother put on a new album. It was titled-Bob Dylan and Louis Armstrong Together at the Holidays, and a picture of both exchanging presents in front of a roaring fire graced the jacket. The music that followed was extra-terrestrial, a prerecorded orchestra playing saccharin arrangements of familiar Christmas Carols while these two groan and gravel their through one unintelligible chorus after another. I guess the point is that neither one is known for their singing per se, yet I find artistically that both possess a certain…..Oh wait, my stock is boilng!

The potatoes are finished. The cranberries too. The stock has been strained and is cooling. The bread pieces are drying out and everything is laid out for tomorrow. All the vegetables are prepped and ready for assembly. What? No pie, you ask? No, not yet. The tart is easy to put together and better suited for the early morning, when I am fresh. This is a great start, time to clean up and get ready for bed.