Expat's Thanksgiving: Dessert Anyone?

We topped off our glorious meal with four DELISH pies. My sister-in-law went to the bakery that delivers some of the best cupcakes in London - Hummingbird. They served up pumpkin pie, classic and all American.

Hummingbird's Pumpkin Pie

I begged my friend to re-make Nigella's Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake (I can devour a peanut butter jar in a week, so I would say I like PB a lot). I love the bits of whole crunchy peanuts that get left behind in the digestive crust. Digestives are yummy cookies that you just can't find in the States.

By far though, the best dessert was Pecan Pie by @Nigella_Larsen. My dear friend even made the pastry dough herself and it was perfection. We finished it for breakfast the next day.

Courtesy of bakingpowders.blogspot.com

And last but certainly  not least was my friend's homemade apple pie. Tasted great warm with vanilla ice cream and cold the next day. I picked at the laces all day long.



Courtesy of homemadeapplepie.net

 Thanksgiving is just now two days away...I wish I was going home tomorrow in time to watch my mom cook and see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I'm already getting emails for Black Friday sales. Sigh*

Any who, here are some great links I found that I thought I'd share.

If you are looking for inspirational (and somewhat challenging dishes) then check out Goop's newsletter Thanksgiving Low Down.

If I hadn't blown all my cash on my own soiree, I'd drag the Hub to Villandry for their French take on Thanksgiving Dinner, there serving a twice baked cheese souffle to start. YUM.

Or, I'd love to check out the Savoy Grill's maple-roast turkey with cornbread stuffing. Two more reasons really, one I want to know what Gordon Ramsey's interpretation of cornbread is. Londoners don't know cornbread like WE know cornbread and two the Beaufort Bar is heaven. It's like old Hollywood glamour in there.

We created a dried flower/halved pear in glass center piece, but I loved this floral pumpkin vase idea.

Happy Thanksgiving

Expat's Thanksgiving: The Appetizer

Hello! Sorry I've been away (perhaps you didn't notice and that's OK), but it's been a busy week. Yesterday, the hub and I celebrated Thanksgiving with a few friends at ours. And even though we celebrated it on a different day and most of our party was non-American, it really felt like Thanksgiving in the States. We decided to celebrate it the Saturday before so that way people can truly enjoy the evening and still have Sunday to recover from their Turkey food baby.

Catering for 16 was no easy task, but luckily I had dear Americans friends (and also expats) who helped me make it a huge success. Since the countdown to real Thanksgiving has already begun at home, I thought I'd share with you the dishes we made here in London.  

Starting with the Apps. We wanted to keep it simple and light so we decided on Rapid Roastini by Nigella

Courtesy of atannaskitchentable.blogspot.com

  and Roasted Tomato Pesto by the Barefoot Contessa.

The fried gnocchi bites were a hit and the perfect finger food starter. The roasted tomatoes were delicious, but a bit difficult handle. Perhaps if I cored them (as Ina told me too) it would have been better. I do think; however, that a buttery cracker underneath would make this dish even better.

Our guests gobbled up the appetizers in no time, but still had plenty of room for the feast that shortly followed and I will share with you tomorrow!