Since we are world citizens we can belong everywhere and to every tradition. It had been a while since I gave thanks and so we had a thanksgiving which included a memory. I asked each guest to go back in time to a moment where a song/music can instantly transport you back to that moment and to share this with us. One guest opened with the song Soul Sister and we were all taken back to her moment in time, sitting on a bus in Australia. She travelled for a day and night across the continent, earphones plugged in and looking out the window at the vast land and adventure that awaited her. Her song has become our song. And every time I hear it I will be transported back to this Thanksgiving dinner and Australia.
I baked tomato and rosemary focaccia to go with our first starter. A celebration of mackerel, 3 days.
Smoked mackerel pate in a choux bun.
Mackerel gravlax with capers, pickled onion and gerkins with a dill sauce.
Lightly grilled mackerel on celeriac mayonnaise.
The second starter was curried pumpkin soup, topped with an onion bahji. This turned out to be a huge hit.
The main course was sous vide Turkey on a bed of spring onion mashed potatoes with Georgian red plum sauce. The side was whiskey and brown sugar carrots with a very southern thanksgiving favourite - Biscuit and sausage meat gravy.
We finished the night with steamed prune and chocolate pudding with rum cream. And a whole load more of music and stories that now unite us all.