Our First Carolina Thanksgiving (Waldorf Salad and Elizabeth’s Cranberry Sauce)

“Can you have him call back later?” Those are seven words I don’t think I’ve ever said to Steve when our son Will has called. But yesterday as luck would have it his Thanksgiving call came at that critical moment between the turkey coming out of the oven and being served when everything seems to be happening at once.

Potatoes being mashed, carrots being sautéed, gravy being made, dressing and sweet potatoes coming out of the oven and everyone trying to snatch a taste of the turkey and not loose a finger in the process. At one point we I caught myself turning from the mixer to the stove as my brother went from the stove to the sink and it seriously felt like we were doing some sort of dance. I’m a good multi-tasker, but balancing a phone and having a meaningful conversation in the midst of it all simply wasn’t in the cards.

Thankfully Will called as he was rolling in from a morning hunting trip and in need of a shower and nap before his Thanksgiving feast with college friends and surrogate family in Montana. We caught up later in the evening and all was good.

The preparations for yesterday’s meal began last weekend with a drive out to Cane Creek Farm, which is known for raising some of the best turkeys around.

This is pig country and so pork is their main gig, but they also do a nice business in poultry. We took our niece, nephew and our little Scottie and had a great day; complete with a visit with some week old piglets and stop Maple View Dairy for some of their delicious ice cream.

I think a tradition has been born.

Wednesday we set about the business of making the brine (salt, sugar, herbs, spices, orange peel – I confess I bought the mix at A Southern Season), submerged the bird, stashed it in the garage fridge and hoped for the best.

And the best it was! Somehow the turkey on the table is always the best one ever, but I truly believe this bird was in a class of its own. Turkeys that are pasture raised look different and taste different. They look like they actually were at one point a bird and not some hormone induced freak show. And the taste – the white meat was extremely flavorful and people who never eat dark meat were asking for more. We were lucky to send a tad bit home with our guests and still eek out a day-after sandwich this afternoon.

It seems a bit odd to give a Thanksgiving recipe the day after, but these two are family favorites that are good year-round.

Enjoy.

Waldorf Salad

(Serves 8, with leftovers)

My mother’s family started making this back in the 50s when there was some sort of cranberry blight. It has been on our Thanksgiving table ever since, and adds a bit of freshness to an otherwise heavy meal.

Make this early in the day so the flavors can meld together.

Ingredients

• 1 lemon, remove the zest with a micro plane first and then juiced
• 3 red apples; core removed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 3 green apples; core removed and chopped into bites-sized pieces
• 1 cup celery, chopped into ¼ inch dice
• ½ cup chopped pecans (east coast) or walnuts (west coast)
• ½ cup raisins
• ¼ cup Best Foods (Hellman’s on the east coast) Mayonnaise
• Pinch of salt

Method:

In a large bowl:

• Put the lemon juice in the bottom of the bowl
• As you chop each apple, drop them into the juice and toss to keep them from turning brown
• Add the rest of the ingredients
• Stir to combine
• Refrigerate until serving time

Elizabeth’s Cranberry Sauce

Simple and delicious is the best way to describe this sauce. Really yummy on next-day turkey sandwiches, too.

Makes just over 2 cups – It is best to double the recipe if you want leftovers

Make this the day before serving for best flavor

Note – you are at the mercy of the orange so buy a few and use the one with the best flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 orange – juiced, plus the flesh and peel cut into quarters
• Enough water to bring the total liquid (water and orange juice) to 1 cup
• ¼ tsp powdered ginger
• 1 12-ounce package Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
• Pinch of Kosher salt

Method

• Combine sugar, orange juice and water in a medium saucepan.
• Bring to boil
• Add cranberries, ginger and salt. Return to boil.
• Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring now and then.
• Remove from heat and cool completely at room temperature.
• Refrigerate. Even better the 2^nd day.