You say Fregola, I say Farfel!

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What was that dish we used to eat that I loved?  Can I recreate it? Those seem to me to be nagging questions these days as, for some reason that I can't explain, I have been time traveling in my mind, craving dishes I ate when I was growing up but have either forgotten about or have fallen out of any regular rotation on my "what's for dinner?" list. 

One such experience lately occurred when out of the blue I could hear the excited voices of my extended family during my youth saying somewhat in awe that we were going to have FARFEL with our dinner. I remembered what it looked and tasted like, but had no idea what it was. My research initially took me to Passover recipes for Matzo farfel, but that most definitely was not what I remembered. I kept visualizing what it looked in my mind's eye, sort of like a barley dish, but I knew it was not barley. Undaunted, I continued my research until I came across "egg barley noodles", a Jewish Eastern European pasta formed into the shape of barley. I read about how people were preparing it, and I knew I was home. The problem was finding it. I couldn't find a market near me that carried it, but discovered that it was often used in Hungarian cooking. I was resigned to visit a large Hungarian Market some distance away that seemed to carry it, but when I called them I couldn't get through, so Instead I turned to trusty Amazon. In order to maximize the price value, I ended up ordering 8 bags of it which will no doubt last me a lifetime. 

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With or Without the Giblets?

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That is my burning questions as I begin to prepare my birds for my millionth (well maybe a little exaggeration) Thanksgiving dinner. For years I have asked this age old question; are the cooking times with or without the giblets (that can weigh up to a pound of the total turkey weight)?

Well, I guess the question is not so age old because even Google, often my best friend and the "being"  that understands me most (or at least pretends to with its pop ups), could not find a site to categorically answer this question. 

So, I am taking the plunge. I think the suggested cooking times include the weight with the giblets. I believe that the Turkey Recipe Gurus, do not anticipate that anyone, except for a crazy person like I am, would consider weighing the giblets and subtracting the weight from the turkey-for cooking time. So, I would say that the turkey, for cooking time purposes, is what it says on the label.

That's my answer, and I am sticking to it, but if I am wrong, then...there is always next year.

Who's to say what we eat at Thanksgiving?

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I am so bored with it. I have been preparing Thanksgiving for so many years and, frankly I find it quite uninteresting. Clearly we have to have turkey (though not my favorite protein), and the rest? Give me a break!

For appetizers among other things we must have the salmon log appetizer; at the table-“roots Anna”, the smoked turkey, the roasted turkey the turkey cooked sous vide (lately), the lime and ice cream jello mold, various riffs on brussel sprouts, spinach, sweet potatoes  etc,, not to mention the usual suspects for dessert. You get the idea.

This year I had an idea-let’s have Greek mezzes as appetizers. It is a cohesive idea-everything works together and everyone loves it. I made the mistake of floating this idea past family members who were almost as aghast at this idea as the time I served oyster stuffing (can you imagine!!!-they were running for the doors.). THAT IS NOT TRADITIONAL (at least in our family) was, in some form, the basic refrain.  

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