Feed The Resistance: Cranberry Relish paired with Shiner’s “Holiday Cheer!”
Every year, right about this time, my wife and I pull out our copy of Anthony Bourdain’s cookbook “Appetites,” as we get ready for our Thanksgiving dinner. Bourdain had a special love of Thanksgiving – in the book, he devotes an entire chapter to the holiday and sets up a “Three Day Thanksgiving Strategy.” That strategy is laid out roughly like this…
Day 1…
- Buy everything
- Organize it all
- Cross-check with all your recipes
- Make your stock
- Leave Bread out to get stale for the stuffing
DAY 2…
- Turn the Turkey Stock into Turkey Sauce or Gravy
- Make your stuffing
- Make Cranberry Relish
- Prep your sides
Day 3…
- Roast your small “Stunt” Turkey – this is the pretty one that will be on display for all your guests to see.
- Finish up all the sides and stuffing
- Roast your “Business” Turkey – this is the one that you’ll carve up and serve to your guests.
- Put your “Stunt” Turkey on display…this turkey will should be artfully garnished for everyone to see. After everyone has seen it – take it back into the kitchen…presumably to be carved.
- In the privacy of your kitchen – pull the “Business” Turkey from the oven and carve it up to serve.
In that chapter of the book, he’s got recipes for just about everything you’ll want to serve for Thanksgiving, including what I made today…Cranberry Relish! When I told Dee that I was making the Cranberry Relish today – she immediately grabbed this week’s “Tap That” beer of the week – “Holiday Cheer” from Shiner, figuring that the Peaches and Pecans in the beer would go good with the orange and cranberries in this dish. She was right!
