Early Thanksgiving

Today, I accomplished something I’ve wanted to do for quite some time: prepare a seven-course French meal.  I studied the menu options, and it didn’t seem that difficult.  You follow along in the order in which the courses are served.  I planned it for several weeks, thinking about each course and what I would make.  I started gathering ingredients and bought them ahead of time, purchasing the freshest items the day before.  Between family and friends, seven of us mathematically worked well for seven courses.

I got up early, staged all my dishes appropriately, pre-cooked what I could, and timed out the rest.  

Course 1 was L’Aperitif or appetizers.  I served a small plate with a deviled egg, a small bread with cheese smear topped with cucumber and hot peach chutney, and bacon-wrapped water chestnuts on the side.   This was served in the living room with a small glass of French wine.

Course 2 was L’Entree.  For this course, everyone moved to the dining table.  This course was a roasted butternut squash soup topped with bacon bits, sunflower seeds, and a small dollop of sour cream, served over cheese tortellini hidden at the bottom of the bowl.  

Course 3 was Le Poisson.  I made honey-glazed salmon with a side vegetable of asparagus.

After the salmon, I served a palate cleanser of lemon sorbet.

Course 4 was Le Plat Principale.  I made boneless pork with gravy, mashed potatoes, and whole cranberries for the main course.

Course 5 was Le Salade.  This was a basic salad, also considered a means of cleansing the palate and aiding digestion.

Course 6 was Le Fromage.  I had 3 French cheese selections with fruit.

Course 7 was Le Dessert.  I had purchased French macarons, meringues, and chocolate, making a perfect light dessert served with coffee.

There was also plenty of baguette bread with butter, and I made a batch of cheese biscuits.

In between courses, I shared fun facts about France.  

There were several dishes for clean up, but it turned out perfect.

Vive la France.