A Parisian Thanksgiving Feast

No American will be surprised to know that I was not happy on Thanksgiving Day when class ran late and thus we had to work through lunch.  I mean, no lunch on Thanksgiving!  That's just wrong.  By the afternoon I usually have eaten two full plates of fattening food with friends and family and am fast asleep in my annual Thanksgiving nap.  Yet this year, I found myself in charcuterie class watching a chef make blood sausage.  Not quite the same thing, but interesting enough to be sure.  The good news is that my lack of lunch and long day only made me hungrier for the delicious dinner to come that night. 

Here we are preparing the turkey at school while on a short break.  Well, really while discreetly disappearing from charcuterie:

So excited that we found a turkey in Paris.  It wasn't easy or cheap!

Carleta rubbing it down with some herb butter.  Yum!

Later that night, we headed to Carleta's apartment to enjoy turkey, corn casserole, sweet potatoes, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie!  Not to shabby of a menu for being in another country.  We introduced these traditional dishes to several non-Americans (yes, we decided to be diplomatic and invite other nationalities to our American celebration).  Needless to say, they now LOVE some Thanksgiving and who can blame them?  It's the best holiday ever. 

Here are some pics from our multinational Thanksgiving dinner:

With Estee from Holland.

B and Pahaba from Ivory Coast by way of Detroit.

Getting everything ready for the feast.

Heating the mashed and sweet potatoes.

Turkey is sliced and ready to go.

The spread.

Pumpking pie made by Estee.  Her first attempt at the American favorite was a slamdunk.  Look, she even made it American sized - huge!

So proud to serve her pie.

Cheers to a great evening.  Happy Thanksgiving to all.  Now, bring on Christmas!