This Thanksgiving I had the pleasure to take a break from cooking, and to have the opportunity to become a guest. Truth be told, when an invitation was presented – and knowing my hectic schedule filming and preparing for my Holiday Specials – I quickly accepted: “Yes! And what may I bring?”
Dinner was hosted at the lovely home of my new assistant, Trish. Her charming TRISH-ditional cottage was once a horse stable and is also the second oldest home in Easton, Connecticut. I was excited to celebrate the festivities with her and her extended family.
Thanksgiving is about giving thanks for all the gifts we have in life. Large or small, each gift matters. What’s important is that we appreciate and celebrate the treasures that this amazing life has to offer. For me, during dinner, there was joy and happiness to be had from being around the children: William, Jake, Henry and of course new baby Ben. Their presence solidified my “Thanksgiving,” and knowing that such wonderful kids are our future generation gave me comfort and joy. Like a lot of the classic songs, I guess.
With the perfect home, the best group of people, lots of toys and a feast to enjoy “Ò I was honored to be asked to carve the family turkey. Although I’ve been carving for years I felt a little performance anxiety. I had all the proper accouterments, so I was ready to make the first cut. Carving a bird is one thing, but being able to present it properly on a plate; now that’s where I knew I could hit a home run.
So how does this master gardener so easily transition to slicing with finesse? Carving a bird is like trimming a wisteria, you have to know when to cut, where to cut and just how much. I bet you never heard that before.
