I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend! It's now the appropriate time to break out all of Christmas: the music, the movies, the decorations, the cookies, everything! I am a stickler for that kind of thing. Not until Thanksgiving is over will I indulge in the Christmas spirit. For me it is a matter of tradition as well as giving Thanksgiving the respect it deserves. 

It may be a holiday commemorating the slaughter of native peoples due to our own stupidity and ignorance, but it is also a holiday about giving and sharing, and about spending time with your loved ones. Oh, and food. Lots of food. 

Reid had to work on Thanksgiving day, so we did a little Thanksgiving-for-two the Monday before. We had everything a Thanksgiving meal needed, just for the two of us! We spent all day in the kitchen cooking, then devoured our meal, and spent the rest of the night recovering, all side by side. 

And that was what I was most thankful for this year: my husband, Reid. We've been married almost six months now, and I am grateful to have him in my life everyday. He is an incredibly caring, generous man, who gives me everything I could ever want and more. He cooks breakfast for me whenever I ask, and does the dishes, and sometimes laundry. He takes out the trash and recycling, makes fires for me in our fireplace, and drives wherever we need to go. And he keeps me warm with his abnormally high body temperature. I love him and I am looking forward to spending the rest of my life with him. And, of course, cooking more and more elaborate Thanksgiving feasts! 

This is our herb-butter rubbed turkey, which we bought fresh from one of the great markets here in Tacoma. 

All of Reid's prep laid out! I will admit that the balance of labor was not quite equal. I made the turkey and our dessert, and Reid made literally everything else: the cranberry sauce, the gravy, the potatoes, stuffing, green beans, and cocktails. 

Hopefully in the near future I will get this apple galette recipe up on the blog for you. It was really easy to make and very impressive! It was nice and light and not too sweet. I served it with a lemon zest and goat cheese butter, which was the perfect topping. 

And finally we had a wonderful cocktail Reid made using his new cocktail cookbook, The Bar Book. It was a Spanish Coffee, complete with a brûléed sugar rim, which you see above. Please ignore the super ugly 80s tile our kitchen came with. 

~Thank you to all my friends and family who read this blog! I love sharing with you. I am not very good at keeping in touch individually, so please take this post as a little note to you all; Thank you for all your love and support! I cherish your hearts and souls, and think about them often, even if it is never said. Happy Thanksgiving!~

Winter has arrived in the great PNW, and it has brought with it temperatures below 50 degrees. I know, I know, that is nowhere near as freezing as you Colorado people are experiencing. But it is cold for me. Especially since we are saving on electricity and haven't turned our heat on yet. Apparently that is what sweaters, socks, blankets, and husbands are for. And of course, drinking hot drinks and baking. 

I love using the weather as an excuse to have the oven on for hours at a time. It makes up for all those lazy summer days when I should have been experimenting in the kitchen but was just too hot. But now is the perfect time for showcasing baked goods. 

I bought a new bread cookbook, All You Knead is Bread by Jane Mason, a month or two ago, when it was still hot and unseasonably sunny. I've only made an attempt at the recipe for a French Brioche, but it was a wonderful decision. If you've never had brioche before, I highly suggest you find the nearest quality bakery and buy some. It's the perfect bread for lightly toasting, with butter and jam, as tea sandwiches, or even as french toast. It's an enriched dough, which means it has 'extras' in it, like sugar, milk, and eggs. It's delicate and rich, a fortifying combination when served with hot tea or coffee. 

I wanted a strong tea this morning to accompany my bread, so I chose a blend that was made just for me by my friend Lis. It is a combination of Purple Indo Oolong, Iron Goddess of Mercy Oolong, Lapsang Souchong, and hibiscus petals. It is smoky, slightly sweet, and a little tart. It's served in a Japanese teacup alongside a Chinese tea spoon that belonged to my great, great, great Aunt, who was a medical missionary to China. 

Tea, a drink with bread and jam. Jam made by my talented friends Nace and Kaitie! Thanks, guys! So to everyone currently in the throes of winter shock, you knew this was coming. But trust me, things like homemade baked goods and hot drinks make it so much better!