Thanksgiving 2020

Happy belated Thanksgiving! In keeping with the untraditional year it has been, our Thanksgiving (like many of you) has been anything, but traditional. We did not share it with family and we did not cook the food. We were able to touch base with family and friends via Zoom, phone, and social media. The technology was certainly helpful in feeling a little more connected. My wife said she missed the cooking (but not the clean-up) and I missed her Sausage stuffing. We did not eat at a restaurant. We actually did take-out. But before you question take-out on Thanksgiving? – please read my take on the day below…

We decided to obtain our Thanksgiving dinner (soup to nuts) from Scarpinatos, a wonderful Italian restaurant near us. We were able to order over the phone and pick up in our car, without any direct contact. The only things purchased elsewhere were the pumpkin pie (Duffield’s), Port wine cheddar cheese, and the wine (Unionville Vineyards and Valenzano Winery).

Appetizer

To get things started and get in the festive mood, we indulged in some wine and cheese. Often this wine and cheese is served as dessert, but we knew pie would be filling that role later. The cheese: Port Wine Cheddar. The wine: Unionville Vineyards Port-style wine. This lovely bottle of Port-style wine is the Vat#19 that we have so enjoyed. The bottle, pictured below, is tilted, suggesting that the photographer may have had an early start with this great 18.5 % ABV libation.

First Course

Egg Drop Soup (this version reminded us more of an Italian Wedding Soup than what we were expecting, but we were both very happy with the soup, a delicious broth, filled with chicken meatballs, spinach, and vegetables. We each had a bowl this big, brimming with good stuff.

Pasta Course

I know this is an Italian thing. I had never had pasta on Thanksgiving. Truth be told, as you will see, there was so much food, the pasta was dinner on Friday evening. The pasta course consisted of two large stuffed shells and two large pieces of chicken parmesan (each)!

Main Course

The main course consisted of turkey (white and dark meat), mashed potatoes, stuffing, sautéed broccoli, and cranberry sauce. Delicious and not dried out. Again, more food than we could eat, even without the pasta. We wound up having leftovers (with the soup) for lunch on Friday. Our only criticism was we would have liked a little more gravy. Overall, not our usual home-cooked meal (missing my wife’s sausage stuffing and a side of sweet potatoes), but pretty amazing. In keeping with my tradition, I chose not to eat my cranberry sauce (though my wife enjoyed hers).

Wine with Dinner

My wife and I made a trip to the Hunterdon County area on Tuesday for what I call the Hunterdon Hat Trick. We stopped and made purchases at three wineries within a 10 minute drive of one another. I will focus on Unionville today, as I had decided in advance to serve their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with our Thanksgiving dinner. I have been asked a number of times what wines pair best with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. My response (with some variation) is generally-Pinot Noir and/or a Chardonnay that is subtly oaked or unoaked. I practiced what I preach this year.

The Chardonnay is Unionville Vineyards 2018 Estate bottled Chardonnay. It is a blend of their Chardonnays from three of their estate vineyards. There were notes of apple, lively acidity and a creamy, mellow finish. The Pinot Noir is their 2015 Pheasant Hill Pinot Noir Reserve, which was awarded 90 points by Mark Squires of Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. At the time it was the first New Jersey red wine to receive that score in this prestigious wine media source. It is certainly deserving. I loved this wine’s smooth elegance, acidity, and balance. It would nicely accompany nearly any food you pair with it and it was certainly a great choice with our meal.

Dessert

We got our Pumpkin Pie at Duffield’s, a local farm market that makes great pies. My wife cut two pieces and froze the rest. No need to have that temptation sitting around every day (or wasting it).

Dessert “Wine”

So technically, mead is not wine. It is a honey-based fermented beverage that is often infused with other ingredients to give it a more complex flavor profile. The one pictured above is a great coffee-infused mead from Valenzano Winery in Shamong. It is called Jersey Devil’s Lab Batch #5. They are constantly doing experimental batches to see what interesting offerings arise. This one is a keeper! I thought it might go well with the pumpkin pie, but it was a total (and fun) experiment. My thinking was that coffee and almost any pie go well together and the sweetness imparted by the honey should enhance the pairing.

Thankfulness

• I am most thankful for my family and friends and their good health
• I am thankful for the roof over our heads and the abundance of food and drink we have available to us, at a time when so many are struggling and food insecure.
• Being thankful is a healthy and often necessary precursor to helping others in need.
• Please join me in helping when and where you can.
• Our local food bank is where I am starting. Let’s give more than thanks!

Cheers to all, especially to our first responders in this pandemic that doesn’t take a holiday!

Tried a New Jersey wine lately? Visited a NJ winery recently? Please share your experience here. Just click on comments and share. Like what you read and see here? It couldn’t be easier to subscribe and get your weekly pour of NJ wine right in your inbox. No spills. No mess.