This is not a new thing this time of year; I get that. Turkey, turkey, turkey! Thanksgiving is behind us now (and a special one it was)! I reflect now on what this time of year means and what it is for others. We make a trek each year to Bainbridge Island to be with family. We are grateful to have the amazing family we have that welcomes us and invites us for all the special moments in our lives. This includes recitals, births, celebrations, and just because.

The best thing about Thanksgiving, for me, as my young self, was a turkey sandwich. In my opinion, dinner came way too early in the day. It was basically lunch. I’m still a fan of said sandwich, but now if comes the next day because dinner at my brother’s house has been right timed to a more appropriate hour. Also, the turkey is always perfectly done (by Joe, the next-door, head of family neighbor, who quietly became part of our family twenty some years ago).

Now, a turkey sandwich can wear many hats and take on many flavors, but after Thanksgiving, I think there are two essential ingredients, besides turkey that is: horseradish and cranberry sauce. The bread of my youth was usually Wonder Bread, but I’ve grown up and my tastes have too. I like bread with a good tooth to it, dense but airy, slightly sour but slightly sweet. In the absence of the perfect slice of bread to slap the fixings between, a good dinner roll will do the trick. This year, I used a buttermilk dinner roll from Macrina Bakery in Seattle.

The cranberry sauce has to be fresh. It is so easy to make, I always wonder what stops me from making it all year long. Just simmer the fresh cranberries with a little fresh orange juice, orange zest and a smattering of sugar; just enough sugar to make take the edge off the tartness of the cranberries. I do like to add a dash of prepared horseradish to the sauce, but I also slather it on my bread. Another must, in my book, is lettuce, preferably something with a crunch. I just happened to have some clover sprouts, which I’m glad I decided to tuck in under my lettuce; the flavor added that earthy crunch that recalls the days when sprouts were available everywhere. Oh, I forgot to mention mayonnaise, just a little bit, it helps calm the horseradish down. I also like to add a slice of Swiss cheese, but this is not critical for me, but it is for Tom.

If you feel like making a Thanksgiving turkey sandwich at another time of year, may I suggest roasting a turkey breast, let it cool and then slice. I learned this trick making food for our dogs. I just roasted it in the oven at 350-degrees F, no seasoning at all (bone in and skin on though). I started snacking on it as I was taking it off the bone to make their food and thought, “Wow, this is really good!”

That’s it, enough turkey talk; it’s time to eat!

Turkey coma!

Turkey coma indeed!