It’s the middle of November, the leaves and temperatures (albeit temporarily) are finally dropping and Thanksgiving is right around the corner. We’ll be taking the weekend after Thanksgiving off because, let’s face it, I’m going to eat so much on Thanksgiving it’s going to send me into a mini-hibernation and I’ll be in no position to cook. But we do want to do our part in making your turkey-day the most joyous possible. Here are a few recipes and wine recommendations sure to take every Thanksgiving dinner up a couple notches:
First up, our spin on a classic cocktail:
FIONa’s Apple cider
2 ounces hard cider (We prefer Julian Harvest Apple or Apple Pie ).
1 teaspoon brown sugar
A couple drops of angostura bitters
2 ounces bourbon whiskey (We love the small batch made by Woodinville Whiskey but any nice bottle will do you just fine).
Apple slice, for garnish
Cinnamon (dash or stick)
Ice, to serve
In a lowball glass, combine the hard cider, bitters and brown sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the whiskey and stir again. Drop in a few ice cubes and garnish with the apple slice and cinnamon. Now, time to start cooking.
Cranberry Jalapeno Chutney
2 large yellow onions, diced
¾ lb cranberries
¼ lb jalapenos, diced small
2 cups sugar
¼ cup water
½ cup orange juice
½ cup champagne vinegar
½ teaspoon red pepper flake
1 tablespoon dark chili powder
Salt & Pepper
Sautee the onions and jalapeno until brown, about five minutes. Add the cranberries, sugar, water, juice, vinegar, red pepper flakes and chili powder and mix. Simmer low for approximately 1 hour making sure to stir frequently to avoid burning. Allow to cool & serve it cold!
Sweet Potato Puree
We serve this with our ribeye and spicy Haitian coleslaw on our Creole menu, but this stuff goes with about anything and tastes fantastic on its own.
1 large yam (approximately 2lbs.)
1 cup butter
¾ cup brown sugar
Salt & Pepper
Wrap yam in foil, bake in oven at 400 degrees until tender, about 45 minutes to an hour. Remove yam from foil and, with a paring knife, carefully peel back skin (discard skin). Blend yam in food processor until smooth. Add sugar and butter and blend until smooth again. Season with salt & pepper and enjoy!
Wine Recommendations
Here’s a couple great red wines that I’ve been enjoying, one at a lower price point and one you might want to save for the main course. I first tasted both of these at their respective wineries, but they can be purchased at the San Diego Wine & Beer Co.
2012 Privada Red Blend , Mendoza, Argentina (Rated 93 points by Wine Spectator)
2011 North Valley by Sotor Vineyard Pinot Noir , Willamette Valley, Oregon (Rated 92 points by Wine Advocate)
We appreciate so much the support San Diego has shown our little pop-up restaurant and have some huge things in the works for 2016 and beyond. If you've had the opportunity to dine with us, please consider writing a Yelp review about your experience . These reviews, along with the incredible word of mouth we've received, go a long ways in allowing us to keep the dinners going and provide the best experience possible.
We look forward to spending an evening with you again, or for the first time, at Cow by Bear!
Thanks,
Bear.