(taken from InMadrid )

The only listed place stating they'll be serving turkey is O’Neills . I'd REALLY RATHER NOT celebrate my Thanksgiving Day in an Irish Pub !! But maybe there's no choice. And the Café Panini say's they're serving "A Thanksgiving Meal" but don't say what it is. Maybe I'll check them out next time I go downtown and ask.

Anyone else know of other Thanksgiving Day meals served in Madrid - and IF they're serving turkey??

Saludos, MadridMan

UPDATE 13 November 2008:
Today I visited Café Panini and O'Neills to ask about their Thanksgiving Day turkey feast.

Café Panini
I visited at about 1pm today. They told me that while they're serving Thankgiving Turkey meal all day long, they are only doing so in "shifts" and that reservations are required. As of the time I visited, they ONLY had space available for the 5:30pm shift and ONE SPACE LEFT for the 10pm shift. The 8:30pm shift and all earlier afternoon shifts were already full. The problem is at 5:30pm most all (or all) of my Spanish friends whom would accompany me are still working - and 10pm is too late for most all of them too. They have a tiny dining room with only about 6 tables so this, I suppose, is the reason why they're filling up quickly.

O'Neills Irish Pub
I'm waiting on a call-back from the owner but from the information I got today when I visited at 1:30pm, their downstairs dining area - where they're serving the turkey lunch - is already full with ONE GROUP OF SEVENTY PERSONS!!! Maybe this is the U.S. Embassy Group????? They said THEY MIGHT be able to fit 8 more persons, our group, into the existing group but it's not certain. Also, it seems they're only serving the turkey meal at some given time - which they didn't know. Hopefully the owner will call me back but I'm not very optimistic. People don't usually call you back if the answer is "NO", only if the answer is "YES".

So it looks like we're stuck. OR will have to bite-the-bullet and go for the VERY expensive La Gamella Thanksgiving menu at €37.50 - and I don't even know (yet) if they have space available. But I think that's too expensive.

MM . I've been trawling the internet but can't get any specific info . I was thinking that maybe one of the American style restaurants would offer something - Hard Rock Cafe , TGI Fridays , Tony Romas , Ribs , Peggy Sue's etc...Nothing on the websites but I couldn't imagine they'd let a big celebration like that go unnoticed ( ?) . Only problem with Hard Rock Cafe is that you can't reserve tables .
I've called a friend in the UK embassy incase he has some info from friends in your embassy .
Steve

The Hard Rock Café is out for me. I absolutely loathe that place and I've been there 3 times. :p As you say, not only do you sometimes have to wait 30-60 minutes for a table but once you're in you can't even HOPE to speak to anyone for the loud, LOUD, LOUD music!!! (did'ja hear that? ) On the plus side, they do have good food.

Not sure about the other places you list, steve robinson, but I haven't read anything yet either.

I'd have contacted my own US Embassy but my contact there was recently re-assigned to Washington D.C.

While it IS a big celebration, there are relatively so few United Statesens in Madrid that it probably wouldn't be worth the while of the restaurant - although it might be quite the novelty to Spaniards if provided/promoted as such.

On the other hand, most Spaniards hate American food so that might not go over well anyway.

Although seriously doubtful, maybe in the end I'll return for a Swiss Thanksgiving to celebrate the holiday with my sister. Nah. I'll stay in Madrid - and go to, ugh..., O'Neills for the local turkey dinner. But if they show AMERICAN football during the meal that'd certainly be a plus.

Saludos, MadridMan

Ahh, this posting reminds me of my first stay in Madrid in 1989. Another American and I decided to make our own Thanksgiving meal and set out to the butcher. Well, the closest we could find to a turkey was a chicken, not paying attention to the butcher, we returned home only to find the bird with it;s head and feet still attached. We were so freaked out (in those days) that we marched the chicken right back to the butcher so HE could cut off the undesirable parts! Needless to say, no turkey, lumpy mashed potatoes, bad wine BUT good company made for a very memorable meal!

Laduque ... that made me smile .. my parents and grandparents lived in the country so i've been used to "unsanitised" meats .. But when I had a party at my apartment last year I went to my local market and bought a beautiful big free range chicken ... head , feet .. everything . I had to prepare it at 8 o'lock in the morning and felt like an executioner when I chopped that sad head off hahahaha ... The chicken tasted delicious !!
MM ... you want some company , then I'll be there ... maybe James Joyce would be better .. I'll call you when I get back .

Steve .

Why dont you organise your own thanksgiving dinner party?

HA! That'll be the day!! But sure, it's a good idea in theory.

While I do like to cook I don't have "the facilities" (i.e. THE SPACE!) of your typical American kitchen. And then there's all that cleanup! Certainly better to go to a restaurant or, better yet, to SOMEONE ELSE'S HOUSE, eat, burp, watch some football, doze-off, and then go home, leaving the mess behind.

Plus, my dinner table only seats about 6 persons maximum - with no extra room to move.

Saludos, MadridMan

Hehe yes I have the same problem - mt parents are coming to Madrid with 4 friends (from Benidorm where they live) and in the UK I would have invited them all for a meal one evening, but here I just cant, we dont have the space for 8 people to sit and eat.

WOW, we've been here since 1998 and we have always found a turkey. I can get small ones at the German store LIDL around this time of year. I'll have to check to see if they have them yet. Also, I got a HUGE turkey last year for a party I had at MAKRO. If they don't have a frozen one, just ask the butcher and he'll order one. We found them to be very helpful at the Makro in Alcala de Henares.

Doing a search I found the same question was asked this time last year and in 2001. In 2001 LostinMadrid ended up going to TGIFridays at Bernabeau for a Thanksgiving lunch. There was also a post for the Bluefish Cafe-Bar doing a Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings and gave an address in Malasana and phone numbers for reservations. Don't know whether it is still in existence, and if so, if they plan to do it again. I remember from my four recent Thanksgivings in Madrid that Alfredo's Bar-b-que near Retiro and maybe the one near Plaza Cuzco advertised Thanksgiving meals. Also don't know if they still do.

Ohhhh Chris thanks for the info !! .. MM - Alfredos is supposed to be great! Maybe that IS a good opportunity ( ? )

Steve

jajajaa no foodie in thanksg day;;; well you need to be organise and make one yourselves. where i am they do at Joe Allen restos every year,nice and yummy ,,,uhh
you need to find an American owned and managed restaurant otherwise it will be hard to find there.

Today I visited Café Panini and O'Neills to ask about their Thanksgiving Day turkey feast.

Café Panini
I visited at about 1pm today. They told me that while they're serving Thankgiving Turkey meal all day long, they are only doing so in "shifts" and that reservations are required. As of the time I visited, they ONLY had space available for the 5:30pm shift and ONE SPACE LEFT for the 10pm shift. The 8:30pm shift and all earlier afternoon shifts were already full. The problem is at 5:30pm most all (or all) of my Spanish friends whom would accompany me are still working - and 10pm is too late for most all of them too. They have a tiny dining room with only about 6 tables so this, I suppose, is the reason why they're filling up quickly.

O'Neills Irish Pub
I'm waiting on a call-back from the owner but from the information I got today when I visited at 1:30pm, their downstairs dining area - where they're serving the turkey lunch - is already full with ONE GROUP OF SEVENTY PERSONS!!! Maybe this is the U.S. Embassy Group????? They said THEY MIGHT be able to fit 8 more persons, our group, into the existing group but it's not certain. Also, it seems they're only serving the turkey meal at some given time - which they didn't know. Hopefully the owner will call me back but I'm not very optimistic. People don't usually call you back if the answer is "NO", only if the answer is "YES".

So it looks like we're stuck. OR will have to bite-the-bullet and go for the VERY expensive La Gamella Thanksgiving menu at €37.50 - and I don't even know (yet) if they have space available. But I think that's too expensive.

ChrisR wrote:
Yeah, they're closed according to this website . I'll try calling Alfredo\'s Barbacoa and let you know.

My Spanish friends are getting anxious with the news that every place I've tried is full and that they won't get their American Style Thanksgiving meal. The pressure's on!

Saludos, MadridMan

MM - I am thinking you just may have to cook for your friends.. :-)

have you tried Foster's Hoolywood, MadridMan?? In 1979 we had our Thanskgiving meal there ( NYU in Spain group) and it was fine. It might be worth asking. Although we will be in Madrid next week for Thanksgiving, we are planning to have a Spanish meal...how could we not enjoy the things we yearn for when we are in NY...pimientos de padrón ( if we can find them in November!!) cochinillo, patatas bravas, croquetas, JAMON, etc. Oh my, it is going to be good!
I hope you find your meal though.

MadridMan,Any chance of getting together for a drink or some tapas or lunch? We arrive on Friday and we will be there til the following Sunday.

CascadaDuSel, BITE YOUR TONGUE!!!! :p

Quevedo, I haven't tried Foster's Hollywood yet but I suppose I should. They're a Spanish chain, don'tchaknow, and I'd doubt they'd offer turkey dinner on Thanksgiving day. They might, like another place, offer RIBS though - which just doesn't seem right.

Quevedo, there IS a chance of getting together for a lunch but I can't make any promises. Maybe on Monday or Tuesday we could do it. Let me know. Send me a private message if you like.

Saludos, MadridMan

Oops! I didn't sign in last time and my husband (aka Quevedo) had been on before...but it still goes... I will get in touch and see if you can make it for lunch. I hope so, and I hope steverobinson can make it too..

ChrisR, just called Alfredo's Barbacoa and they no longer celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. Bummer, man! Now what're we going to do? Bite the 37€/person La Gamella bullet? ARGH! And I don't even know (yet) if they have space available!

Just called J&J Books and Coffee (an American/English-language bookstore in Madrid) and they suggested trying some of the Irish Pubs in Madrid - so I told they the one which was posted, O'Neills, is already booked. Otherwise, they weren't aware of anyplace. Hmph.

... but it's not looking good. 10-days and counting!

Saludos, MadridMan

I'd be happy to help you cook a turkey MM .. And we could even use my apartment .. depends on how many people .

Thanks! I'm not even sure I can get a turkey ordered in time this late. Then there's the stuffing, all that other CR*P. "They Say" The American Store carries all the stuffing and other items for Thanksgiving but they don't carry turkeys, of course.

Stressed, MadridMan

Just go to a pollería and order one. It usually just takes a couple of days of advance notice. A lot of places will even deliver it to you.

madridmadridmadrid, thanks for that tip. It had crossed my mind before. That's a good way to GET the turkey. BUT WILL THEY STUFF IT AND COOK IT TOO?!?!?!?!

But in all seriousness, IF they can order one for me, I cringe at the thought of preparing it myself. Ugh.

Saludos, MadridMan

Today, I stopped into the local chicken shop. "The Chicken Lady", as I call her affectionately, told me she thinks the place where she gets her chicken also has turkeys but she'll ask the details and tell me tomorrow when I pass by. I forgot to ask her if the turkeys come WITH or WITHOUT FEATURES!! YIKES!!!

Saludos, MadridMan

I have a sage and onion stuffing or a chestnut and cranberry stuffing that I bought back from the UK some time ago ... I've also beheaded many a chicken ... doesn't worry me .. Just got back from the UK .. middle of beautiful Sussex countryside .. Lots of rabbit , hare , pheasant etc being shot for dinner .
Cranberry sauce is sold in Corte Ingles ( I've never actually made it myself ! )
Pumpkin pie etc.. might be a bit of a problem .... not a popular vegetable here ... However I do have a very rich plum pudding ( christmas pudding ) ... Let's chat about this MM if you don't find a commercial venue . Steve

steve robinson, El Corte Inglés sells Cranberry sauce? REALLY!?!?!? I'll have to look into that if necessary.

Someone suggested to me that I simply order turkey fillets and over that I could pour the gravy, more-or-less make the mashed potatoes, and couple probably find the (overpriced) stuffing and other typical things at The American Store. That may be the way to go. But HOSTING such a thing at home, STILL, ARGH!!

I'll keep you all posted...

Saludos, MadridMan

Cheater - unless you actually stick your hand into a cavity and remove bagged internal organs it simply isnt Thanksgiving... I do suggest however that someone alert the bomberos that you may be cooking just in case... hee hee hee

Hahahahaaa.... Good one, CascaDuSel. And I agree, but..... well, I ain't stickin' my hand into the nether-regions of no bird!! :p I'd never make a good butcher, I know.

But think of it as a necessary evil for a great American tradition .. Or just try and imagine it's George Bush hahaha .. and get that old bird stuffed and cooked .
But , seriously , it's no hassle MM ... I'll lend a hand of course !
Steve .

sallyanne got it right! My (wife's) aunt on c/Arrieta in Madrid used to roast a Turkey for Christmas, so I'm sure they're available, even if you have to order them in advance.
I'm old enough to remember the days before frozen Turkeys: the smells of Turkey feathers burning as Mom scorched the bird after we did as much as we could to de-feather the bird. The stuffing was bread (or cornbread) with onions (lots of onions) and sausage meat (much as we make it now). We used the neck and other parts for gravy stock. You should be able to find your vegetables at any GreenGrocer's stand.

You can make Thursday a San Pavo to remember!

Eddie wrote:

Sounds more like "A nightmare to remember" to me. Ugh!

Just wait 'til I tell you all about the bundle of supplies I bought today at "The American Store" for Thanksgiving. Seems I'm cooking. ARGH!!

"Que Santo es hoy?" That's what the muchachas who performed the maid duties in the Airmen's dormitories asked concerning the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday. It was 47 years ago.

Harry Kidder, a two-striper at the time replied: "It's San Pavo," pavo being the word for Turkey in Castellano. Mercedes, the boss of the crew told the other girls it was San Pavo; and to this day, it's still known as San Pavo.

Great story !!! Where were the airmen stationed ? I'm looking forward ( even as a Brit ) to celebrating San Pavo ! Steve
This story is from personal recollection ?

Yummm .. MM be sure to post pictures of whatever you concoct :-)

You can be sure of it, CascadaDuSel! Thank goodness for the information on the internet. I'll be converting cups to liters, ºF to ºC, etcetera, etcetera. Hope it all goes off without a hitch.

Saludos, MadridMan

Just finished a blog entry about my shopping experience at The American Store , getting nearly all of the necessities for a Home Cooked (yes, you read that right) Thanksgiving Day Turkey dinner.

• Turkey Baking pan
• Turkey baking bags
• Turkey gravy
• stuffing
• cranberry sauce
• pumpkin pie filling
• graham cracker crust pie shells
• 2-cup measuring cup

Thankfully, with this new-fangled invention called "The Internet", I don't doubt that I can find good directions for how to cook the turkey.

Am I forgetting something? Suggestions? At the American Store, they said they didn't carry the canned mushroom soup so I guess the mushroom soup-green bean casserole is out. I'll be getting the potatoes later to make the mashed potatoes.

Saludos, MadridMan

MadridMan,

I wish you the best of luck on preparing your Thanksgiving dinner. Not being with your Statesean family has got to be sad, but I think there might be a few advantages.

Eddie, were you stationed at Torrejon 47 years ago? I was there 28 years ago and know how old I am. Yikes. This was my initial contact with this great country. I don't remember St. Pavo's day though.

MM dont worry about the turkey ... there really couldnt be anything much easier to do in the kitchen.. unless its boil water perhaps.. Just set the oven at 3-something and spice up the turkey and bake it... really ... you cant mess it up ...

CasacadeDuSel wrote: Errr.. Spice?? Guess I've got some more research to do.

Also, "To baste or not to baste? THAT is the question."

Saludos, MadridMan

Definitely baste !! Spice can be just good sea salt and pepper rubbed into the skin ... and put some butter or oil on if you want the skin crispy ... And I would reccomend what your sister did last time , putting bacon over the top of the turkey .

Spices could just simply be salt pepper....celery salt.... sage... anything. I have my own personal little secret. I use italian dressing to baste to turkey.. if has all the spices built in and is easy to find... err well here anyway :-) Good luck - I cant wait to see the photos and hear how it goes after you all get back from urgencias.... oops did I say that?

Wooooooooaaaaaahhh Hold up a minute - I just read your blog post and saw your shopping list. Now - I dont mean to judge - but I noticed that you bought a measuring cup... umm does that mean you didnt own one before? I think perhaps in a kitchen where, just yesterday, there did not even exist a measuring cup - cooking a full on Thanksgiving meal might be just a tad bit ambitious... However I also noticed that you are using cooking bags so your basting question is moot because the bag self bastes and you arent allowed to open the bag once you start cooking - so it is easier... but I am a little concerned about the heretofore lack of even a measuring cup in your kitchen ... leaves a slight doubt in my mind as to your readiness to tackle the BIG BIRD ... baby steps Madrid Man..baby steps... you probably should have started with .. say... jello

Yes, gazpacho, I was stationed at Torrejon AB in 1960 & 1961. That San Pavo thing was sort of a joke, although it really happened

I was long gone from the Air Force when you were at Torrejon.

The (Madrilena) wife and I have been back numerous times: once to visit Benidorm where we Honeymooned. We usually stay with relatives in Almeda de Osuna out near Barajas, or at their beach place outside Huelva.

Another cousin has a piso on Playa Muchavista, Campello (Alicante) - we have stayed with her a couple of times

Eddie,

The Philippina wife, who I married in Torrejon, and I have also been back three times, 1994, 1999 and 2002. We have visited different parts of Spain but spend the most time around Madrid.

We always go back and visit Torrejon de Ardoz. It must be five times larger than it was when I lived there.

CascadaDuSel,

I have similar concerns about the MadridMan not even owning a measuring cup. Now that's a diehard bachelor.

MadridMan-I noticed that one item on your list was a baking bag. That was good choice. But, it also answers the basting question; not only is basteing unnecessary but it is also impossible without opening the bag. Just follow the directions and it will be fine. I have recommended to many a non-cook to use the bags.

When in doubt, I follow a basic philosophy-WWJD. (What would Julia (Child) do).

Luckily I have Thursday off and WON'T be cooking!

Good luck!

Good basic Thanksgiving turkey recipe using a bag

Tick-Tock. I didn't sleep much last night - ALREADY - because I'm stressing over the turkey cooking. But now that I have more information from you guys and from other internet sources like http://www.honeysucklewhite.com/ , I'm feeling more relaxed.

But I don't have one of those plastic pop-up timers or a meat thermometer!!!

Here's my plan - feel free to critique:

We'll have 7 persons
I'm ordering a fresh, 6-Kilo turkey (=13lbs)
I'll be preheating the oven to 160ºC/320ºF
rinse the bird inside and out, pat dry
INSIDE: 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 tablespoon pepper
OUTSIDE: brush with olive oil, salt & pepper
FILLING: adding onions, garlic clove, lemons, parsley, rosemary(?) (this filling, they say, is to be discarded after cooking. REALLY??)
COOK: breast up, at 325ºF/163ºC for 3.5-4.0 hours

The Reynolds brand turkey cooking oven bags say to preheat the oven to 350ºF (?? AND COOK THE 13 POUND TURKEY FOR ONLY 2-2.5 HOURS?? ), add 1 tablespoon of flour to the inside of the bag to keep the bag from bursting ( ). After putting the turkey in the bag and sealing it, it says to cut six 1/2 inch slits in the top of the bag to allow steam to escape. But won't this dry out the turkey?? Maybe not too much. It also says the bag should expand and to be careful they can't touch the heating elements. Hmmm... That would be bad if the bag melted around the turkey. Inside the Reynolds Oven Bags there are yet more instructions and guidelines about how to cook the turkey. I feel safer now.

But the boxes of turkey stuffing mix I bought say the following:
SO WHY, in the far above description given by http://www.honeysucklewhite.com/ , should I discard the stuffing after the bird is cooked??

Could/Should I put bacon over the top to add flavor?? (actually it was) My cousin did it last year and it was fine - although I don't recall it tasting different. But she had the turkey in a turkey pan and it was covered (with space) with aluminum foil.


And yes, I DID have to buy a measuring cup. There's not one in this house! I suppose the Spanish just "know" how much they need to add without measuring it exactly. And, by the way, AFTER bringing home the measuring cup I did find a kind of tall, tubular container which had not only liters but ounces as well - unbeknownst to me! hehehe.. (I NEVER COOK!) There definitely are no measuring spoons either, as far as I've noticed (but have never looked, either. ).

I'll also buy today, corn-on-the-cob (in vacuum-sealed plastic), dried potato flakes (I know, that's cheating), and some snacks for before dinner munching. Wednesday evening I'll bakes the pies and have them ready.

Speaking of pumpkin pie, the pumpkin-pie-mix says to add evaporated milk and eggs. WHERE THE HECK AM I GOING TO FIND EVAPORATED MILK????!?!?! AND JUST NOW I SEE THAT THIS 30 OZ. CAN SAYS IT ONLY MAKES ONE PUMPKIN PIE!!! ARGH! I ASSUMED IT WOULD MAKE TWO - because they had 15-oz. cans there too, and I assumed THAT would make one pie. ARGH! %$"&*! That means I have to go back to The American Store!! What a royal pain in the ARSE that is, taking about 2 hours total round trip on the metro, walking, waiting. I guess if I was desperate I could spend 20+ Euros on a round trip taxi ride to get another 4.75 Euros can of Pumpkin Pie Filling! ARGH!!!

So the biggest discrepancy is HOW LONG to cook the 13 Pound turkey!?!?! One source says to cook it for 3.5 to 4 hours and another source says to cook it for 2.5 to 3 hours! Ah, man! Maybe I need to find a meat thermometer to be safe?!

HERE'S HOPING NO ONE GETS SENT TO URGENCIAS AFTER THE SAN PAVO DINNER!(thanks, CascadaDuSel! hehehe... )

MadridMan,

The instructions you just cited are exactly the same way I prepare my own turkey every year. The baking bag is practically a "no-brainer". And, no, the slits will not dry out the turkey, but they are necessary to prevent the bag from exploding. Also, as it says, shake a little flour inside the bag before placing the turkey inside. You can look at the bird after 2 1/2 hours. If it is a nice golden brown, and not white it should be done. I believe that the trick is to remove the wing from the carcass. If it pulls of easily, the bird is cooked. Also, if you cut into the meat and see pink, put the bird back in for another hour or so.


You can baste the turkey, even in the bag through the slits. That is what I usually do. With an American style turkey, you shouldn't need bacon because they are injected with enough water and have enough fat to be moist. I've never done it this way, but you can try it. It won't hurt anything. You're on the right track, and it really isn't that difficult. Even I can do it and I don't cook much at all.

It sounds like the honey suckle white instructions are not for dressing, but only for flavor. If you stuff the bird with a dressing, please do not throw the dressing out but eat it with the meal. Since a 13 lb. bird, won't require much dressing to stuff it, I usually scoop the dressing out and mix it with dry dressing. I boil the giblets and use the water to moisten the dry/wet mix a little more. Also you can use the juice in the bottom of the bag.

Again, best of luck my friend, and I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving. Just being with friends like you will make it a very special day.

If you are stuffing the bird with the bread stuffing mix you bought then you dont need to use the spices from the other recipe and you dont need to discard anything.

The baking bags cut the cooking time in half - and since the meat is basically steamed it will be super moist - very different from dry roasting a Turkey but very good if you like moist meat.

And for heavens sake dont use flaked potato .. please!! All you need to do to make mashed potatoes is to peel then boil the potatoes and then mash with butter, salt and splash of milk .. no measuring cup required ..:-)

I think the bacon might be tasty to eat on its own but probably wont add too much flavor to the turkey so you can skip if you want.

I am still not ruling out a trip to urgencias but on the bright side I doubt the bag will explode since you have so thoroughly read the directions..

And good luck finding 350 F - my spanish oven doesnt even have a temp gauge on it - its either on or off ...

You can buy evaporated milk in most grocery stores. It's called leche evaporada and the usual brand is "Ideal."

Gazpacho wrote: Thanks, buddy. Have a wonderfully, typically cold Thanksgiving Day there in the great Midwest United States. I'll be thinking of you sitting around the TV watching the annual Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions football games. (insert heavy, nostalgic sigh here)

CascadaDuSel wrote:

ARGH! This would add an hour (not to mention LOTS of "elbow grease" <- the Spaniards are thinking over this term right now, I'm sure of it ) to my overall cooking time! But maybe you're right. But isn't flaked potato just dried potato ..... but in friggin' flakes???!!

madridmadridmadrid wrote:

Thanks!!

I just love Thanksgiving Day and will miss my Ohio-based family. It's always been my favorite holiday, getting together with those *we* usually only see once a year, catch up, eat great home-cooked food, watch football, and talk some more. Thanksgiving Day, like for many people on many holidays, I get a bit melancholy thinking and missing long-past grandparents, how it feels to see the light in their eyes when they see you, visions of Grandma cooking all morning. They are deeply missed, but never, ever forgotten. Ahh yes.... I'm getting choked up just writing this. (really, I am)

Have a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving Day holiday, all you United Statesens.

I'll keep updating this thread as the days draw near - and, of course, the aftermath, trip(s!) to Urgencias , clean-up horror show. Some of you will be "tuning-out" for the latter-half of the week so let me say now, THANKS VERY MUCH to everyone for their input and assistance. You're the best.

Have Measuring Cup Will Travel, MadridMan

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, post photos, it would be fun to see you festivities....I'll be in Madrid next week, can't wait to be back....and my niece is there performing in Sesame Street...
Gobble-Gobble from Nashville !!!
Karen

Hi MadridMan and everyone...Happy T-Day early!

I am jumping into this thread a bit late, but thought about you when I saw this the other day:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cogFxJOkn1c/SSwvbrg2ShI/AAAAAAAAABE/JyUnsJnZeEg/s1600-h/TGSpain.jpg (click for photo)

This was at the Hipercor in Sanchinarro (Madrid) this past Saturday. I suppose it still isn't too late to get your Thanksgiving turkey!!

Happy T-Day everyone!!

Read a little more about my "experience" at:

http://madridman.com/blog-madrid/2008/11/homestyle-thanksgiving-dinner-is-on-in-madrid.html

Happy Thanksgivings to all Americans indeed. I will be too in it at the Marriott Hotel Rive Gauche in Paris,Americans in Paris. and we will even had Californian wines!!!!hehehehehe

First lesson learned: You can't use graham cracker crusts for pumpkin pie.

Upon closer inspection, it reads (IN BIG LETTERS, mind you) "Ready Crust".

So what happens when you try to bake pumpkin pies in graham cracker crust pie shells? THEY BURN! I had a kitchen full of smoke after just 15 minutes and you're supposed to bake NORMAL pumpkin pies for 40-50 minutes. I know. I know... Everyone out there is saying, "Well Duh! OF COURSE you can't use graham cracker shells for pumpkin pies!" Oh, but they sounded so gooooood....

I don't even know if you can buy ready-made DOUGH pie shells around here. I've never seen then. And now it's too late to find them, go up to Moncloa to buy more pumpkin pie mix, and bake it before dinner.

OHHHH....

So that's ONE of my meal items gone-and-ruined. I wonder which one is next.... ARGH!!

By the way, I told a Spanish woman friend of mine about MASHING the potatoes and she said, "What? Why don't you just buy the potato flakes!?" Hmmm.... I walked throughout the neighborhood today and couldn't for the life of me find a potato masher! Maybe I'll just use my fist to vent some of my frustration. hehehe...

Saludos, MadridMan

MM ----- you can use a fork to mash the potatoes - you dont have to get the fancy masher... Im sure the pilgrims just used forks - or maybe rocks... :-)

CascadaDuSel, I'll do that. Got the stuffing made. Got the fresh turkey on the counter - still has a few little pieces of feather sticking to it, though. It looks pretty big for 5.4 kilos! (price: 26.56 Euros) That should be plenty for all of us.

Now to take a break and have lunch myself before getting back to peeling potatoes.

Happy Thanksgiving, all you United Statesens! And to the rest of you, well, just have a wonderful normal day.

Saludos, MadridMan

Happy Thanksgiving, hope all is going well...GO TITANS !!! We're playing Detroit today, actually right now!!!! GO TITANS!!!!

Here's hoping all you United Statesens had a wonderful, warm, and memorable Thanksgiving Day yesterday.

After everyone left and before I went to bed, all alone, I finished one of the brought bottles of delicious red wine and watched the first half of that action-packed-yet-sad Detroit Lions and Tennessee Titans NFL football game. But that ended the evening well, having "The Grand Even" behind me, a disaster area in the kitchen with piles of plates, stuffing scattered around the floor, and me drinking wine while watching my beloved football in total peace. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh...... (insert HEAVY sigh of relief here.....

See group photo below of the three of us whom are NOT afraid to have our photos on the internet:

Left to right: MadridMan, steve robinson, and replay (Rafa)



The stuffing I made early in the afternoon - which I mentioned in my previous post above - ended up in the trash because I forgot to first saute the onion and celery chunks. And yet I didn't realize this until AFTER I stuffed it in the bird and put it in the oven. That was okay but we weren't about to eat the leftover raw-onion-and-celery stuffing (at least I wasn't). (sorry, Esperanza!!!) It's a true shame too because the stuffing itself looked so delicious. I considered picking out the pieces of onion and celery but had neither the time nor the patience to take on that task with so many other things going on. Luckily, I'd bought two back-up boxes of the stuff(ing) at The American Store and made that. It turned out okay but wasn't as pretty. hehehe....

The pre-meal salad plate for guests went over very well with little pickles, black olives, anchovy-stuffed green olives, and cherry tomatoes. I'd spent 45 minutes earlier in the day peeling and quartering carrots for said salad plate - but forgot them in the refrigerator.

As guests came they would kindly say upon entering the house, "Mmmm.. Something smells good!" Of course, what they were really smelling was the smoke billowing from the kitchen's oven! Throughout the "social-hour", they'd poke their heads in the kitchen while I was preparing the corn-on-the-cob or the green-beans-with-mushroom-soup to chat and look through the oven-glass to the turkey. From time to time we'd ALL have to leave the kitchen because THE SMOKE was just too bad. I began worrying a concerned neighbor might call the fire department.

About the Turkey...

I'd spent nearly an hour preparing the freshly slaughtered turkey, thinking it'd only take 20 minutes. First, NOT ALL of the turkey's feathers were pulled out so I plucked those remaining. Then I washed the turkey in the sink, inside and out according to instructions, patted it dry throughout with paper towels. Then I applied olive oil first, then salt, pepper, and parsley. Good. The oven was preheated to 350ºF for the previous 45 minutes and ready to go.

The turkey was put into the SPECIAL turkey cooking bag, made the recommended 6, 2-inch slots into the plastic, and it all went into the oven at 6:30pm. I was starting to get a little nervous, knowing it would take at least 3 hours to cook and 20 minutes to cool, and my guests were told we'd dine at 9pm. This wasn't going to all come together perfectly...

As mentioned above, about an hour into cooking the 12-pound turkey (7:30pm) the smoke was filling the kitchen. Because I was beginning to doubt the EDIBILITY of the thing, I sent one of the guests to buy a couple roasted chickens. JUST IN CASE.

By 8:15pm, having already lowered the temperature twice, I turned off the oven - AFTER ONLY 1 hour and 45 minutes cooking time. "There's NO WAY we're going to be able to eat this thing." It's going to be burned on the outside and raw on the inside!!

First, this so-called magical cooking bag, something which was supposed to retain the turkey's moistness, wrapped itself around the bird like a condom throughout the baking process, and eventually, literally became its second skin - with 5th degree burns!

Thank goodness we had these roasted chickens as backup...

I took out the turkey, ready to toss it directly into the garbage in disgust but one of my female guests stopped me with her very kind and encouraging, "No! No! It doesn't look so bad! I'm sure it's delicious! We can save a lot of it, just look! Really!" This is when she took over.

Surprisingly, after cutting away the half-inch of charred plastic and flesh, revealed was some very edible-looking breast meat! Voila! We have our Thanksgiving Day Turkey!! The guest was able to cut away enough meat to almost fill one large plate, just enough for the 7 of us to try a little.

"¡ALAAAA!" was the cheer by the 5 seated Spanish guests (and one English guest) upon my entering the dining/living room with plate of turkey slices - NOT the entire turkey. Of course I had this typical image of entering with this beautiful big, brown, garnished turkey and laying it in the center of the table for everyone to admire. BUT...it didn't happen like that. They'd already gotten a glimpse of the charred body in the kitchen and no one had any grand expectations.

So we salvaged some turkey. Everyone tried the strange looking (to them) turkey gravy and liked it. I decided not to make the mashed potatoes afterall because it was just too much work and too many side dishes, people liked the green beans and mushroom soup. The stuffing went mainly untouched. The corn-on-the-cop raised much discussion by the Spaniards, saying it looked a lot like "the food the pigs eat". I'd FORGOTTEN the cranberry sauce in the refrigerator. But everyone LOVED the pumpkin pie. In an earlier post I'd mentioned I burned the no-bake graham cracker crust of two pies, which I did, but I scooped out the good middle and spread it all into a third "reserve" no-bake pie shell and served it like that. A big hit! We finished the meal off at about 11:30pm with glasses of Crema de Orujo liqueur.

The evening was wonderful, filled with Spanish political and religious debate, a little about Barack Obama's Presidential election, and general discussion. As an afterthought, I should've told my guests more about Thanksgiving, what it was, and what it stood for but I was just too overwhelmed with everything, I guess.

In total, we were 2 Spanish males (including member replay), 3 Spanish females, 1 Englishman (member steve robinson), and me, the only Americano.

MORE ON THE COOKING BAG: I followed the instructions perfectly. REALLY, I DID. My Spanish female guests kindly suggested the plastic bag burned because the oven was too small, the turkey was too close to the heating element, and that the oven may not have had a self-regulating-temperature (whatever that means - don't they all self-regulate?). Initially they said, "Well, why did you use a plastic bag of all things? That's VERY strange!" So I had to explain to them that it was "A new thing." They just shook their heads in disbelief.

So my FIRST attempted Thanksgiving Day Feast was a semi-success. But at least we all had a good time and were together. Afterall, THAT's what's most important.

Looks like you and your guests had a fun time, that's all that matters, fun and friends...Love your apron.....and the Lions vs TITANS...it was a great game...(for me anyway)...
Have a great day....
Karen

Well, MadridMan...you did it! Your first Thanksgiving! Congratulations! I bet everyone had fun and now you have a great story to share. Sorry that the stuffing didn't work out...too bad. But, I bet the little paper turkeys were fun to have on your table.

It was great fun hanging out with you and Steve on Tuesday. Glad we were able to see you and hopefully when we return to Madrid to visit my daughter we can plan another visit. The restaurant was fun, and the food was delicious. The mesón by the Plaza Mayor was also great to hang out in. Thanks for inviting us to that delicious ham and queso gallego. Yum.

It's all over and done with now. I've just mopped the kitchen floor and put away the last washed items we used for the Thursday night gathering. Luckily, with the leftovers, I'll have food for at least the next couple of days (no turkey though).

It was good seeing you and your family too, esperanza. I already look forward to your next visit.

Saludos, MadridMan

MM - no turkey perhaps but two roasted chickens no :-)

Hehehe... As you said, turkey no, but now I'm down to ONE roasted chicken. All of the stuffing's eaten along with the gravy, and still have a little of the green-beans-and-mushroom-soup dish left.

And all you other United Statesens? Do you have a week's worth of leftovers from Thanksgiving?

Saludos, MadridMan

Oh yes, MM,

I cooked for 12+ and only 5 showed up. Yesterday, ham and turkey sandwiches...um........

Got to say that today, I'm looking forward to a little lighter fair.

I really enjoyed the string. It reminds me of all the obstacles I faced, and had to adapt to, when I lived in Spain. Bottom line, Spain is great, but it just isn't the U.S. Not that that's all bad. I'm so happy that you finally got a chance to live in Madrid. I hope you always have your dreams realized.

MM you have GOT to tell me where I can get hold of the mushroom gravy ! Absolutely delicious ! OH and , folks , the christmas lights are on in the centre ( I just got back ) somewhat understated but festive none the less !

On my mid-November trip I noticed the lights were up but not lit yet.I was hoping they would go on while I was there but to no avail. From what I can see on the traffic camera it looks good!

Just read all the posts about your Thanksgiving and no matter what- it was a success! YOu did it! you cooked your first turkey (even I haven't done that yet-leave that to my dad), you had great company and sounds like all the other food was wonderful too! So salud to you MM!
As for my family- we are no longer cruise ship virgins and just returned from our first one. On Thanksgiving day, the restaurants did serve turkey with all the fixingsj-BUT no mashed potatoes! No leftovers either.

Good to be home! laduque
p.s. Love it when you post pictures-they are great!

MadridMan,

What do you know, this string is still open. Are you going to make another brave attempt this year?

C'mon Man!

I AM, actually, yes. I'll make my Thanksgiving "Feast" the weekend before Thanksgiving, however, but have learned from last year's "experience". Hope to have a good turnout too. I'll be sure to let you all know about it.

Saludos, MadridMan

I just read this thread, and even tho it is from last year, I highly enjoyed reading of the trials and tribulations of your first Thanksgiving Dinner. I'm fairly certain it will be years before I attempt such a feat myself!

Best of luck with this year's feast, y que lo pases de maravilla!