Tuesday, November 08, 2011

Glamping over Thanksgiving

2011-11-02 We just got back from a weekend in Vegas, which I will tell you about in a minute, but I'm already super excited about our next trip.  We've been invited to join a few close friends to go camping in Julian over Thanksgiving.  Have you ever heard of "glamping"?   I think that's what it's going to be like.  We're borrowing a canvas tent from James' family and our friends are setting up a camp kitchen (that's last year's set up in the lower middle photo above.)  It will probably be cold (it could even snow!) but with enough bourbon, wool blankets and firewood, we should be able to hang.   We'll take a few long hikes too - to warm up and work off all that food!

Everyone is being asked to contribute to the feast.  I'm thinking about making a pate or terrine from the Piret's cookbook (finally, a chance to use the Le Creuset terrine I found at an antique store a while ago!) and a few pies.  Not sure what kind yet.   Will also pack some s'mores and hot chocolate makings, the aforementioned bourbon, and a few apples for snacking.

So how is everyone else celebrating Thanksgiving this year?   Any "must have" dishes?  C'mon, spill it!  Good or bad, high or low - I know serious foodies who can't cope without Pillsbury crescent rolls, and my own mother makes her turkey gravy with cornstarch and yellow food coloring.  There's no room for shame in holiday traditions!  Or if your feast is impeccably gourmet, we want to hear about that too!

photos - top left, via Bliss,  top right, found here, bottom left, found here.  All others by last year's campers.




8 comments:

  1. Alice: This sounds like heaven. Can't wait to see the pictures upon your return. I would be looking forward to this too.

    Josh and I will be staying in San Diego taking some nice day trips around the county and eating with my sister and friends.

    Happy Thanksgiving to you.

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  2. Love it! We just booked a cabin in Big Bear and right after realized that it has no oven. Stove top Thanksgiving for us! I think we'll braise the turkey. I haven't decided whether I should do it over the stuffing or have a separate pot. We'll have to make the pies ahead of time. Should be good. Not quite glamping but I think it will be fun. Can't wait to hear how your trip goes!

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  3. How very cool! We go camping with family in Baja (on the Sea of Cortez) for Thanksgiving almost every year. I never thought of it as "glamping," but we do bring lots of food and eat very well. (And we catch and eat lots of fish!) I've been collecting just the right camping accessories this year, so we'll have a bit more style. Though I think everyone else will just be amused by my vintage camp stools. :)

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  4. Desi - that sounds nice - time with family is always good, and the long weekend is a good break. Happy Thanksgiving to you too!

    Jen - Good luck with that! It should be nice and chilly up there too! :)

    Amy - that sounds fantastic! We've been wanting to do a sailing trip on Sea of Cortez trip for a while now. Take some pictures!

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  5. We will be hosting a mix of friends and some family, with pot luck style side dishes. Of course the control freak in me is really tempted to ask what they plan on bringing for approval. So far I've managed not to give in to my dark side...

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  6. All 3 of my aunts will come from California for Thanksgiving to spend it with my mom who is being cared for by Hospice at home. The tradition I want to share is the Thanksgiving Eve standby. After a day of chopping and pie making we have always settled into the night with toasted bologna sandwiches, tomato soup, and potato chips. Yum. As a kid I always looked forward to this meal more than the heavy Thanksgiving feast.

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  7. Glamping sounds amazing. I wanna join. We're in Portland this year and I'm hosting, for the first time ever. I could use some tips of my own.

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