In a traditional departure from our normally healthy lifestyle, brother in law and I are deep frying a turkey for the 6th year in a row. Among other fixings, my sister is making a brandy orange cranberry sauce so good many eat it like dessert with a spoon. There's sure to be a port opened after the meal... what about where you are?

Will be having my first ever deep fried turkey at my sister's house in VA (ahhh...red state bliss!). I am bring the wine. We are bringing Conundrum (white) and Ridge Zinfadel (red). Also a port (Graham's 10 yr. Tawny). Have not decided on cigars yet, but will bring a few well chosen ones to give me options to suit the mood. Thinking about PAN/PAM 64, Lusi and Co Espo as being holiday appropriate. Will also bring some others to share with folks that won't really care about pedigree.

Sounds good. Hopefully my mother-in-law won't dry out the Turkey too much. I'm thinking of trying the Duchurkey (spelling?) soon (Duck stuffed in a chicken stuffed in a turkey).

That sounds like block party material!

Conundrum is nice. However, it has a damn screw top now instead of a cork. Makes it look cheap.

I didn't even notice the screw top...they say it keeps the wine better (no chance for it to dry out), but I like the whole cork ambience better...guess I'm a traditionalist.

Not to cry in my own soup but we are not having a family T-Day this year. My wife (a ER RN) has to work 7A to 7P. Both boys will be working (both prof chefs). I will be traveling to my mothers (lives in a retirement comm) to have a early dinner with her in the homes dining room. Now the entire family will be together for Christmas so we will be having both holiday dinners at one time. You all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and hoist a glass for me.

Motorcyclenut,
Dude, why don't you fill that horse up with some gas and come down and pull up a chair at our table? I can't guarantee you'll be in any shape to drive home, but you'ld have one fine meal!!! Just picked up the bottle of port I'll be opening after the meal: Graham's 10 Year Tawny... I'll raise a glass in your honor and face Williamsburg! I think I can see the Pottery Factory way off in the distance!!!

Thanks for the wonderful offer Andy! Sounds like you are fully prepared for a full balls to the wall Thanksgiving Wishing you and your family the best! Port and cigars - a little bit of heaven.

We're having two thanksgivings this year because the family is so large (200+ and that's just with aunt's, uncles & grandparents. No shirt-tale relatives .) Needless to say there will be tons of food, with all of the traditional fixins (both American & Italian). I'm bringing a few PAM '64 Exclusivos for a pre and after meal smoke. Hope all of you gus have a great Thanksgiving. Motorcyclenut, with this many people coming there's deffinately room for one more! Hell, most people wouldn't even know you were here!

We had fried turkey tonight, since we're traveling tomorrow. We're heading to Miami in the morning(for a cruise), and will probably eat a Thanksgiving dinner at Cracker Barrel, somewhere on I-95.

Rebeljohn, enjoy that cruise! If you catch a whiff of a nice port and cigar combo in the afternoon Miami breeze, that's ME!!!

I just got off work, been in the grocery biz for 25 years now and have always done turkey dinner on the sunday following Thanksgiving. But I will have a Punch Gran Puro and celebrate all the rest of you tonight !!

My specialty is 3 stuffings, I do an oyster stuffing in the neck, corn bread in the body & Chesnut near the part that is last over the fence , everyone gets the one they like, & I have a whole wheat bread dressing made in a dish , it is a little different than standard , I use canned milk to moisten it instead of broth or water , lots of eggs & butter in it also, glad I dont cook like this all year , I would have never been able to retire , I would have dropped dead years ago, BUT it tastes Great !!! Enjoy, Vince

Doing the "Feast" today. Using Maple syrup deluted as a basting on the bird and put bacon strips all across the top of the breast. It makes the white meat so tender, juicy and gives it a little smokey flavor. Enjoying a Padron 3000 maduro this morning and maybe a Torano Reserva Selecta Torpedo this afternoon !!

Andy.....While waiting to board the ship last Sunday, I thought I caught a whiff of a newly lit cigar, probably you outside in that GREAT weather you have down there.

For Thanksgiving, we stopped at Cracker Barrell somewhere on I-95. They have a nice Thanksgiving lunch for those traveling that day.

RJ, that WAS me! I was enjoying life after the deep fried bird (best of all 5 prior years) and some astounding wild rice salad my sister made to accompany (along with about 8 other dishes)... hope that cruise was great to you and you could score some smokes that flew under the Helms/Burton radar. Nice to hear the weather in NC is allowing a cigar on the porch again! Pick up some Smithfield's BBQ for me will ya?

Andy....We're expecting another day in the 70's tomorrow. We have a Smithfield's just around the corner where I work. Great BBQ, but I'd trade your weather for their BBQ any day!
Yes, I did manage to pick up some singles at the LCDH in Grand Cayman.

Good for you! You'll enjoy those I am sure. As for Smithfield's, I did a little stint in the furniture industry between 20 years with a non-profit and my career now. Needless to say, the High Point Market was a twice a year event that allowed me to get to know Smithfields and a number of good people from NC. As for the weather here... yup, it's simply wonderful. Can't say I miss scraping ice off the windshield for a minute! Have a good one!

I'm roasting a duck christmas eve with some port wine sauce and probably some asparagus tips. First time my fiance and I are having my parents over to our house for dinner on christmas eve. It's quite a milestone.

I agree about the screw top wine to whoever posted that. It looks incredibly cheesy but I guess there is a problem finding large enough quantities of clean high quality cork that wont cause cork taint.