Pancakes and Turkeys

THANKSGIVING.

The best holiday of the year. I was born on a Thanksgiving, and love every minute of every Thanksgiving since then.

This year, I am in Amsterdam. Lee and I woke up leisurely, and went and got some Dutch pancakes with Katrina and Laurel. I thoroughly enjoyed my chocolate banana pancake, which is really just like a crepre, except unfolded, and like an omelet in that everything is all mixed together. It was pretty delicious. Afterwards, the true festivities began.

A quest was launched to the nearby American Book Center to procure Scrabble. Because it was Thanksgiving there was free candy and a 10 percent discount for everyone, on top of the 10 percent student discount, it was 20 percent off!

Returning to the house, Lee began the process of washing and peeling the 4 kilos of potatoes.( Truly, the potatoes and Lee are destiny at this point.) Caren was wokring on turkey and all the other yummy stuff. I was in charge of decorations. A quick trip to my bible, www.marthastewart.com, and I had my plan. Pinecone turkeys. Fabulous. Katrina and I embarked into the streets of Amsterdam with a final grocery list, and in search of pinecone turkey supplies. Pinecones were plentiful at one particular stall in the nearby flower market, and luckily all the groceries were in one Albert Heijn (typically, grocery trips require visits to more than one Albert Heijn grocery store), the feathers and pipe cleaners were acquired at a bizarre store called HEMA which apparently sells everything.

59 minutes later, a return to Boomtops for turkey creation. I assembled 12 small turkeys and one large turkey which graced the table settings. Lee handmashed the potatoes( he is dedicated). Dan made some gravy, and we were ready to eat.

After a costume change, it was dinner time. There were 10 guests in the apartment, including two of Laurels friends from school. and two of Caren's friends from Rhode Island. The dinner was excellent, everything was delicious, and there was great company. A Great Thanksgiving.

A Scrabble match of epic proportions took place after dinner. Lee and I were the victors with a total score of 163 points. I think it was all that fancy college learning.

-Liz