Thanksgiving weekend

    Thanksgiving weekend arrived here on one of those crystalline, sunny autumn days and left on a much-needed, dark and stormy night. Lexi spent the holiday with her mother in Antelope so it was my daughter Brenda, my son, Steven, his wife, Stephanie, myself and three of my grandchildren, Tony, Aiden and Ada. The turkey is almost gone, the Green Stuff remains mostly uneaten, but there is still a little dressing and gravy to fill in any empty spots we might have in our tummies.  Time to remind myself again how thankful I am for my wonderful family. They are what really give meaning to this holiday.

Here’s how it went down.

 Brenda’s Thanksgiving table, an autumnal delight, was set to receive
  the family and the feast. We all pitched in to make the meal a success.

 Let’s reprise:
Turkey, roasted with rosemary & lemon by Steven: juicy and flavorful.
Brussels sprouts with bacon, made by Brenda: toothsome and delicious.
Rosemary infused rolls, made by Stephanie: fragrant and fluffy.
Sage dressing, cooked in the slow cooker by me: savory and moist.
Sweet potatoes, cooked in chicken broth and whipped with butter, a little cayenne and nutmeg: Yum.
Whipped white potatoes and turkey gravy made with a touch of white wine: to die for.
The green stuff: well, let’s just say it was there.
One apple and two pumpkin pies: Oh yeah!



In my family we are all foodies. Any conversation between any member of my family always reverts to something about food. This year was no exception. On Saturday we decided that after all the rich dishes we consumed on Thursday and Friday, nothing would do but to have a fresh seafood feast. After several calls to local fishmongers and markets to check on prices and availability, the answer was clear: Roadtrip to Stagnaro’s on the Santa Cruz wharf for fresh crab. And hey, while we are over there, why not make it a real outing and visit the Mystery Spot as well.

    Into the Honda Pilot six of us piled and headed out over Highway 17 through heavy mist and light rain. The wharf was in full swing with holiday day trippers like ourselves. The first thing we heard on spilling out of the Pilot were those distinctive growls, moans, and barks of the sea lions that loll around on the underpinnings of the wharf. 

 Aiden and Ada, awed into stunned silence at first sight of these beasts, soon became chatterboxes with all sorts of theories about what they were doing and why. Aiden took the time to read the information sheets posted and came back to straighten us all out about their habits and habitat. He is the animal lover in the family.

Aiden, our animal lover

Stephanie & Ada

A huge male sea lion and his family of females and pups gracefully cavorted in the sea below us, the “man of the family,” leaping out of the water to dive, dolphin- like, right back in again. It kept us mesmerized for almost half an hour. Time to buy some crab.
    We left the wharf, our ice chest laden with 5 fresh crabs, 2 lbs. fresh clams, 2 lbs. fresh mussels and 5 fresh oysters. A stop at The Buttery for a loaf of seeded sourdough to go with our seafood and then on to the Mystery Spot! We turned off the main road onto a narrow, winding lane through towering redwoods, wreathed in mist. It was getting darker and mistier by the moment adding to the eeriness of the whole experience. The kids, wide eyed in anticipation, couldn’t wait to be amazed. Tucked away in the Santa Cruz mountains, about 5 miles from Santa Cruz, lies the strangest little spot around. It's not clear whether it is all just an optical illusion or if there is really some weird magnetic force at work here but the result is an entertaining little side trip for the family. At only $6.00/head it's a bargain!

Brenda & Steven

The last time I visited I was about eight so I had forgotten the disorienting effect of seeing everything going sideways and backwards. Both Stephanie and myself, feeling a little quesy, had to move quickly through the routine and get back to solid ground before we embarrassed ourselves. The little ones, however, had a ball.

Aiden is amazed

 Back to reality, we headed home to San Jose through the storm. Our seafood feast of raw oyster appetizers, mussels and clams in white wine broth, delicate, succulent, sweet fresh crab, picked lovingly from its shells and steamed fingerling potatoes was the perfect way to end the weekend.  “Say, is there any of that pie left?”

                          Steamed Mussels, Clams and  Sausage in White Wine Broth

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter
2 small shallots or one small onion, sliced
12 oz. Kielbasa sausage, sliced into 2-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pounds mussels
1 pound clams

1 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

lemon wedges

salt and pepper to taste
Crusty French bread

Clean and remove beards from mussels. Check clams and mussels for any cracks. Discard any mussels that are open before cooking.
Preheat a large pot to medium and add olive oil and butter. Once butter has melted, add sliced sausage, shallots (or onions), a pinch of salt and pepper then cook for 5 minutes until the shallots have softened and the sausage is slightly browned.
Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add wine, mussels and clams, then cover with a lid and steam shellfish for 8-10 minutes or until all mussels and clams open. (If any do not open, discard).
Add parsley, stir and season with salt if necessary.
Serve with lemon wedges and slices of crusty French bread.