Martha Made Me Do It

I see Martha Stewart has published her 75th book. Normally I am not intrigued by famous or hoping to be famous people, but for some reason when Martha first got started trying to be significant, I became interested in her for a time period. (I am way over that now.) I bought into all of her ideas because she seemed to be a hard worker and one who pulled herself up to make something of herself. At the time I was deep into collecting antiques, writing about them, and buying and selling. Many collectors came here to visit and Andy and I enjoyed week ends with these friends.  I would plot and plan many meals and our home decor based on Martha's influence and the preferences of the guests.  One Thanksgiving frequent visitors from Illinois and Michigan came to spend several days. It was during Martha's period of wrapping the turkey in puff pastry--if you can imagine. AND WHY? We had that damn turkey all over the kitchen but wrapped she became and beautifully she baked, but what was the point?  When you sliced it, the crust fell off and only the meat remained (any way) as if it had never been done--so like Martha, it was all show with no added flavor. NOTE: As I remember it, the turkey is prebaked, cooled, then wrapped quickly with cold puff pastry (Lordy I hope I did not make that from scratch) then popped quickly into a high heat oven to bake to a golden glory--this is in case you want to be silly and try it for your own Thanksgiving table.  Pretty presentation, like an attractive Christmas box with nothing in it.

This Thanksgiving, in Hilton Head we will serve two turkeys, sans the puff pastry, and a ham.  Our menu is planned and revised and planned and revised, but turkeys and ham remain the stars of the occasion. I am also taking my mini pie baker so that everyone can make his or her own little pies when ever they want--even for breakfast.  It is a slick little machine that bakes four individual pies in ten minutes...any kind of pie, savory or sweet.  I need to get some good out of that purchase and this may be just the time to do it.  We have started loading the car with gadgets, machines, and tasty treats for the eleven hour trip.  Joe, Glenda, Andy and I leave on Monday and spend the night breaking up the trip, but everyone else will make it in one long journey.  They will arrive a little testy, but we will greet them with a good dinner, lots of love, and all will forgotten and forgiven for a week.