China thanksgiving

Eric and I have so much to be grateful for, there's no question about it. I never though I'd be grateful for Thanksgiving itself...but this year, I am. It's pretty amazing that not only did we have amazing friends to share a Thanksgiving with, but we actually had an authentic meal to eat! I'm still impressed that we managed to pull it off. Even though the American companies here in China give a vacation day for Thanksgiving, Thursday is generally just another work day. Eric saved his vacation day and he'll use it during our Christmas trip. The expat families usually get together and celebrate Thanksgiving on the weekend. Eric and I were lucky enough to have 2 Thanksgivings: one at our house on Friday and another on Saturday at a friend's house. It was a crazy weekend filled with food, friends, and sticky fingers! I'm pretty sure I ate my body-weight's worth in pie over those 48 hours. 

Let's play a game, shall we. Try and guess how much a large frozen turkey (american style) costs in China. I promise that the number you're thinking of isn't high enough. Take the price your last turkey cost and multiply it by 4, that will get you in the neighborhood of what a turkey costs here. That puts some pressure on the person cooking said-turkey (aka me... I went as far as asking my friend Sara to pray for me and turkey). Now before you get all concerned about how much the Leonard's are spending on import food in China, I'll remind you that this is a once a year deal and we split it among several families. Besides, it's Thanksgiving! And we live in China. We do want the occasional comforts of home and the holidays are the time we need it the most. 

Eric carving our obscenely expensive turkey

Look Mom Leonard, I'm making sea foam in China!

Thanksgiving deliciousness at our house, note
the blue bowl, I cooked like 5 things in that bowl

Awesome friends: the Warrs and the Nashs
(Sara is taking the picture)

The rest of the meal was as traditional as we could make it, and we did a darn good job! I made mashed potatoes, homemade gravy, and seafoam jello salad (a Leonard family tradition). So remember how our shipment hadn't gotten here by last week? Imagine making a full Thanksgiving feast with only 2 pots, 2 bowls, and 2 burners. Let me tell you, it was a logistical NIGHTMARE. In addition to planning each menu item, Eric and I had to determine which pan it would get prepared in, when it would be finished, and then which bowl it would be served in. I calculated that my small blue bowl (an ikea special) got used and washed 4 times in 6 hours. I had never missed my kitchen back home so much as I did then.

Me and my homemade rolls, Lion House
recipe with Cinnamon honey butter

Thanksgiving #2 at the Kester's, Brenden is chef extraordinaire 

Friends brought veggies, homemade rolls, stuffing, yams, etc. The other big ticket item was the pies. Pie ingredients are mostly expensive, import store finds (when was the last time you found crisco and cherry pie filling at your local asian market?). I was so grateful to have friends who braved the pie-making process and brought absolute masterpieces to our Thanksgiving feasts. You would have never known you were eating a Thanksgiving meal in China.

The adults serving the kids, aren't they all good parents!

More awesome friends: the Kesters and the Granatas

Somehow I got roped into singing "Turkey Dinner" as a duet,
 another impromptu musical number to add to my list ;)

Sarah, also chef extraordinaire, made the most
beautiful and delicious pies I've ever seen.