Every year, a week after Thanksgiving, my friend Johno does his own Thanksgiving and invite his Tribe (us the crazy friends) to join in the most intense feast you will ever experience.

This year we were about 25-27 around 2 tables to sit for dinner.

As I arrived in the house, the kitchen looked like a battle field, and I could smell the turkeys cooking. I knew my host had spent a long time in here cooking for us. To make it easier on our host, Johno provide the turkeys and stuffing and everyone coordinates to bring something else.

I see from the corner of my eye some homemade chorizo on the table and some Manchego cheese to nibble on as more friends arrive. Johno makes his own chorizo. Every year around Christmas his family order a whole pig and they process the animal in dozen of different products, from sausages to bacon, morcillas, chorizo, etc... Every part of the animal is used and share between all the members of the family.

People are pouring into the house now on a constant flow, each one adding more dishes to the kitchen table.

We started our dinner with Bernie’s mushroom soup. The soup was excellent and I want the recipe! This creamy but not thick, well seasoned soup, left me with a smile, as few days earlier Bernie was asking question about how to make a soup. I think he didn’t need my advice, this was perfect, the mushroom still in chunks gave an incredible texture to the soup. Bernie gave us the recipe!!!!!

Then we had Tim and Irene’s coleslaw and cauliflower gratin.

Johno’s stuffing is to me the best stuffing ever. Perfectly moist and full of flavor. I know he spent a lot of time on it, I recognize the classic mirepoix, spinach, the rest is unknown. This is delicious!

I am not sure who brought the roasted yams.

Gerald’s Mac and cheese and Rodger’s gravy.

The Turkeys

Rustic Mash potato and cranberry sauce

Brussels sprouts. There was 2 kind of Brussels sprouts: One Blue cheese and bacon, the other one done by Diane was with shallot with a basalmic glaze (don’t have the picture here). Very good!

Sweet potato pie

This was a fabulous meal, better than any restaurant you can go to. This meal was more than about good food, it’s about people getting together and sharing this moment. Having everyone sitting down at the same time and eat our labour, for some their new recipe, or just the traditional turkey. It was phenomenal! If you haven’t been to Johno’s “Thanksgiving after”, then make sure you get invited next year!!