wednesday, november 21st, 2007

My husband spends most of his waking (and I suspect a bit of his sleeping) life working at VH1 in an office on Broadway in Manhattan. It's the ideal spot to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade; high above the crowds with the balloons floating by the floor-to-ceiling windows at eye level. This event has never, ever secured a spot on my life to-do list but when my big plans to visit family in Chicago for Thanksgiving fell through due to the madness of the next few months, I decided to take him up on his offer to wake at 5am and head to the office for a party with all the other employees who have opted to camp out in the city tomorrow instead of braving the crowds engaged in the mad turkey rush at the airports and on the road.

Every year VH1 hosts a Thanksgiving brunch for its orphaned employees. The booze river starts flowing promptly at 7am with a massive catered feast to follow. As we watch the top of Shrek's green head and Hello Kitty's red bow float by we will feast on all the traditional dishes of the season, washing it all down with festive libations that match the colors of the leaves this time of year.

I was told that I didn't have to bring anything and even though I wouldn't feel guilty arriving with nothing but a champagne glass in hand, the tug of the season pulled hard today and I felt obliged to come up with an offering of my own. Arriving at the festivities empty handed somehow reeks of selfishness and isn't this holiday about showing our appreciation for each other? Alright fine, it's also about the more profound things in life; football and a fourth helping of stuffing come to mind, but it's also a time to take stock of all the blessings in life and to give thanks for the pleasure that friends and family bring to the table.

I needed something festive that was easily prepared on the spot in just a few steps. The foie gras truffle mousse pate called my name as I scoured the store today for something decadent but low maintenance. Whipped into a fluffy puree, the mousse is spread into a croustade cup and garnished with black truffles, a sprinkling of chamomile leaves, sliced dried cherries and chervil.

Croustades should have a place on every holiday shopping list as they provide an ideal diversion from the usual crostini offering. I used to only be able to find foie gras truffle mouse at my favorite cheese shop in Philadelphia but lately I've spotted it in several gourmet grocery stores including Fairway, Balducci's, Waitrose and even Safeway and Tesco. As I learned at The Fat Duck, the tanins of chamomile cut through the richness of foie gras as does the tartness of the cherries. The black truffles add a layer of rustic earthiness punched up with an elegance that only a truffle can provide and the chervil garnish provides a peppery finish and a mirthful pop of color. Overall, it's a celebratory affair that has a blissful eye-rolling effect when popped into the mouth, but it's also incredibly easy to prepare.

Whether you're spending this holiday with family, friends or just a cat curled up on your lap, I wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving indeed!

Foie Gras Truffle Mousse Croustades With Chamomile & Dried Cherries 

24 croustade cups
1/4 pound foie gras truffle mousse
1 - 2 ounce jar chopped chopped black truffles
whole leaf chamomile leaves from two tea bags
18-20 dried cherries, sliced 1/8 inch thick
25-30 fresh chervil leaves 

1. In a food processor, puree the foie gras truffle mousse until it is light and fluffy.

To assemble

2. Spread a layer of truffle mousse into a croustade cup. Top with a layer of black truffle. Sprinkle with a pinch of chamomile leaves and top with three to five dried cherry slices. Garnish with a chervil leaf.

Yield: 24 croustade cups