Micro Thanksgiving

Mel and I have been trying to get together for our annual fall cooking session for awhile now, but we've been thwarted twice by the flu bug. The third time's a charm, and I had the privilege of hanging out in Mel's kitchen all morning. This annual ritual is what gets me in the mood for Thanksgiving. We chat about our menus, try out recipes, swap cooking and baking tips and share kitchen tools. Then we eat and watch the movie Pieces of April.

So, when you add this...

...and this...
...with the culinary brilliance of this chef...

...the results are gorgeous, and the taste is amazing!

I've never had an entire meal named for me, so this was a first!

Mel named this "Tee's Micro Thanksgiving," and it included:

Maple Rosemary Glazed Cornish Game Hen
Tiny Sour Cream and Chive Potato Tower
Pan Roasted Cremini Mushrooms
Chili Dusted Butternut Batons

Bacon Cider Brussels Sprouts
Fresh Cranberry Vanilla Sauce

Mel's ability to turn classic food into exciting new flavor profiles that look like art is truly a gift. Each item on my plate stood well on its own, but when blended together...well, each bite was a little taste of culinary heaven.

This sweet potato dish was inspired from the recipe at GW Fins restaurant in New Orleans, and it was my contribution to the meal. It's so sweet and rich it can almost be called dessert. We enjoyed every bite while watching Pieces of April, a must-see for anyone who's cooking Thanksgiving dinner.

Here's the recipe for the sweet potatoes:

5 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1.5 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
1 pint cream
1/2 vanilla bean split and scraped
2/3 cup honey

2 oz. light brown sugar
1/8 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 Tbs. salt
1-2 Tbs. bourbon
Butter to taste

Bring the water and salt to boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 15 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking, in a separate pot, combine the cream, honey, banana, brown sugar, vanilla bean and orange juice. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Scrape vanilla bean and puree until smooth. Add sweet potatoes and smash gently, leaving some chunks. Stir in bourbon and butter. Serve warm.