Thanksgiving can be so much more than the festivities or the calories. It’s the perfect time to ponder life’s lessons and to share our own joy and goodwill with others. Often that opportunity comes when we are around the dinner table with friends and family, enjoying healthy, delicious cuisine in thankfulness.
This month we look back at all the great memories and good people who have come into our lives. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones.
We look forward to seeing you soon, and around our beautiful Downtown Woodstock.
-Your Friendly Smiles at LLOOV
P.S. As always, we want to help get your shopping done early so you can relax and enjoy the holidays “in the moment”. You can choose to create a personalized gift basket, shop for stocking stuffers, and of course, gift our freshly harvested olive oils and vinegar. You are welcome to call and place your order over the phone before you swing by and pick it up. For customized gift baskets, all we need is two days to prepare. Call us at 678-401-2609 to tell us your preferences and where to ship.
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When it comes to working in a kitchen, a chef’s hours, as well as those who work behind the scenes, are the exact opposite of those filling our seats during classes and demonstrations. We turn out fancy fare day in and out, but during Thanksgiving we retreat to the classics and unwind with family at the Thanksgiving table. We asked some of our chefs to give us a sneak peak of their Thanksgiving table and here’s what they had to say…
On our table we serve traditional American Thanksgiving dinner, but I throw in a little Thai twist by serving a Thai appetizer, Curry Puffs, which happen to be my favorite. For me, Thanksgiving means family and celebrating food. —Chef Sunisa
For me, "Thanksgiving" means family and friends, plus a Turkey Trot Fun Run, #lol. And, I especially love transforming traditional Thanksgiving dishes into healthier versions of the same thing. —Chef Megan
I'm very traditional when it comes to Thanksgiving. I serve the same Thanksgiving meal my mom served when I was growing up. We'll have the largest turkey we can find; my dad used to call them B52 Bombers... lol! Then, we'll have homemade cranberry sauce, chestnut dressing, deviled eggs, mashed potatoes and giblet gravy, mac and cheese, green bean casserole, pear salad, sweet potato souffle, homemade yeast rolls, and both pumpkin and pecan pies. The only difference between Mama's Thanksgiving and mine is instead of serving it on my dining room table, we treat the family to a week at the beach and serve it at the beach house! Hey, you have to change things up just a little! —Chef Melissa
Thanksgiving means family... and of course food! Thanksgiving has gotten bigger over the years with about 18 to 20 of us gathered together, and that to me is the best part. You can typically find a huge roasted turkey, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn souffle, stuffing, rolls, roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon lardons (my favorite), sweet potato pie, pumpkin pie, apple pie, pecan pie, and vanilla ice cream! It really benefits to have two chefs and a pastry chef in our family! —Chef Amber
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Malbec Wine and Aged Tahitian Vanilla Balsamic Poached Baby Pears
This is a lovely way to preserve and enjoy the bounty of the season, plus this makes a great gift to jar and give away. “This is so, so delicious,” says Sue. “You must try this,” she adds.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Malbec or red wine
1 1/2 pounds small Asian pears, Bosc pears, persimmons or apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 whole star anise
1 cup Leaning Ladder Aged Vanilla Balsamic
2" strip of orange zest
Directions
Peel, stem, and quarter the fruit. Add all ingredients to a heavy, large pot. Simmer over low heat until the fruit is tender and the wine mixture has reduced by half. Serve the fruit and its’ syrup over ice cream, puddings, pancakes, oatmeal, yogurt or enjoy by themselves. Cheers!
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The holidays are right around the corner and here at Leaning Ladder we want to show our love and appreciation to our customers, old and new, by hosting our Annual Holiday Open House on Saturday, November 10th from noon – 4 pm. Chef Melissa will be onsite to delight your taste buds with samples of products and available to answer any questions you may have on holiday recipes and event planning, plus with an abundance of ideas on what wonderful things you can create with Leaning Ladder products. Plan to come out, have a glass of mulled cider, and begin the holidays in a delicious way.
Reminder: shop early. All Olive Oils, Vinegar, and 6-60ml Gift Boxes will be 10% off during this event; not available with any other offers. During our Holiday Open House, you will also find a selection of other holiday gifts to choose from, including books, home and kitchen accessories, gift certificates, and more. And, if you’re shipping your holiday gifts, according to USPS, the last day to ship Retail Ground, with guarantee to arrive before Christmas, is December 14; First-Class and Priority Mail is December 20th.
PLUS: Enter to win a beautiful, edible holiday gift basket to be raffled at close of business Saturday, November 10th. One entry per person.
Click here to reserve your spot: https://bit.ly/2ACKSCa
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November Cooking Demos + Classes
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Although we have many private events this month, we are still hosting a selection of fine fare for all.
See below what we have in store...
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Tuesday, November 6: The Perfect Seven with Chef Melissa
7-9:30 pm, $50.00 Per Person
Seven is known as the number of completeness and perfection, both physical and spiritual. In fact, the number seven is much more prevalent than most of us realize: There are seven oceans, seven continents, seven vertebrae in the neck, oceanic waves roll in sevens, the rainbow has seven colors, sound has seven notes, there are seven directions, the Jewish Menorah has seven candles, there are seven holes in your head, Earth was created in seven days, the cube has seven dimensions, and at LLOOV we add Chef Melissa’s seven perfect appetizers for this upcoming holiday season. Paired with extra joy, we will be starting at 7 pm, of course. Ready for the details?
- Holiday Pastry with Goat Cheese, Cranberry, Pistachio and Honey | Paired with Champagne
- Petit Crab Puffs | Paired with a White Wine
- Smoked Salmon + Garlic Dill Remoulade Wontons | Paired with Pinot Noir
- Chicken + Sweet Corn Stuffed Piquillo Peppers | Paired with Pinot Noir
- Red Wine Mushroom Soup with Brie Spoons | Paired with Cabernet Sauvignon [or a Blend]
- Parmesan Steak Baskets with Horseradish Creme Fraiche | Paired with Cabernet Sauvignon [or a Blend]
- Raspberry Swiss Meringues with Chocolate Mousse | Paired with a Dessert Wine
Thursday, November 8: A Balance of Extremes with Chef Sunisa
7-9 pm, $45.00 Per Person
Authentic Japanese food is a balance of cooked and uncooked food, seasoned and unseasoned with detailed perfection by wise chefs. Who’s our Japanese star? Chef Sunisa. For tonight, she starts us off with Tuna Tataki, a personal favorite of Leaning Ladder’s team. Light, yet full of robust flavors, this dish reflects the balance of the Japanese culture.
We then move to the famed California Roll; each guest will learn to make their own. So yes, hands-on session for this section of the evening. What else does this mean? You will be thankful, as you will be able to impress family and friends with your new Japanese skill. Meanwhile Chef Sunisa will be preparing the very refreshing, yet bold Cucumber Kani Salad, which will be dressed with Leaning Ladder olive oils and vinegar and served with the California Roll. Plus, a surprise dish will be in the works. What else to expect? Chef Sunisa provides true food like no other; prepare yourself to be awed.
Tuesday, November 20: Fall Classic Comforts with Chef Amber
7-9 pm, $45.00 Per Person
What’s more perfect than warming up on a cool night with a hearty, comforting meal? Chef Amber, who loves to mix and match starts us off with one of our favorite autumnal produce, Autumn Arugula Salad with Acorn Squash, and or course, it will be dressed with Leaning Ladder products. The fusion of butternut squash, thyme, bay leaves, potatoes, bacon, and more will complement the main attraction, Autumn Beef Stew. For the finale, Chef Amber will delight us with the beauty and decadent flavors of Apple Pie Roses. Plus, she will provide the helpful tips on how to truly accentuate the rose "petals” on this sweet, homey treat.
Tuesday, November 27: It’s Time for Red, Red Wine with Chef Melissa
7-9:30 pm, $45.00 Per Person
UB40 will always be known for their contagious tunes of Red Red Wine while Chef Melissa will be known for filling our appetite and souls with the rich goodness of her red wine inspired menu. Note of caution: you’ll probably be salivating over the details of this evening’s meal…
She begins our journey with Red Wine Mushroom Soup with Grilled Brie Croutons… yes, you read correctly, Grilled Brie Croutons—simply delicious, and we’ve just started.
For the main course, Braised Short Rib Ragout over Red Wine Risotto. And for the finale, Chef Melissa completes the evening with her Spiced Poached Pears with Red Wine Caramel. We cannot emphasize enough… simply delicious, indeed!
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Make your reservations online by clicking on the event of your choice, or you can still call 678.401.2609 for personal assistance.
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