Dia de la Dandogracia, Chilote style

Hello everybody,

Last Sunday we were able to give something back to our Chilean neighbors to show our appreciation for all their hospitality. We were able to give something to our American colleagues in the smaller towns and islands near here: A big Thanksgiving dinner!

We tried to get across the American ideas of Thanksgiving: A bountiful harvest, always turkey and then contributions of different side dishes, depending on where you are and where you're from. We tried to get everything local - in part because we didn't have enough time to ask people to send us supplies from the States. Also because we are having fun sharing US recipes and showing our neighbors new twists on their local ingredients. We certainly had enough food! Even Jake from Ancud (and San Francisco), who was telling stories of eating entire turkeys single-handedly, was eventually stopped. In the background is Pidi, Monica's husband. Left to right of folks around the table is Tyler (Achao via Tenn.), Mike, Margot, Lucho, Victoria, Monica, Luis and Jake.


It was a group effort from everyone! Our neighbor Monica helped out first by offering a couple of pie plates (a.k.a. cake pans) and the use of her commercial ovens downstairs. We roasted up a turkey (a delicacy in Chiloe) and some veggies down there - it made her small kitchen nice and toasty. We also made some stuffing, spinach salad, and broccoli salad (which turned some heads, as the locals never eat raw broccoli) and cooked up some squash; and we invented local versions of cranberry sauce: We were able to find dried cranberries, which we reconstituted with a bit of orange, and we came up with a rhubarb compote with lemon and orange zest and red wine that made a passable cranberry sauce. Laura made a creamed corn dish, mashed potatoes and scalloped potatoes and onions., Jake and Tyler made navigao (Chilean mulled wine). Mike found a faux-pumpkin pie recipe on the Web that used squash and came out remarkably pumpkin-y, and he (slightly over-)baked a strawberry rhubarb pie that came out quite well.

After several rounds of toasts and a Thanksgiving dinner that couldn't be beat, Jake and Mike went for a stroll up the road along the shore while everyone else just sat around and digested (or napped). We enjoyed the warmth of Victoria's kitchen, and after awhile we broke out the pies and ice cream. A good time was had by all! Most of all, we had a chance to share an American tradition with those here closest to us. From left to right: Monica, Betty (Monica's best friend and sister to a teacher at Carpe Diem), Gabi, Lisa and Luis.
Berto had his idea of fun after the main course: playing in the water washing dishes and being able to do it with his favorite Chilean tia, Tia Margot.
Our Chilean family were open to the gringo's food as they have been patient with the gringo's mangling of their language. For the foodies in the crowd, here are some food observations about Chilean and North American food.

• Savory and sweet are almost never merged. Hence a salad of raw spinach and strawberries dressed with a balsamic vinagrette was new.
  
• Salads here tend to be variations on what USA folks would call a "house salad" or salad of tomato and onion or avocado and dressed with oil & vinegar or salt & lemon juice. A salad of raw broccoli with raisins and onions dressed in mayo & vinegar was a leap of faith.
• Stuffing was a new dish and an instant hit. We did a simple bread, apple, onion, celery stuffing and it was eaten up.
• Cream and vegetables is an odd combination in Chiloe. Laura's creamed corn and creamed onions were another "This is what?" dish that was a hit.
• Pie in southern Chile shows the influence of German immigrants in that it is a thick cake like crust with a thin layer of fruit topped with meringue. Think lemon meringue torte. Mike's strawberry rhubarb that was more fruit than crust was new and pie from squash was another taste it to believe it.
• Lastly, the bird; more expensive than roast beef, salmon, fresh lamb and only found frozen. That tells you all you need to know about turkey on Chiloe; it's a rare bird. Big, dark turkey legs are sold fresh but a whole bird requires a cross town search.

Our next big culinary adventure should be coming soon in the form of spring lamb. Stay tuned..

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. We hope you all are as fortunate to have family wherever you find yourself.