Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-11-19
By Violet Faulkner

The produce merchants, the
poultry. meat and fish dealers are
all putting forth special efforts to
cater to your needs for the
Thanksgiving feast. Whatever
menu you finally choose will de-
pend on individual tastes because
the markets are overflowing with
the fruits of a bountiful harvest.
Tradition governs the menu
planning in many families, and
for those who demand Sauerkraut
with their turkey. you'll find huge
tubs of freshly fermented kraut
around at the markets. Other
families wouldn't dream of Serv-
ing turkey without Slow-cooked
red cabbage. To start dinner of
in regal style are big, fat oysters
to be served on the half shell.
One dealer told me the Long Is
land oysters are the latest he has
seen them in 10 years. Many Of
the larger fish markets will open
the oysters and deliver them in
time for the festive meal. Shucked
oysters for Stews, Stufting or seal
Hoped are available at most any
retail store.
Your choice Of vegetable is again
a matter of personal preference
and price the variety is end
less. Leeks to cook alone or with
peas, the new butternut squash. as
we'll as the familiar acorn and lit
tie yellow crooknecks. Brussels
sprouts. eggplant, parsnips, ruta-
bagas, onions, sweet and white po-
tatoes, broccoli, celery and onions.
The list goes on to include snowy
white heads of cauliflower, perfect
in the raw state for the relish
tray; shining green peppers to
stuff with leftover turkey bits;
crisp salad green's and an excellent
choice of cooking green's ;. land
cress, turnip salad. mustard, kale'
and spinach.
Fruits Are Voried
Your choice of fruits is slightly
more limited but even here the
range is wide and varied. I spled
some beautiful red Strawberries
that come by air from California;
deep purple ribiers, seedless
Thompsons, malagas and tokays
in the grape family; apples of sew
eral varieties. priced according to
quality and size; Bose and Anjou
pears; persimmons and pome-
granates; huge fruit from Florida,
and the big, round casaba melons
with their wrinkled, bright yellow
skin. These melons weigh any
where from 6 to 10 pounds. which
is something to consider If you
purchase one.
Nuts Aplenty
To top off your feast there are
chestnuts to roast before
cracking open fire, or If you don't
want to chance burned fingers,
there's the new fall crop of wal
nuts. pecans, hazel nuts or Brazils
for the nut bowl. The picked-out
black walnut meats are back
again. too, to go into rich fruit
cakes, candies or pies.
A beautifully Drowned turkey is
deserving of a handsome setting
-. but don't let your enthusiasm
run away with you. An overdee-
GRATED platter can be mighty hard
on the disposition of the carver. A
garnish that is simple and a nice
complement to the meat course
is Spiced apricots. Use either
canned or dried j. in the case of
dried apricots. stew them first,
with brown sugar to taste and add
a couple teaspoons of pumpkin pie
spice to the liquid and cook until
rather thick and sirupy. Serve
them hot or cold around the
platter. It's the same spice mix
ture of cinnamon, ginger. allspice
and cloves you use for your pump
kin pies. While we're on the sub
ject of spices, there's a very fine
poultry seasoning on the market
for you to use in the stuffing for
the bird. It's an excellent blend
of salt. sage, pepper, mono-sodium
glutamate, celery seed. onion
powder, thyme and marjoram.
The same seasoning can be used to
rub over your roasts particu-
1arly pork and veal.
Ice Cream MoIds
If there's ever time when the
family expects the menu to be full
of surprises, it's at holiday din
ner. Even if you belong to the
army Of career women who put in
a "9-to-5" day at the Office, they
still think you should manage to
produce something special in the