Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.
It has become tradition for me to attend a Thanksgiving potluck that is held every year in a Vancouver house I once lived in. It’s one of the best events of the year – so much good food, good music and good people. It has also become a tradition that as my potluck contribution, I bring a cake shaped and decorated as some type of meat. This tradition started because my dear friend and hostess is a vegetarian, and is having none of the traditional big meat-type centerpiece for the dinner. So I make one out of sugar to fill the void. and making meat-cakes is really a good time. This is the first one in the series – a traditional turkey:
one of the most exciting elements of this cake for me was the use of materials, or “content” if you will. I used chocolate cake for the dark meat and pecan cake for the light meat (perfect for that greyish turkey meat colour). Then I made a stuffing compote out of a selection of chocolates, candy, cherries and marshmallows. For the finishing touches, I used popcorn for the drumstick ends and glazed the skin with caramel sauce.
…also with this cake, the act of cutting it was performative in itself: the moment of “carving the bird”. Each guest was individually served and asked if they preferred light or dark meat, and whether they would like skin ands a side of stuffing. A true holiday meal.
