wolfgang, don't let me down

I went to the grocery store at 8 am and was very pleasantly surprised. No long lines. No pushing and shoving. Just happy shoppers like me, quietly checking off their list and filling their carts to the brim.

I just finished making the brine solution and all I have to say is Wolfgang, baby, please don't let me down.

Let me tell you what I mean. This recipe has copious amounts of honey, maple syrup, cloves, peppercorns. 24 ounces each of honey and maple syrup! A half ounce of ground cloves?! My whole house smells so much like cloves right now.

I'm not complaining...but I am worrying. Thus my plea to Wolfgang Puck. I hope he knows what he's talking about with this recipe.

While I wait for the brine solution to cool to room temperature, I'm going to head back out for some specialty ingredients, including Kahlua for the sweet potatoes and chestnuts for the dressing.

Oh, and did I tell you that tomorrow is Seth's birthday??! The little turkey was born on Thanksgiving day so it's extra special that it's happened again. He's a little under the weather (nearly walking pneumonia, according to the doctor this morning!) but that hasn't dampened his excitement at turning 6. We practiced it a few times..."How old are you, Seth?" "6!!!!!!!!!"

I'll see him on Friday. We are making gingerbread houses. Everytime I talk to him he has a new bright idea. Today it was chewing gum. He's going to roll it up and make a doorknob with it.

I have a feeling, knowing Seth, he is going to eat more candy than decorate his house with it. But I also know he'll have bigtime fun with it. My mother, Maggie, and I are also making gingerbread houses...a veritable neighborhood of gingerbread!