First things last: here’s our 23-person Febgiving Viking (which actually happened before Mountain Lion), in pictures taken by our guests Jon and Val. From top down: Part of our planning chalkboard, a backyard game of hammerschlagen, the Parade of Fowl (Cornish game hen, pheasant, duck, turkey), the dining room, Ari making the challah bread from scratch, our souvenir homemade hot cocoa mix jars, and some of the massive and delightful spread. Thanks to all of you who could join us!
Febgiving Mountain Lion in Minneapolis was a smash hit (as was its predecessor, Febgiving Viking; we’ll post those photos soon.) Highlights, from top down: homemade citrus aquavit toast, part of the big spread, the turkey (a free range bird sold at Kowalski’s, came out great), grandma’s punch bowl with non-alcoholic punch, mashed sweet-potato stuffed oranges, home-smoked BBQ pork shoulder, and maple syrup-based pecan pie. Photos by Kate Sommers Photography.
The first Febgiving of 2011 went off without a hitch! We’re going with an Asian pop culture theme this year for some reason, so the first Febgiving was Febgiving: Dragon; tomorrow’s will be Febgiving: Ninja. We’re very excited about it, and we’re also thrilled that there’ll be a Febgiving in Madison tonight, featuring a Thanksgiving dinner deconstructed and served on blinis. Holy. Moly.
Here are some lovely shots of the event from Natalie Champa Jennings — enjoy!
From DeKalb, Illinois we get these scenes of a festive Febgiving complete with Green Egg cooker, beer can chicken, and other assorted revelry. Cheers!
What follows is a wonderful photo update from our friends Tim and Abbey, who have also blogged about their rendition of the holiday over on “Abbey Goes Design Scouting.”
Abbey writes, on her blog: “Tim designed an awesome invite and on Saturday we hosted 25 friends and seven babies for a turkey feast! Everyone brought a side dish, dessert or cheese. The table groaned under the weight of such deliciousness.” Thereby, I think, setting the record for largest Febgiving feast on record, and in a Manhattan apartment no less!
A comment on our previous post that merits its own post:
Diane Kostecke Says:
Inspired by this web site and by meeting Jim and Becca at a recent book-signing, Febgiving was also celebrated by 11 revelers on February 20 in Madison, WI. No printed menus or customized shot glasses, but we all enjoyed our first attempt at this new holiday. Here are some pix of the meal we enjoyed: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24270063@N05/sets/72157623378666413/
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Congrats, Diane! We hope the holiday becomes a tradition with you and your friends and family.
We’re proud to present some shots of the two Minneapolis Febgivings — Febgiving USA (Feb. 20) and Febgiving Alpha (Feb. 14). Attendance was great — 22 folks at Febgiving Alpha (including two from New York) and 25 at USA (including guests from Milwaukee, New York, Boston, San Francisco and Eau Claire.
Big thanks to Katie Cannon (of Minneapolis, who shot Febgiving USA) and Anne Kosseff (of NYC, who shot Febgiving Alpha) for their photography.
The Febgiving USA tablescape, featuring menu, Crispin bombers, and custom souvenir shot glasses.
The Febgiving plate. As per Katie’s notes: “Starting at 6 o’clock: sage dressing, sausage dressing, beets w/ chevre, roasted sweet potatoes, cabbage salad w/ lime vinaigrette, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, cheese grits souffle, sweet potatoes with bourbon, and int he middle is perfectly cooked turkey and a mushroom gravy – YUM!”
Left: The New Glarus beer flight station. Right: The souvenir Febgiving shot glass.
This year marked the international debut of Cornish Gamehenge, a triptych of three boned, stuffed, deep-fried Cornish game hens erected on hemispherical cabbage bases. The birds were delicious. Left: Jessica Forbess of San Francisco builds the triptych. Right: Host Becca Dilley presents it.
Sage dressing by Katie Cannon and Erica Mauter carving up her delicious Febgiving banana roll.
Left: Co-host Jim Norton surveys the tablescape. Right: A drink, and homemade pate brought by Nick and Liz Scheibel.
Right: Bennett Gordon quizzically displays a can of O2 (flavored oxygen) that circulated the party at one point. Left: Kyle Sommers removes Briscoe Dilley, the Febgiving Ambassador Cat, from Kate NG Sommers’s back.
Dessert! Starting at 6pm, clockwise: Cardamom bundt cake, banana roll, a Sweets Bakeshop macaroon, chocolate pecan pie, cherry cheesecake pie, “crack” pie, classic bourbon pecan pie.
For all of Katie’s terrific photos, visit her Flickr site. Now, on to Alpha, courtesy of Anne Kosseff!
Becca Dilley toasts the group.
Sweet potato-stuffed oranges.
Anne and Becca, together at the table!
Guests mingle as the turkey roasts.
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Oh, and the menu for Febgiving USA, for the curious:
FEBGIVING USA
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Cocktail Hour
House-infused Cranberry Vodka Tonics
Absolut Boston Black Tea Tonics
Flights of New Glarus Beer
Assorted Local Cheeses and Dried Fruit
French Pate by Ms. Elizabeth Mead Cavert Scheibel
Baguettes by Rustica
Mains
Turkey with Stuffing and Cranberry Sauce
Mushroom Gravy by Ms. Jessica Forbess
Sage Dressing by Ms. Katie Cannon
Cabbage Salad with Spicy Lime Vinaigrette by Ms. Emily Nystrom
Old-School Mashed Potatoes
Butternut Squash Soup with Gorgonzola Cream by Ms. Laura Spencer
Pumpkin Bread Trains
and Featuring the International Debut of Cornish Gamehenge
Postres
Traditional Febgiving Banana Roll Cake by Erica and Missy
Buffalo Trace pecan pie
Vanilla Cardamom Bundt Cake by Kate and Kyle Sommers
Cordials and Whiskys Including Various Scotches and House-Made Root
Beer Schnapps
Coffee
Febgiving: A Holiday of Sweet Mercy 