A Thanksgiving Playlist (and My Favorite Vegetarian Gravy)
I need some cheerful music to get me through that last hour of gravy-making, potato-mashing, cream-whipping Thanksgiving-making, and I thought I’d share what’s on our holiday playlist for next week with you. I have ambivalent feelings about Thanksgiving, which is my favorite holiday but which I know has terrible (justified!) connotations for people in Native American nations. We DO NOT tell the myth of the “first Thanksgiving” or celebrate Pilgrims in our Thanksgiving celebration, but we do pause for a meal together to celebrate the many, many things we have to be thankful for. Including good music and very good vegetarian gravy.
Vegetarian Gravy
Melt 1/2 stick of butter over medium heat. When it’s melted, whisk in 1/3 cup of flour to make a roux, continuing to whisk 2-3 minutes, until the flour mixture turns a light golden brown.
Add 3 cups of vegetable stock (the link is the best vegetable stock, but any homemade mushroom-based stock is probably going to be good — I don’t recommend packaged stock for this, though) and whisk constantly — you want to keep your mixture lump-free. Keep whisking while you bring the mixture to a boil.
Once it boils, lower the heat to a simmer, and keep whisking until your gravy achieves the desired consistence. (This usually takes 6-7 minutes for our preferred consistency.) Add a swig of heavy cream (I usually eyeball it, but about 1/4 cup) and salt and pepper to taste.