Houston, we have pie. And turkey and stuff.

The Fuyu persimmon pie was quite good, but tended to lose structural integrity when sliced and serving was attempted. The sugar mixture might need thickening with corn starch. Works nicely in a graham cracker crust, possibly swapping brown sugar for cane might be a nice variation. Original recipe is here. http://keyingredient.com/recipes/17783/fuyu-persimmon-pie/

The Pumpkin Maple pie was actually subtler and less sweet than I would have expected, but really lovely. (In fact, I'm probably going to have some for breakfast as I kept the pie with the blackened crust.) I used cream instead of condensed milk and it didn't set up quite as firmly as I think of pumpkin pie, so might try it that way next time. http://www.producepair.com/recipes/pumpkin_maple_pie.htm

Spent a lovely afternoon at mamapduck 's with her family and a couple of friends. I'm still kind of boggling over the need to cook and mash ten pounds of potatoes for six guests, but it made Her Boys happy. I called home and got passed around the table to say hi to everyone in Annapolis. (Gotta figure out when I can get home again: the spring, maybe.) Excellent company and a bit too much food.

Tanka challenge 11/27/09

Mantled in dark clouds
The hills hunch shoulders against
The rain's cold fingers.
I watch from my window and
Wonder when it will rain here.

EDIT: About three minutes after I initally posted this and it sounds like cats and dogs in tengu geta on the skylight. Which is not helping my headache much. Maybe this is a Two Advil Day.

Best place to go on a Black Friday? Daiso Japan in Union City. For those late to the party, Daiso is a chain of 100 yen stores based in Japan with several branches in the Bay Area. The Union City one may actually be larger than the one over in Daly City and getting there does not require a bridge toll, so I'm glad I checked it out. $1.50 for most items, with some priced a bit higher, they carry a little bit of everything from stationery to kitchenware to plastic containers and organizers of all sizes and shapes.

I replaced one of the two stolen HOCM teapots for a whopping $4, an inoffensive green ceramic pot with bamboo handle, complete with wire tea strainer for loose tea. I picked out two sets of three tea cups (threes are lucky, sixes not so much) in complimentary colors, found a bento for a Twelfth Night gift for someone who had admired mine awhile back and who does not read my LJ so shhhh. And chopsticks in a case and a strap to go with said bento so she can dine in style. Office Christmas gifts are 50% done: nice lidded baskets which can be filled with candy or the ashes of dead project managers or whatever.

Anybody want to go?

Swing dancing on the USS Hornet New Year's Eve, anyone?
http://www.uss-hornet.org/calendar/newyear/index.shtml