Happy Thanksgiving!

I did it. I managed to pull off a Thanksgiving to remember. For many of the people invited tonight, my roommates and all our friends, it was their first Thanksgiving. I also invited my American friends because I wanted to share the holiday with people who understood my need to cook starting the night before. Well maybe they didn't understand but they appreciated it. Turkey is pretty expensive over here so I decided to buy chicken instead. I wish I had taken Vietnamese culture into account before doing that. In the end it was soul strengthening. Chickens here come in prepackaged bags with everything attached. And by everything I mean everything. I don't think I've ever bought a chicken from the grocery store with that stuff attached. When I first picked up the chicken I saw the dark matter in the bag and I thought it was giblets, liver, etc that they tend to leave with the chicken for those people that like to use it. So I saw it and thought nothing of it. When I reconnected with my roomies in the grocery store Helen looked at the packages and said "Is that the head?" and I said "No it's the giblets" and she said "no, it's the head." That's when I had a mini panic attack in the pots and pans aisle. The entire way I home I kept thinking about it. Could. Not. Stop. I couldn't stop to the point where I couldn't nap. So I decided to start right away before I lost any nerve I might have built up as a result of  my roommates cheering me on. I pulled the first bird out and after several minutes and angling myself in a multitude of ways I finally chopped it off. I then chopped the second head off. THEN I SAW IT. The feet were attached. They'd been stuck in its belly and kinda came loose after all my angling of the bird. The feet are scary if you've never seen feet attached to chicken. I'd have to stretch the entire leg so I could chop it off at the joint and as it stretched out the claws would extend and separate like it was trying to scratch my eyes out. Absolutely terrifying. But I did it. I feel as if I've grown as a person over the last few years. Vietnam is simply awesome.
I cooked dinner for 13 people and made two chickens wrapped in bacon, mashed potatoes, gravy, roasted bell peppers, roasted zucchini, and glazed carrots. Everything was homemade by the way. Including the gravy. It was the first time I'd ever made gravy and I think it was pretty delicious, if I can say so myself. Lauren made green beans and Helen made a fridge cake. It's basically melted chocolate, digestive biscuits that are crushed up into fine particles, honey, apricots, and raisins. It was delish! Once the chocolate cooled down you could stick it in the fridge until it chilled. Such a good cake!

Here are some pictures to make you drooooool. :D

Happy Thanksgiving!