I'd planned the following menu for Thanksgiving:


kale-sausage soup

pork roast with persimmons
pork jus
cauliflower puree
applesauce with allspice
winter squash with lavender & thyme

green salad with cider vinaigrette

kiwi shortcake
pumpkin-hazelnut pastries


Now I think I want to incorporate cranberries in there somewhere. I
considered making a cranberry sorbet, but decided that it would be too
"conformist," so I think I'll make joltingly-sour shots of cranberry juice
with orange peel and chervil...but where in the meal should that be served?
I know that intermezzo courses are usually served between the main course
and dessert, but I really like having the salad there instead. And I don't
know that it would be all that good between the soup and the main course; I
think it would be better following something which is a bit creamy and rich.
Should I start out with the cranberry thing like an aperitif, or should I
break the main course into a couple pieces, with the cranberry shot in
between them? Here's the progression I'm considering, but I'm not completely
sold on it:

kale-sausage soup

winter squash with lavender & thyme
garbanzo-flour fritters

cranberry-orange-chervil shot

pork roast with persimmons
pork jus
cauliflower puree
applesauce with allspice

green salad with cider vinaigrette

kiwi shortcake
pumpkin-hazelnut pastries


As you can see, I added garbanzo-flour fritters in there, because serving
the squash by itself as a separate course seems kind of weak to me. The
garbanzo-flour fritters are really good, but does adding them to the menu
just for the sake of punching up the squash course really constitute an
IMPROVEMENT to the menu? Or should I do the "USA Standard" thing of moving
the salad to the beginning and serving the cranberry intermezzo just before
dessert?

Bob