the pièce de résistance

though the turkey was pretty good, too.

This tasted delicious: pumpkin cheesecake on a ginger snap/pecan base.  But I had all kinds of dreams for the top ... I painstakingly cut out a kind of large paper snowflake/star that fitted the cheesecake top, and gently gently pulsated icing sugar - that's confectioner's sugar, in the US - down over the pretty pattern, thinking I'd end up with a wonderfully designed top.  I carefully lifted off the stencil - and the sugar promptly dissolved into the cake, forming a thin transparent glaze.  I won't try that again: so much for misplaced culinary design ambition. So here's a smear of ricotta, some frozen raspberry crumbs, and a clementine slice.