One of the biggest food holidays is just around the corner. Let’s chat about it!

What does your spread include? Any cool family favorite dishes? Any interesting spins on an old favorite you want to share? Trying anything new this time? I especially love hearing about the quirks of each families traditional spread.

For me, something interesting I am going to include on the table this year is Charleston Red Rice. I was looking for an interesting and unexpected side that didn’t stray too far from the flavor profile of a traditional meal. Also, wanted to include a grain based dish as my family never does lol. And it’s a dish I know for certain a few people attending will love. Also, a funny thing about my thanksgiving history…I didn’t have green bean casserole until I was in my mid-20s. No one in my family liked it, so it was never included lol.

So what’s going on with you and your Thanksgiving feast this year?

  • claycle
    6•6 months ago

    I have been, up until very recently, a “Thanksgiving Traditionalist”, in that I loudly proclaimed that one should muck around with the traditional basics.

    But last year, I changed my tune. We had a dinner based around Stanley Tucci’s timpano instead of turkey (yes, the famous timpano from the movie BIG NIGHT). That was a big success.

    This year, because I have some very dear friends who are vegetarians and who kind of slink away when anyone discusses Thanksgiving traditional dishes, I wanted to make dinner with their needs/desires squarely in mind, so I am doing a completely vegetarian menu. I generally despise “meat analogues”, so no, we’re not having tofurkey. So, here’s the menu:

    • velouté de châitagnes (chestnut soup)
    • Spanish tortilla (the potato dish, not the Mexican flatbread)
    • my grandmother’s green bean casserole (very unique, not-what-you-expect, nod to tradition)
    • roasted root vegetables (catch-all, probably rutabagas, turnips, parsnips, etc…)
    • Jacque Pepin’s “easy” corn soufflé
    • a massive onion-mushroom tarte tatin as the centerpiece (onions, mushrooms, gorgonzola, walnuts, butter, pastry crust)
    • fresh homemade pickles (various)
    • fresh homemade bread (baguettes, sourdough boules, etc)
    • risalamande (Scandinavian rice pudding)

    I am probably forgetting something. Guests are bring desserts and wine (one is a L3 sommelier, never disappoints).