Thanksgiving Inspiration
Thanksgivings of yore
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The wafting aroma of turkey fat drippings, a lake of butter in a mound of mashed potatoes, glasses clinking, pants unbuttoned, napkins stained with cranberry sauce, hearty laughs around a dinner table. Nothing quite makes my heart, or my stomach, burst like Thanksgiving does.
As I’m in Italy, and not even in my own Rome apartment this week, I won’t be celebrating Thanksgiving like I usually do. That is the one thing about holidays abroad that does pinch my heart – the you don’t honor the traditions in the same way. But I’m trying to view it not as a sadness, but, rather, an opportunity – to forge some new traditions, and to share them as well.
So, when I have access to a full kitchen again, I’m going to make my own, albeit belated Thanksgiving. Those recipes are coming next week…you’re going to be eating leftovers then anyways, so let’s just extend the holiday even more.
So what’s this Thanksgiving post then?
This post is a round-up of my usual Thanksgiving dishes (with a few linked recipes) and some general Thanksgiving wine pairing suggestions. I’m not spilling all the beans on my family’s Thanksgiving recipes in part because I’m not there to make them, but also because my mom holds the key to the recipe vault. It feels wrong, somehow, to spill all of her culinary secrets.
Now onto the Thanksgiving inspiration…
The protein and the sauces: The turkey is a non-negotiable, obviously, and gets served with a pitcher of gravy and a healthy dollop of cranberry sauce (courtesy of yours truly, my talented sister, and the recipe that comes on the bag of fresh cranberries – we like ours on the chunky side, with a bit of orange zest).
The starches and casseroles: mashed potatoes (what’s a Thanksgiving table without it), homemade parker house rolls (if I can get my shit together enough to make them fresh), sweet potato casserole (sans marshmallows, sweet and salty toasted nuts only), and, of course, stuffing – i.e. the main event. I won’t share my mom’s recipe, but this classic sage and sausage stuffing by Kenji Lopez-Alt looks quite promising. A somewhat non-traditional addition to my family’s Thanksgiving table comes in the form of grits with a crayfish and bacon gravy (my mama is Southern). The grits are creamy and soak up the savory, umami packed gravy. Finally, we’ve got a creamy, cheesy yellow squash and sausage casserole sprinkled with crispy breadcrumbs.
The greens: now, the vegetables change every year, but maintains a loose structure – a salad, a sauteed or roasted green (like brussels sprouts cooked with olive oil, maple syrup, chili flakes, s&p), and some green beans cooked in a pan with butter and some country ham. The salad was a recent addition, but we like to keep it light and bright with a nice hit of acidity to cut through the fattiness of the rest of the dishes. Personally, I like making one with some fresh-cut orange slices, a toasted nut, maybe some goat cheese or an avocado if you have it, and a light balsamic dressing. This one looks like a promising start.
Dessert: our cousin always brings a multi-tiered cake from his favorite bakery – it’s sweet, dense, and, honestly, just a stunner to look at. My mom will also make a pie with a homemade butter pie crust. The base recipe is from the New York Times Apple Pie recipe, but ours gets gussied up with some additional pears and dried red cherries. The trick is to cook all of the fruit down together before adding it to the pie shell.
We always finish out the night with a small glass of Sauternes, a tradition which was passed down to us by our dear family friend, Kenny, who used to spend every Thanksgiving with us. Kenny, who started drinking Sauternes in honor of his dad, has passed, but we still like to pour one out for him.
Now the million dollar question, what does one drink with Thanksgiving dinner? A general rule of thumb for wine pairing is to make sure your wine is sweeter than your food, so keep that in mind when pairing your wines with a meal as sweet, rich and heavy as Thanksgiving.
Here are some of my favorite options…
Gruner Veltiner - the ever-popular grape of Austria, Gruner Veltiner is a white wine on the dryer side with a high acidity and a slight peppery taste. It’s the perfect wine to cut through the creaminess of your Thanksgiving table while also complementing the savory notes of your turkey and roasted vegetables.
Riesling – With high acidity, and an almost perfumed, floral taste, this high-variety white wine can complement a range of dishes. It typically falls on the sweeter side, which combined with its high acidity, makes it perfect for Thanksgiving. Look for ones from Oregon or Washington state, which tend to be more floral with hints of apricot, peach and apple (different from the European Rieslings which are typically much drier).
Pinot Noir - a lighter, fruitier option with lower tannins than most reds, Pinot Noir is a red wine that won’t overpower your Thanksgiving turkey. With its earthy, umami undertones and powerful fruity notes, it perfectly encompasses all of the flavors on your table.
Beaujolais (Gamay) – Gamay is the grape used to make the red wine of Beaujolais, a region in France just south of Burgundy. Refreshing and fruity, this wine isn’t too tannic nor is it so full-bodied that it overpowers the turkey (or ham, if that’s your thing). It drinks easy and will let the flavors of your holiday side dishes really shine.
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