My favorite of holidays

 

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving; my favorite. It's a wholly American holiday (who else would put marshmallows on sweet potatoes?) that is focused on the best of things: food and family.

 

Mr. Klein and I have spent two Thanksgivings in foreign lands — one in Prague visiting my brother, Mattie, and the other on the beach in Barbados. It feels a little odd to spend a national holiday in a place where — to everyone else — it is just another Thursday.  In Prague, we ate at the lovely, lovely Kampa Park just steps from the Charles Bridge. In Barbados, we ate The Sandpiper resort’s restaurant, where you could order a traditional Thanksgiving meal, but with it being 80 degrees outside and being steps from the ocean, fish was the way to go. And while, in either locale, there was no turkey, no pumpkin pie, we were sharing a meal together and that's what made it feel like Thanksgiving.

 

This year, our toes will not be dipping into warm Caribbean waters (although that would be nice), nor will we be drinking fine Czech beer; no, we’re keeping it traditional (in the best way) — turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes topped with sautéed apples and a spinach gratin. My mom’s amazing pies will round out the meal. And there will be, of course, that comforting feeling that only family can bring to the table.

Wishing you the happiest of Thanksgivings!

p.s. a song for the day ahead.

p.p.s. just in case things go awry … Splendid Table’s Turkey Confidential 2013

p.p.p.s. my grandmother used to use lard in her pie crusts from time to time  — especially for her amazing meat pies. Here’s an interesting article that sheds a light on this once-abhorred fat.

p.p.p.p.s. what to drink with that bird? Look no further that this guide (it happens to highlight one of my favorite wines for drinking with food in general).

p.p.p.p.p.s. wow, now that's a turkey sandwich.

For cocktail hour: a festive and fizzy drink to cut the richness of the day.

Quote of the week: There are no strangers in here, just friends you haven’t met …” –Roald Dahl

 

Happy eating, -s.  

happy, happy weekend

gorgeous ceiling of the Irish Barn at Whistling Straights

Hello, November. Your first day on the books is cold and grey and dreary. Aching for sun. Can you help us out a little in that regard? Thanks much.

With November just starting, you have 28 days left to plan your thanksgiving menu. Here are some recipes for stunning side dishes that have caught my eye:   1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/

And, since we may be turkey-ed out by month’s end, Bon Appetit has put together a brilliant guide of Chicken- and Turkey-Free Meals for November.

p.s. here's a song to start off the weekend; and a cocktail (named after a killer Neil Young song, no less) to start it off right.

p.p.s. I’ve been over the adoration (or rather, obsession) of quinoa for quite a while, but these look like a great way to start the day.

p.p.p.s. now here’s a food to adore: I bought some wheat berries here last weekend. So many things to make with this glorious, protein-packed grain! Cuccia for breakfast, a roasted sweet potato and wheat berry salad for lunch, and five (!) dinners out of one batch of wheat berries from the geniuses at Food52 … and we can’t forget dessert … a lovely wheat berry fool with Grand Marnier-soaked figs.

Quote of the week: Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast.

 happy eating, -s.