No meal generates greater satisfaction… and, at the same time, more stress… than the big Thanksgiving feast.
Satisfaction? Yeah, if you equate stuffing yourself with feeling “satisfied.” (And, apparently, most of us do, because that’s exactly what happens each November.)
Stress? You bet, because so many good hosts want everything to be just right — and there’s a lot of “everything” to manage on Thanksgiving.
In my family, we’ve adopted the potluck approach. This eliminates most of the stress because it eliminates a good deal of the work in the kitchen. With proper planning, the oven and the microwave become mere heating vessels on the big day, rather than cooking appliances that must be closely monitored so all of the various dishes finish cooking at the same time.
Many hosts also stress over the wine selection(s) on Thanksgiving. That’s easy to understand, because there are so many disparate flavors competing for the attention of our palates. How could there possibly be just one wine that would pair nicely with turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, candied yams, green bean casserole, corn bread, cranberry jelly and pumpkin pie?
The truth is: No such wine exists. That’s why my family also has adopted the smorgasbord approach to wine on Turkey Day. We open up several bottles, place two glasses with each table setting, and let everyone decide what they want on their own.
What varieties of wine should be included in that group? We’ll provide some helpful suggestions tomorrow here on Vinesse Today. And join us in these last days leading up to Thanksgiving for more tips.
Then when the big day comes, pour a glass of your favorite wine, and chill. With a little advance planning, everything will turn out just fine.
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What’s your plan for Thanksgiving this year? A meal that runs like a well-oiled machine, or semi-organized chaos? Share your holiday rituals in the comments box below.
