Thanksgiving is now, officially, just one week away. If you’re looking for some fresh ideas to mix and match with tried and true traditions, the November issue of Bon Appétit magazine is packed with them.
An article I especially enjoyed was written by Julia Kramer and titled, “25 Ways to Reinvent Your Thanksgiving.”
To whet your appetite, I’ll share the “headlines” with you here…
1. Roast a turkey of a different flavor.
2. Serve a house drink…
3. … Just make sure it can go virgin.
4. Pick up your turkey at an actual farm.
5. Make. A. Damn. Plan.
6. Be a dictator.
7-9. Introduce your Thanksgiving menu to chiles… duck fat… soy sauce.
10. Double down on the meat.
11. Prep breakfast for the day after the day of.
12. Roast two birds.
13. Pour cider, not wine. (Okay, I strongly disagree with this one, but it’s not my article. I’ll make the case for wine in tomorrow’s blog.)
14. Downsize with a scalable bird.
15. Rent plates and glasses.
16. Cook the turkey in parts.
17. Some traditions should be kept.
18. Still, there’s room for creativity.
19. Take a year off.
20. Meet the dry brine.
21. Offer digestifs for post-meal recovery.
22. Add an alterna-relish.
23. Always change the venue for dessert.
24. Serve one side at room temp.
25. Pack up a take-home gift.
For explanations of all these tips, pick up the November issue of Bon Appétit. And for additional holiday cooking tips from the magazine, click here .