To Serve with Tom ...

My favorite people to cook for – and especially to spend a holiday with – are not limited to family but also include friends and acquaintances who have a passion for life (not to mention food and wine). I've been lucky enough to host many a Thanksgiving dinner surrounded by such wonderful company. But more on that later…





For the last few years, my boys and I have been experiencing a New York Thanksgiving. As a child, and throughout most of my adulthood, I had only seen the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV. Seeing it in person is truly a whole other experience. If you’ve never done so, I strongly encourage it at least once. There is such positive energy in the air that everyone, even the scroogiest of Scrooges, succumbs to the joy. It is, to say the least, simply magical.

The first time we spent Thanksgiving in NYC, we stayed at the W Times Square. (This was before the Mayor changed the parade route.) We arrived the day before in order to watch all the balloons come to life as they were inflated for the parade. (Some people think that the eve’s activities are actually more fun than the parade itself. They are each a unique experience, and both are great ways to enjoy the holiday; however, in my book, nothing can top the parade!)

We dined early at Del Frisco’s on 6th Avenue, then shot up to the Museum of Natural History for the balloons. (Tip: Get to sleep early on Turkey Day Eve. On second thought, don't go to bed at all, as Thanksgiving Eve is one of the best nights to go out in the Big Apple, especially since almost everyone has Thanksgiving Day off.)

In order to secure ourselves a great spot along the parade route, we started camping out at around 5AM. Armed with huge, hot chocolate-filled thermoses, fresh bagels, hunter pads (to avoid cold tushies), hand and feet warmers tucked in our gloves and shoes, and lots of blankets, we sat with our fully charged DVD player and watched March of the Wooden Soldiers followed by Miracle on 34th Street (yes, the one with Natalie Wood). It is amazing to see the streets suddenly go from barren to brimming with spectators, all cheerful and anxious for the parade to begin.




Once Santa passed by, it was the end of the parade for us. We headed back to the hotel for a nap and shower, and then dressed for a late lunch at the Sea Grill in Rockefeller Center. Luckily, we were able to get a table by the window to watch the skaters while we dined. That year, however, my son Grant decided he’d rather be part of the show instead the audience, so he skipped dessert and took to the ice (looking very Cary Grant from the movie, The Bishop’s Wife, I might add). Talk about a memorable dining experience! Afterwards, we bought hot chestnuts from a street vendor, went window shopping along 5th Avenue, and stopped to listen to Carol of the Bells being piped onto the streets from Saks Fifth Avenue. The store even had huge decorative snowflakes on its façade that flickered in sync with the music. Very special indeed.

As wonderful as it is to have Thanksgiving in New York, I am very excited to host this year’s dinner at my home in NJ. Since 1987, I have made a tangerine glazed turkey with apricot stuffing from a recipe found in an old November issue of Gourmet magazine. This year I will be making two birds: my old standby, and the one made in class with Chef Dave Martin last Friday night at the Culinary Institute. What impressed me the most about this class was the non-use of butter! I wonder what Miss Julia C. would have thought about Chef Dave's method?
Starting with the Brussels sprouts and ending with the turkey itself, there was hardly any lard at all. After we finished cooking, everyone sat down to feast, chef assistants included.

Every year, I also try new wines on Turkey Day. Having Thanksgiving come early this year via cooking class, I seized the opportunity to test some of my choices on my classmates. The results? I'm happy to report that all the wines were winners! Here is the list: The 2009 Clos de La Roilette which may be tough to find, however the Clemens Busch 2010 Riesling Trocken and the Jacquesson Cuvee Champagne will not be. (Btw if you order the wines through NY Vintners and mention that you read about the wines in my blog, they'll give you a 10% discount)

One of the biggest challenges on Thanksgiving is not how to keep the bird from drying out (although that’s a biggie), but which wines to serve with the meal. Since there’s such a variety of side dishes and flavors, it can really pose a dilemma. But the one surefire wine to serve is Champagne. It goes with anything and everything except steak, and it always signals a good time.

Personally, I like to serve a variety of wines – from a Beaujolais to a Riesling, Champagne to a Chablis – and let my guests pick their favorite. Besides, isn’t it more fun to have an assortment of wines to taste then to only be served one vino? How does that saying go? Variety is the spice of life!