Two Toasts for Tom

By Maureen C. Petrosky

Each year we wine writers are asked what is the best wine for Thanksgiving. In short, my answer is usually a Beaujolais Cru or a Pinot Noir. Both wine types tend to be crowd pleasers and also marry well with the mélange of flavors in the traditional Thanksgiving spread. This year I’m excited to say our traditional Tom Turkey is taking on some new sidekicks. My sister-in-law and niece, both originally from Venezuela, always lend a little spice to our family soirees, but this year their extended family is joining us, turning the typical Petrosky affair into our first international feast! The addition of empanadas, arepas and Pabellón Criollo is sure to add pizazz to our mashed potatoes and peas.

We all know the first Thanksgiving was a clash of culture and cuisine resulting in one of the few non-secular holidays everyone in this country enjoys indulging in. Whether your table will be full of the usual suspects or you’re adding a new dish or friend to the mix, I think it’s only right we toast Tom for bringing us all to the table. This year we’ll be starting with an aperitif that suits the season and the celebration: Pomegranate Champagne.

Pomegranates are abundant this time of year, and not only does the addition of this ruby-colored fruit makes for a fabulous centerpiece, it also makes for a sensational sip. So, if you’re looking to tip off turkey day with something pretty and pretty delicious or to top off your food-induced coma with a sweeter sip, here are two ways to wow your guests this Thanksgiving.

Pomegranate Champagne
1 ounce PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur
3 ounces Champagne
Pomegranate seeds for garnish

Add the PAMA to a champagne flute. Top off with the Champagne and add a couple of Pomegranate seeds for garnish.

If you’re looking for a sweeter sip, maybe something to go with that apple pie a la mode, try this instead:

PAMA and Champagne
3 ounces PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur
1 ounce Champagne
Granulated sugar to rim the glass

Dip the rim of a chilled champagne flute into the sugar. Pour the PAMA in and top with the Champagne.

Not Your Grandmother’s Stuffing

By Pat Tanner

We cooks never know where our next good recipe will come from. Usual sources include a neighbor or co-worker, the Internet or television, a new cookbook, or a magazine or newspaper column. But a tourism calendar? Not so much.

Yet this stuffing recipe, from a calendar my neighbor presented to me last winter as a thank-you gift for collecting her mail while she lounged on the pink sands of Bermuda, captured my attention. I tested it and pass along the recipe for a couple of reasons.

One, you may be among the many who do not make turkey for Thanksgiving, either because you don’t like the taste or because the size of your gathering calls for a smaller bird. This stuffing is a perfect complement to chicken, duck, game hen, or other fowl.

Two, I suspected that the tropical flavor of mango mixed with fluffy white rice had major potential to produce a lighter, brighter alternative to traditional bread stuffing. And, boy, was I right.

The stuffing can be made ahead of time (just refrigerate, covered, until you’re ready to stuff and roast the bird). And it couldn’t be easier. If you can cook rice and peel a mango you’re good to go. (If you’re hesitant about peeling and cutting mangoes, which can be tricky, google “how to cut a mango” for a slew of step-by-step video instructions.)


Bermuda Mango Rice Stuffing
Adapted from 2009 Bermuda Calendar, Tropic Traders Ltd. (Hamilton, Bermuda)

To stuff a 4-pound chicken or duck:

2 large or 3 small ripe mangoes
4 cups cooked rice, cold or room temperature (made from about 1-1/3 cups raw rice)
3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Salt & pepper to taste
2 whole cloves

Peel mangoes, remove stones, and mash to a pulp. (I used a food processor.) Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Chill for several hours to blend the flavors. Remove the cloves just before stuffing the bird. Stuff and roast as usual. (Heat any extra stuffing in an ovenproof bowl, covered, alongside the bird.)

The Right Stuff(ing)

By Judith Garfield

Ready to buck tradition and surprise your family with a new and exciting stuffing dish this Thanksgiving?

I think not.

There are as many variations on stuffing (or dressing as they politely call it in the South) as there are imaginative cooks, but that’s no reason for me to abandon my remarkably simple, delightfully ordinary, completely delicious bread stuffing. Stuffing is a personal thing and we all have our ideas of what tastes best. People can be quite attached to their childhood favorite and would never think of trying something new.

I must admit I fall into this camp. I liken my stuffing to the quintessential little black dress. Simple, classic, and unadorned. You will not find any thing resembling fruit, nuts, or sausage in my loveless stuffing. No cranberries, water chestnuts, mushrooms or olives. And cornbread is out of the question.

Sure, you could probably make a tasty stuffing with one or more of those ingredients, but for me, less is more. One Thanksgiving my friend brought her stuffing that she couldn’t stop talking about-cornbread, apples, walnuts, etc. I made my version and both were passed around the table. You know where this is going. First helping-tie. Second helping-loveless by a knockout.

Here’s my recipe. As usual, proportions are approximate. Serves 10 to 12.

1/2 stick of butter
2 c. chopped celery
2 med. onions, diced
a loaf of white bread (20 ounce size)
a loaf of oatmeal or whole wheat bread
turkey liver (take it out from inside turkey)
2 eggs
1 c. water or chicken broth

Toast the bread lightly and cube it. Sauté the turkey liver, onions, and celery in the butter. Add this mixture to the bread with the eggs and water. Mix well. Hands work best. Season with salt, pepper, and a teaspoon of dried sage. Stuff your bird and put any leftover in a baking dish. Cook the extra with the turkey for last thirty minutes.

I usually never have leftover stuffing to eat with my leftover turkey, but if I did I would put it on a nice sourdough roll with cranberry sauce and herbed mayo- Thanksgiving on a roll.