What to Bring to Thanksgiving: Savory
This year we aren’t hosting Thanksgiving, but we will be celebrating early with friends in Berkeley for Friendsgiving and again, on the big day, with family. We’re really excited to be guests. I love cooking Thanksgiving dinner, but there’s also something special about sitting around another person’s table and enjoying the absolute pleasure of food cooked for you.
When I make a new friend and they find out what I do for a living, they’ll often say they’d be much too nervous to have me over for a meal. I understand the apprehension, of course, but I always plead with them to please invite me over soon. Everyone loves to be cooked for, most especially those of us who spend the majority of our days cooking for others.
I try my hardest to be a model guest, with the hope that I’ll be invited back again. I’ve read everything I can find on the etiquette of do’s and don’ts for guests. Do ask ahead about what you can bring. Do arrive on time. Don’t come empty-handed. These are all intuitive and polite ways to behave. Lately, I’ve become interested in the more subtle behaviors of wonderful guests, and I’ve learned from lovely friends who come over to our place.
Here are some lessons worth sharing:
Bringing a bottle of wine is nice, but bringing a bottle with a ribbon tied around its neck and saying to the host, “this is for just you to enjoy on a later date” is even nicer.
If the dish you are contributing to the meal doesn’t need to be re-heated on the stovetop or in the oven, that’s much easier on the host. The best is when your dish is completely plated and ready to be served.
You don’t have to bring something for the day’s meal. You can bring a beautiful candle, a bar of your favorite soap, or some jam and a loaf of bread for your host to make toast the following morning.
Keeping these ideas in mind, I’m thinking about making one of the following savory side dishes for this year’s celebrations. All of these dishes are meant to be served at room temperature, so I won’t need to worry about re-heating or otherwise putting on any finishing touches.
Roasted Beet, Citrus, and Olive Salad with Horseradish (from Six Seasons, page 280)
Brussels Sprouts with Pickled Carrots, Walnuts, Cilantro, and Citrus Vinaigrette (from Six Seasons, page 286)
Roasted Squash with Yogurt, Walnuts, and Spiced Green Sauce (from Six Seasons, page 382)
Brussels Sprouts, Sprout Tops, Lentils, and Endive (from Tender, page 85)
Pomegranate-Roasted Carrots with Lentils, Labneh, and Carrot-Top Zhoug (from Wine Food, page 134)
Roasted Pear Salad with Endive, Hazelnuts, and St. Agur (from Sunday Suppers at Lucques, page 228)
Barbara’s Apples and Asian Pears with Radicchio, Mint, and Buttermilk Dressing (from Sunday Suppers at Lucques, page 276)
Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad with Arugula and Hazelnuts (from Sunday Suppers at Lucques, page 315)
Are you hosting Thanksgiving this year? Which side dish would you choose? I’ll share some ideas for sweet recipes next week!
