Thanksgiving Menus

I’ve wanted to plan and cook the Thanksgiving meal ever since I was old enough to stand in the kitchen and hold a knife. I’ve helped my parents cook and I’ve also been a lucky guest at various friends’ homes. And while I love to bring a pumpkin pie or contribute in some other way, over the years I’ve secretly day-dreamed about what it would be like to do the whole thing myself. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I finally got my chance to shine.

Graham and I hosted our first Thanksgiving in a tiny loft apartment the year that we got married. It was a small gathering—my parents were the only guests. We knew that a turkey would likely be too big for our group, so we roasted a chicken instead. (Also, I don’t know about you, but I actually prefer chicken to turkey!) The photo above shows our table from that evening, with empty tomato cans as vases and rosemary clipped from the sidewalk. I loved every moment of that holiday.

Now, five years later, I am still just as eager to host Thanksgiving. This year, we’re excited and grateful to have a few more guests around our table—both of Graham’s brothers and their partners are coming, and my parents will join us again, too. I did some unofficial polling of the family to see if anyone felt tied to the traditional dishes: turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, etc. I was curious if they’d be open to some new flavors or even an entirely new menu, and it turned out that everyone was happy to break from the old ways.

We haven’t yet finalized our menu plans, but we are considering cooking a Lebanese feast of dishes like hummus, fattoush, pita, and kibbeh nayyeh, with baklava for dessert. Or we might look to Italy for inspiration and serve porchetta and fresh pasta. Maybe we’ll end up sticking to the classics, but it has been fun to think about alternatives. I know the food will be delicious no matter what, and having our family with us is really the important part. If you could cook any meal for Thanksgiving, what would you choose?