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What We're Doing Today

Posted by Ed Levine, November 22, 2007 at 9:30 AM

You already know a little bit about what I'm doing for Thanksgiving, thanks to my post here yesterday, but I thought I'd ask the Serious Eats staff here in the office what they were doing and what they were thankful for.

ED LEVINE
I thought I'd elaborate a bit on what I wrote yesterday, since I didn't really give my menu in detail. I am cooking for my wife's family, thirteen strong. They're an affable, generously spirited crew who are genuinely appreciative of the effort Vicky and I put forth. We are having cheese and bread; turkey; cornbread, sausage, and apple stuffing; sweet potato purée with maple syrup, butter, dried cherries, and candied ginger; mashed potatoes à la Al Forno; and apple pie, coconut cream pie, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and a crumb pie to be determined.

I'm thankful for my wonderful wife, Vicky; my most favorite son (and only child), Will, my family and friends who have been so incredibly helpful and supportive during this magical launch year for Serious Eats, and, finally, for all the Serious Eaters who have joined our merry band of passionate, discerning, inclusive food lovers.

Happy Thanksgiving, Serious Eaters.

ALAINA BROWNE
I'll be celebrating Thanksgiving at home with my husband. Because it's just the two of us, we're keeping it simple. Our menu: roasted turkey breast (maybe bacon-covered?), mashed potatoes, gussied up Whole Foods 365 stuffing with cranberries, cranberry sauce, and for sentimental reasons, Green Bean Casserole. If we still have room, there will be pumpkin pie for dessert. The day after I'd like to try to out this simple, crusty bread recipe to make leftover turkey sandwiches.

I'm thankful for: family, friends, and Serious Eaters everywhere.

ROBYN LEE
This year I'm going to catch up on some glorious sleep and eat dinner at home with my mom and my older brother, Hubert. Mom is in charge of the turkey (she always is), while I'll be making Pioneer Woman's mashed potatoes, Dorie Greenspan's Sour Cream Pumpkin Pie with Cook's Illustrated's Foolproof Pie Dough (and it better be foolproof, because God knows I'm no pie maven), gravy, and cranberry sauce. Hubert will do nothing because he's useless. It's OK; he knows it.

I'm most thankful for my friends and family. I mean, that I have them. Phew! How I tricked so many people into being my friend, I have no idea. Just waiting for the day that they decide to abandon me because they find out I'm mentally unstable.

I'm also thankful that, for all the traveling I did, I didn't die in a plane crash. Or a car crash. Or a train derailment.

Something that my friends constantly remind me to be thankful for is that I have a freakin' sweet job with the coolest co-workers ever, a rare thing to find straight out of college. Yes, yes I do.

ADAM KUBAN
I used to alternate between visiting my grandmother and extended family in Milwaukee for Thanksgiving and hosting a stragglers' feast, but for the last three years, my girlfriend and I have eaten Thanksgiving at a restaurant. The first time we went out for Thanksgiving, I felt like I was betraying tradition, but it was something new to try, so I was up for it—just that once. Turns out I really like the notion, and we've gone to a different place each year. This year we're going to Eleven Madison Park, where I'm going to eat:

• Pumpkin velouté with candied quince and Hawaiian prawns
• Heirloom beets marinated with olio verde, aceto balsamico, and lynnhaven "chèvre frais"
• Roast turkey with butternut squash, stuffing and glazed chestnuts
• Sides for the table: potato mousseline, braised red cabbage, cranberry chutney, brussels sprouts with bacon lardons, parsnip ecrassé, and baked sweet potato

It's probably the "fanciest" Thanksgiving menu I've ever had and I had to look up a few of those words. I'm looking forward to it.

I'm thankful for: my family, friends, and girlfriend and the fact that they haven't written me off this past year as I seem to work all the time now. My job, and being able to wake up and actually feel like going to work. My coworkers, who are awesome. All the Serious Eats contributors, who make it easy to put out great reading day after day. And, of course, everyone who reads Serious Eats, be they lurkers or participants in the discussions going on around the site.

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