Happy Wednesday friends! It’s the pre-Thanksgiving edition. The ones who are still trying to figure out what to bring to the table, the ones who will decide to cook a whole feast on Wednesday afternoon, or the ones who want to incorporate some more gratitude into their dining this week if Thanksgiving is not celebrated where you live. We’re 1 day out from the big day and I’m dedicating this issue to all my last-minute friends. I’m in CDMX this week so we won’t be doing Tgiving til the weekend!
Thank you to the 9 new subscribers who’ve joined this week! Welcome! I hope you enjoy it :)
I also want to give a shout-out to my organized friends who planned their meals week in advance, have finished their grocery shop and are probably getting started on their brines today. Friend of the newsletter Megha sent me the spreadsheet for her family’s Turkey Day and I’m in awe of every detail!
I asked a few of my friends in food (and drink) what they are bringing to the table and also what they are most grateful for in this season. These answers warmed my heart and hope they warm yours too!
DECOR
Katherine Lewin, Founder, Big Night
Thanksgiving is one of those moments when it doesn't feel too "extra" to do individual place cards. (Buy them from Big Night!) Not only do I like to make a seating arrangement in advance and give everyone their own special place at the table, but I also like to include a little note on the card to share why I'm grateful for them.
DRINKS
Alison van de Berghe, Founder, AVDB & Partner, NIV BAR, Mexico City
Leaning into the celebratory vibe of the holidays, Chavost is a very fun, biodynamic producer of Champagne who leans a little bit into a natty vibe (in a good way). Aside from the cute labels, these wines will be crowd-pleasers before dinner or after the last bite of dessert. Thatcher's Wine offers their portfolio at great prices with nationwide shipping, but you can also look up where these wines are available for purchase near you. NV Chavost, Solera, Ratafia de Champagne, $40
I am a Gamay gal and considering that Thanksgiving is just a week after the celebration of Beaujolais Nouveau, the annual end-of-harvest release of new Beaujolais in France, I would be remiss not to recommend a (female-made, of course) Gamay from Mee Goddard in Beaujolais. If you aren't able to order online, head to your local wine shop and ask for a Gamay - you will not be disappointed by their juicy red fruit and easy drinkable (and pairable) quality for Thanksgiving. 2019 Domaine Mee Godard, Corcelette, Morgon, $32
MAIN COURSE
Rebecca Firkser, writer & recipe developer
My family always demands poultry on the big day, but I love to think outside of the turkey box by roasting a chicken (or if feeding more than 4 people, two chickens side by side on one sheet pan), which is always going to be easier to handle and roast more tender than a giant turkey. This year I'm planning to make tender chicken thighs and schmaltzy croutons, a recipe I developed to be a budget-friendly Thanksgiving main!
SIDES
Samah Dada, writer, recipe developer, cookbook author and host of NBC’s #HOWTOEATPLANTS & #COOKING with Samah Dada.
The two plant-based main dishes I always have on my Thanksgiving table are my Masala Mac 'n Cheese and my Tahini Kale Caesar Salad!
Both recipes are from my cookbook ( buy Dada Eats Love to Cook It HERE )and are crowd-pleasers for everyone at your table. The Masala Mac is creamy, cheesy (without the cheese so you can leave your lactaid at home) and perfectly spiced with my favourite masala. The Kale Caesar is simple to whip up, and a welcome, crunchy and refreshing addition to heartier items on the table.
Roya Shariat, Director, Social Impact and Brand Partnerships, Glossier, Author Maman and Me
I prefer sides to mains at Thanksgiving! I'll share two favorites from Maman and Me, my debut cookbook (BUY HERE) that just came out: a butternut squash salad with pomegranate molasses dressing, and zeytoon parvardeh, an olive tapenade with pomegranate. Both recipes take advantage of pomegranates as a stellar winter ingredient that provides brightness, crunch, and a little zing.
DESSERT
Abi Balingit, baker, recipe developer, and cookbook author
One of my favourite desserts to have at Thanksgiving is my Giant Cashew Tart recipe from Mayumu. If you love pecan pie, this one’s for you! It’s a super-sized version of a caramel tart embedded with cashews galore that’s perfect for sharing. It might be controversial, but I’m not the biggest pumpkin pie girlie so this is my festive alternative for the holiday.
What are y’all thankful for?
Alison van de Berghe: This year, I have never been more grateful for my health and the health of my friends and family. Life comes at you fast, and it's important to stay present and invest in your relationships with your loved ones. I am also grateful for Abena (!) and the way she uses her platform to amplify those around her! We see you and we love you, Abena! (Editor’s note: crying in the club (🥹)
Samah Dada: Could this get any cheesier? But...my family and friends! I am consistently blown away by how lucky I am to have people in my life who show up and support me, and also make it so easy for me to do the same for them.
Abi Balingit: I’m really grateful for the opportunity to experience so much growth with the people I love the most. I think this has been a challenging year for so many of us, and it’s such a privilege to have support from friends and family.
Rebecca Firkser: I'm very grateful to have food on my table and a safe place to eat. I hope your readers might join me in spending some time finding actionable ways to help others, locally and globally, access food and shelter. (This week I made donations to Food Bank for New York City and World Central Kitchen.)
Roya Shariat: I prefer sides to mains at Thanksgiving! I'll share two favorites from Maman and Me, my debut cookbook that just came out: a butternut squash salad with pomegranate molasses dressing, and zeytoon parvardeh, an olive tapenade with pomegranate. Both recipes take advantage of pomegranates as a stellar winter ingredient that provides brightness, crunch, and a little zing.
FRIENDSGIVING: Sea Ranch Edition
This weekend, my girlfriends Gaby, Paige, Shreya and I trekked to Sea Ranch for a fun friend weekend. I first heard about Sea Ranch in 2019 when I saw an exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art about its history. Located about 3 hours north of San Francisco, the community is mostly known for the houses that dot the coast are clad in weathered local redwood blending modern design with natural elements.
The idea for Sea Ranch came about in the 1960s when an unconventional designer Al Boeke found this 1000 acre sheep pasture, fell in love, and thought it would be the perfect place to explore how design can intersect with ecology rooted in equality & social justice. To gain access to the oceanside views, breathtaking vistas, and communal centres, you do have to rent a place within the limits.
Arriving on Friday night, we headed to dinner at The Sea Ranch Lodge, a newly renovated community space. Built in 1964 and reopened in 2022 after a three-year renovation, this place is a watering hole for Sea Ranchers with a café, bar, restaurant, general store, and ample seating areas to catch breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. If you want to read more about Sea Ranch’s history, check out this piece!
Our table wasn’t ready when we got there so we plopped in the bar area and tried some of their speciality cocktails and extensive wine list. As someone who loves to pore over a menu, I was impressed by the Helvetica font and how hearty every dish felt. The patrons before us really didn’t want to leave and when they finally did, the hostess comped our cocktails and then brought over a round of bubbles because we had 2 birthdays in the group.
Our waitress gave us the best recs and we dug into the bread service to start. Fluffy focaccia pieces sat on top of a pool of olive oil and balsamic vinegar with castelvetrano olives hiding between the bread. Then we shared a bowl of the hearty chanterelle mushroom bucatini and some sea scallops with some sweet potato pureé. For the mains, we got the local petrale sole that came in the most decadent piece of pottery I’ve ever seen. The fish was paired with lightly sauteed turnips and Lacinato kale, roasted potatoes, and some Dungeness crab.
My favourite role on any friends’ weekend is team cook. I love waking up early and getting a bit of quiet time making grub for the gang. For breakfast, I whipped up oatmeal griddle cakes inspired by Breakfast by Salt’s Cure, one of my favourite breakfast spots. It was cold and rainy out so it only felt right to pair them with some cinnamon spiced apples.
For lunch, I channelled my inner European mountain town resident and put together an open-faced grazing board. These boards are perfect for a group because there are various combo options and everyone can personalize their own dish.
We got some of the last heirloom tomatoes, cheeses both soft (Cowgirl Creamery Pierre Point) and hard (Kerrygold Dubliner), cured meats (Acme Smoked Fish & prosciutto), duck paté, pesto, hot peppers, and lest we forget our carbs (Tartine bakery country sourdough and Cowgirl Creamery crackers). It filled us up with glee and was solid fuel for our mini hike!
When we got back, we were working on our puzzle and just as I was putting together a list for our Friendsgiving dinner, the one that I had been planning to make for the last week, the power went out. Thank the heavens I hadn’t started on dinner, with the exception of a buttermilk brined chicken I had in the fridge, so we decided to head back to Sea Ranch Lodge where they had generators and most importantly, a place to charge our phones. Okay yes and also food.
Our bartender from the night before recognized us and seeing all our devices and cords thought we were about to start a Minecraft tournament to pass the time! We ordered a round of burgers (3 regular, 1 Impossible) and sat in silence wolfing down our dinner and not feeling any regret for missing our Friendsgiving dinner. Beer is not my first boozy bev of choice but I felt the need to order a cold one with my burger!
On our way back to SF, we stopped at the Lodge’s coffee shop and see it in its daytime glory. Still riding that peak fall vibe, I got a maple latte that was perfectly sweet and didn’t scald my tongue upon first sip.
Both recipes take advantage of pomegranates as a stellar winter ingredient that provides brightness, crunch, and a little zing. Halfway through our ride, we stopped in Marshall, CA for lunch at Hog Island Oyster Co. My dreams of shucking oysters were dashed as they no longer let civilians work for their own food but the vibes were still immaculate. Sitting on rugged wooden benches with views of Tomales Bay, we dug into some warm boule bread, a variety of marinated olives and caper berries. We also got grilled and fresh oysters served with hogwash mignonette.
As I write this, I’m still not over the chipotle bourbon butter that they grill their oysters with. I’m going to make some at home for a weeknight salmon dish.
I’m already scheming when I can come back to Sea Ranch and spend more time in nature, on the tennis courts, or make a hearty dinner! If you do visit, please let me know!!
No links this week but consider donating to a local food pantry if you have the means. Here’s a good food bank locator courtesy of Feeding America.
No links this week but I’ll do a Sunday roundup of things I’ve read (trying to see if I can publish Your Friend in Food twice a week)!
I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and you’re spending it with loved ones, chosen or family. I’m grateful to everyone who reads this newsletter and supports my work. Would love to hear what you’re making for tomorrow. Perhaps it will give me inspo for next year!
Eat well and be well!
Cheers,
Abena