I’m writing at home today and getting a head start on Thanksgiving prep (dry brining two little turkeys, baking bread for stuffing, getting some golden stock into the fridge for tomorrow’s gravy).
It might not feel like it if you’re stuck at the airport or the bus depot or whatever, but this really is the greatest food holiday of the year (so great I could think of nothing to tell Mallory when she asked what we wouldn’t enjoy seeing at the table).
So here some ways to kill some time and get into the spirit of Thanksgiving:
- Jordana Rothman’s beautiful story for Tablet about how Thanksgiving became the high holy day for her Jewish family.
- A listen, not a read: BBC Radio 3’s series of literary essays “TV Dinners to Roadside Diners” involve five great writers discussing their favorite American comfort foods — Joyce Maynard on popcorn! Adam Gopnik on cheesecake!
- Michael Chabon’s lovely essay for Bon Appetit, about a Thanksgiving he once spent at Manka’s Inverness Lodge, an hour outside of Berkeley.
- Brett Martin’s fantastic profile of Danny Bowien of Mission Chinese Food, written for GQ
Safe travels everyone, and see you back here soon.