Turkey Day Wines and Cooking Tips

On Thanksgiving, we eat the one meal of the year where pretty much anything goes.

Into your mouth.

When the California Turkey Board (Coloradans: no jokes, please) asked several domestic wineries what wine went best with traditional Thanksgiving Day dinner, the suggestions went on and on. “Pinot noir,” said one winery. It's rich and full, like the meal itself. “Gewurztraminer,” offered another. It matches the dinner's spiciness. The final tote stood at nine different wines: four whites, two rosés, three reds—one turkey.

What wine can fit in? Well, here’s an idea or five.

And more to help you “get cooking” that Thanksgiving Day meal at Videos, such as:

• how to make the best mashed potatoes

• getting the most flavorful stocks & broths

• deglazing a pan for making gravy

• and—ta-da—how to roast & carve a turkey.

Ask Bill: Q. “What are you serving for a green vegetable that’s not Brussels sprouts?” asks Mary B.
A. These.
Q. “What’s your favorite stuffing recipe?” inquires Barbara B.
A. Gene Amole’s.

Planning: This meal that you are going to cook in two weeks—your annual Thanksgiving Day dinner—is the wildest menu in the kitchen each year. I’ve got help to make it more manageable, especially a multi-week calendar arranging the prep work, in steps, for your Turkey Day meal—beginning now.

The calendar takes you from this week right up to the big day (and dinner) and includes helpful links to stories, recipes, videos, basic cooking techniques and tips, and selecting wine that I’ve already posted here. Let’s get cooking!