Bonnie: Let’s talk turkey. Seriously. Tomorrow’s one of my favorite holidays, so instead of the product of the week, we’re talking Thanksgiving.

Not just the bird but the whole holiday.

I love it as everyone comes to the dinner table knowing they’re there for the long haul. No eating and running. Each person settles in, ready for delicious food and interesting table discussion – at least in our home.

The menu? It’s one of the easiest to prepare, just with more components than usual, and with everyone expecting the same food each year (with an occasional tweak, as in a suggestion of adding truffles to the stuffing).

The meal just takes organization.

Once you’ve figured out the timing (such as when you’re serving your feast), you just put a defrosted turkey in the oven (think: large chicken), prepare some potatoes, some stuffing and a favorite veggie, and bake (or buy) a pie or two. And it’s done. Done!

I don’t suggest stuffing the bird before cooking. I think stuffing is both tastier (with a nice crisp crust) and safer to cook alongside the bird. If you do want to stuff the turkey, for safety’s sake do so just before you put the bird in the oven. Stuffed turkey will take longer to cook. Check to be sure the stuffing is at least 165 degrees F before serving it as you may have to put it back into the oven to be sure it’s been heated thru!

To me, what makes this meal most memorable is the interaction of family and guests. At the table there’s sometimes a new family spouse, or an about-to-be spouse, who’s trying to make his/her mark; other times it’s a couple sharing the news that they’re pregnant, or perhaps only one of them who utters, “Surprise! I’m pregnant!” It’s certainly never dull. Just be sure you have enough food and wine (BTW, a Pinot Noir from Oregon’s coast goes great with this meal), and let things take their course.

Back to the bird.

As I said, think: large chicken. The key is to not overcook but to cook completely, otherwise you’ll get a “Harriet” – a raw bird. (One Thanksgiving when Aunt Harriet pulled the bird from the oven and Uncle Ben attempted to cut into it, we all started giggling. It was raw, literally raw, hence the name.) So cook the bird completely. If you prefer to use a thermometer do so, but most birds these days have a pop-up plastic timer inserted into them. Remove the bird from the oven when the pop-up pops, and let it stand for 20 plus minutes before carving.

If your bird doesn’t have the pop-up, insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Be sure it doesn’t touch the bone. Cook until the thermometer reaches 180 degrees F.

While the bird is resting on a cutting board, pour the liquid from the roasting pan into a glass bowl or gravy separator. Remove and discard as much fat as you can skim off using a bulb baster or pour off using a gravy separator.

Real turkey gravy: Add a bit of water (broth or de-fatted pan drippings) to the pan. Carefully set the pan over two burners, holding it with a potholder as the pan will be very hot. Sprinkle with some flour (instant flour is good – especially if you’re a newbie, or can’t watch over it carefully – as instant blends in easily). Add more water, broth or de-fatted drippings (and a splash of wine!) until the gravy is the right consistency. Season with salt and pepper, and you have delicious gravy. When you’ve finished making the gravy, the turkey will be ready to carve.

Oh, I could write a book on preparing for this holiday but we’ll have many more in the years ahead.

Wishing you and yours a deliciously wonderful turkey day. We had ours on the last Thursday of October, when the boys were in for the launch party. We were all together, which is what really matters. The only thing missing was that feeling in the air that happens only on the third Thursday of November in the US.

Seriously, while Eric was schooling in the Netherlands, we had our Thanksgivings at my sister’s home in Brussels (it’s she who is the creative genius behind the graphics on our site). Believe it or not, the hardest part of having the meal in another country was getting the bird. The stores carried turkeys for Xmas but not for the nonexistent T-day … except for Xpats, that is, who had to order the bird ahead and hope it arrived on time. Anyway, our Brussels Thanksgivings were deliciously wonderful meals (as per family photo) even without that feeling in the air.

A very happy enjoyable holiday to you and yours.

Bryan: “Gewurztraminer is a fine wine with turkey,” was the phrase uttered by the executive chef of the New York Mandarin Oriental in his thick German accent. We were discussing the special menu for Thanksgiving at the restaurant, and all the possible wine-pairings available for the evening. This was Thanksgiving done a bit differently; pressed turkey, smoked potato puree, leeks, cranberry foam … though normal ingredients, not your usual fare. As we spoke, I realized that this holiday offers the opportunity to be as modern and interesting as any meal; that ‘traditional’ foods can always be reinvented, or reinterpreted with personal twists.

Thanksgiving is a simple holiday: food, family, friends. This recipe can be done with different measurements for each, but it will always work out well as long as all three are present. Aside from this standard, experiment! Everyone loves turkey and I believe it should remain the focus of any Thanksgiving dinner but let’s try some different sides. Cranberry foam may not be for you but there are simpler substitutes to attempt; try sweet potatoes instead of regular, try heirloom tomatoes, try grilling your corn instead of boiling, try some new root vegetables like parsnips, turnips and beets, try pumpkin ice cream (amazing if you make it at home!).

Thanksgiving is also a fantastic drinking event; Pinot Noir is great but also look at Alsatian white wines that mesh with these holiday flavors so well. Have fun in the kitchen: sit, eat and drink with friends and family; what’s better than that? Leftovers!

Eric: I’ll start off where my brother stopped. Leftovers, who doesn’t like the Thanksgiving leftovers? One of my favorite parts of the holiday is the day after when I can look into the fridge and see the small plastic containers filled with a little bit of everything, from cranberry sauce to stuffing. I personally like to take a fresh baguette, cut it in half, and take a little bit of everything and stuff it into a sandwich. I stick that in the oven for 5 minutes, moisten it afterwards with a little leftover gravy and have one of the best sandwiches. This is probably one of my favorite reasons to celebrate the holiday.

In general I am not a big fan of any holiday but Thanksgiving is one that unites everyone in celebration without the need for presents (just presence!), and I admire that. For me, traditional Thanksgiving food is not necessary – especially considering that it has nothing to do with the original Thanksgiving that we are honoring. The Pilgrims didn’t have turkey; they had venison and mollusks. They didn’t have biscuits, they had a rough doughy cornmeal, and they didn’t have pies and cakes but depended on dried fruit to satisfy their sweet tooths. With this in mind, realize that Thanksgiving is not about the food but about being thankful for what you have and who you have to share it with. If you’re fed up with tradition for the sake of tradition, then take my brother’s advice and spice up the menu a little with some side dish alternatives. Enjoy the Holiday.