Thanksgiving

Lobster, Risotto and Yes, Turkey: Thanksgiving at Patina

Filed under: Dining

Patina Restaurant in Los Angeles has announced their Thanksgiving menu. In typical Patina style chef Tony Esnault has taken the traditional foods of the season and luxed them up into elaborate dishes with and transformed them into warm and inviting dishes. The prix fixe menu for Thanksgiving includes three courses plus desert and costs $70 per person. The restaurant is serving from 12pm-8pm. The menu, plus a recipe for Patina's autumnal cocktail, The Fall, is after the jump.

Tags: los angeles restauarants, Los Angeles restaurants, patina, thanksgiving, thanksgiving dinner, thanksgiving food, thanksgiving menu

Continue reading “Lobster, Risotto and Yes, Turkey: Thanksgiving at Patina”

Thanksgiving Dinner, Beverly Hills Style

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Prefer to lay by the pool rather than slave over a hot stove? In Los Angeles, you can have your Thanksgiving catered by The Beverly Hill Hotel's Polo Lounge. This Thanksgiving, the iconic pink retreat is offering their traditional "Holiday-To-Go," a complete elegant meal prepared by the master chefs in the Polo Lounge for enjoyment at home. The dinner serves from 6-8 people and includes a 20-pound roasted free range organic turkey with all the trimmings which include giblet sage gravy; poached pear, red endive and watercress salad with Poire William vinaigrette; chestnut, pine nut and brioche bread stuffing; candied yams; whipped Yukon Gold potato puree; buttered baby carrots and fine green beans; glazed Brussels sprouts with toasted almonds; wild flower honey and ginger infused cranberry sauce; classic pumpkin pie with Chantilly cream and rolls and butter. The whole package costs $440 and needs to be ordered no less than 24 hours in advance. It can be picked up or get it delivered within five miles of the hotel for $75.

While you are stopping by the hotel to pick up dinner you might want to sample some of The Polo Lounge's season cocktails including the Fig Sidecar, made with fresh fig-infused Remi Martin Cognac or the seasonal eggnogs at Bar Nineteen12 which include pumpkin, raspberry, hazelnut, cappuccino, banana and mint chocolate flavors.

Tags: beverly hills, beverly hills hotel, holiday cocktails, los angeles, polo lounge, seasonal cocktails, thanksgiving, thanksgiving dinner, thanksgiving food, thanksgiving recipes, the polo lounge

New York City Chef Creates After Thanksgiving Pizza

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Forget turkey sandwiches or turkey casserole, Manhattan's La Bottega Italian restaurant has found the perfect use for Thanksgiving feast leftovers: the Day After Thanksgiving Pizza. Chef Bart Retolatto from the eatery in The Maritime Hotel of Chelsea is offering a "Day After Thanksgiving Pizza" and it sound so good I think it should be a main course on the big day. The doubled-crust pizza will be stuffed with roasted turkey, sweet potato puree, wild mushrooms, cranberry sauce, and gravy and will be served from the day after Thanksgiving until the new year. The recipe is after the jump if you want to give it a try at home.

Tags: la bottega, thanksgiving, thanksgiving dinner, thanksgiving pizza

Continue reading “New York City Chef Creates After Thanksgiving Pizza”

Celebrate Thanksgiving in Rudolph Valentino's Mansion

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Celebrate Thanksgiving at Valentino's on the Green.

Valentino's on the Green, the Bayside, New York (Queens) home of Rudolph Valentino, the legendary silent film star, will celebrate Thanksgiving with a special prix fixe menu on November 25th.

The three-course prix fix menu will include a choice of appetizer (such as pumpkin and butternut squash soup) and a choice of entree (ranging from traditional turkey and sausage stuffing to stuffed loin of pork, sliced fliet mignon and homemade ravioli). Dessert choices include a pumpkin-ricotta cheesecake and New York state apple and cranberry crisp. The cost is $44.50 per person. The Italian restaurant will also offer a children's menu that includes dessert and a choice of entrees ranging from penne pasta to turkey with mashed potatoes and chicken fingers. The children's menu is priced at $19.50.

Gallery: Valentino's on the Green

The mansion, which is located in Bayside, Queens, has undergone a multi-million dollar, interior and exterior restoration. With a golf course view, flanked by an elegant patio, garden, and pond, the 170-seat ground floor a la carte restaurant features the Fiorello Room a dining room tribute to another former resident, the late New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia. The restaurant's Valentino Room is a red velvet and mahogany-rich hideaway, which includes a bar and grand fireplace. A wine wall with the restaurant's world-class selection gracefully separates the two larger ground level spaces. The second floor of the mansion features a 230-seat banquet space with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Throgs Neck Bridge and Little Neck Bay and offers a behind-the-scenes bridal suite that was once the bedroom of Valentino himself.

Tags: awards-main, Bayside, luxist-awards, New York, Queens, restaurant, Rudolph Valentino, thanksgiving, thanksgiving dinner, Valentinos

Continue reading “Celebrate Thanksgiving in Rudolph Valentino's Mansion”

Knob Creek Warms Up for the Holidays

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Spirits

Knob Creek, the super premium small batch bourbon that's aged for nine years in charred American white oak barrels and bottled at a robust 100 proof, is gearing up for the cooler weather with some recipes for giving both food and drink a Kentucky-style kick in the pants this holiday season. Knob Creek, with its smooth, sweet and rich flavor and signature maple sugar aroma, makes a great accompaniment to many festivities on its own but also works well as an ingredient in everything from hors d'oeuvres to Thanksgiving turkey. Read on for some key recipes:

Knob Creek Bourbon Egg Nog

½ cup Knob Creek Bourbon
6 large egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
2 ½ cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Beat egg yolks and sugar in medium saucepan. Slowly beat in 2 cups of milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring
frequently, until thermometer registers 150°F or mixture coats the back of the metal spoon. Remove from heat.
Strain into pitcher. Stir in remaining milk, Knob Creek Bourbon, vanilla and nutmeg. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.
Sprinkle with additional nutmeg.
Makes 6-8 servings.

Knob Creek Holiday Punch

3 parts Knob Creek Bourbon
3 parts cranberry juice
4 parts lemon-lime soda
1 part fresh lemon or lime juice
dash bitters
6 parts champagne
ice block
orange and lemon slices

Pre-chill ingredients. Pour into a punch bowl over a large piece of ice, adding champagne last.
Decorate with slices of lemon and orange. [continued]

Tags: bourbon, cocktail recipes, cocktails, holiday 2010, holidays, Kentucky, Knob Creek, mixology, spirits, Thanksgiving, whiskey, whisky

Continue reading “Knob Creek Warms Up for the Holidays”

Last-minute Thanksgiving Getaways

by Deb West (RSS feed) —

Just thinking about the Thanksgiving holiday brings up mixed emotions for many people. Maybe you don't have a lot of family or maybe you have so many people in your family that no matter whose house you choose to go to someone feels slighted. It is also possible that the thought of spending the day in front of the stove preparing for the arrival of your relatives fills you with dread. It could even be simply that you actually love Thanksgiving and the traditional feast that accompanies the day but are in desperate need of a vacation.

There are many options for those who decide they'd rather skip town, relax and let someone else do the cooking.

Blackberry Farm, a Relais & Chateau property located on 4,200-acre estate in the Smokey Mountains, has a special Thanksgiving weekend program. It includes an annual turkey fry held on the lawn, bluegrass music and local artisans at the Fall Harvest Festival, storytelling and the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Enjoy the last of the fall colors at this relaxed retreat which is renown for its Southern hospitality. Rooms start at $995, include meals and children under 10 (not normally permitted at the property) are allowed over the holiday.

If you need a long weekend at the beach Seven Stars at Grace Bay on Turks & Caicos may be just the place to put up your feet. The resort which is adjacent a marine preserve and is surrounded by white sand beaches is offering a Thanksgiving special with rooms starting at $401 a night for an Ocean View Junior Suite.

Jackson Hole Wyoming's Rusty Parrot Lodge & Spa is offering a special "Thankfully in Jackson " package. It includes four nights lodging, their famous breakfast, two one-hour massage therapy sessions at The Body Sage, admission to The National Museum of Wildlife Art, and unique afternoon activities including a local history walking tour, and presentation by staff biologist from The Teton Science School. Their restaurant The Wild Sage, will host an evening wine and cheese tasting reception and last but not least a spectacular Thanksgiving feast for two. All this begins at rates of $1308.00 per couple and up.

Have a great trip!

Tags: Blackberry Farm, BlackberryFarm, Relais Chateaux, RelaisChateaux, Rusty Parrot Lodge Spa, RustyParrotLodgeSpa, Seven Stars, SevenStars, thanksgiving, Turks Caicos, TurksCaicos, vacation

How to Have a Stress Free Thanksgiving, Dine Out

by Deb West (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Holiday Guides

What is the best way to have a Thanksgiving spread that turns out looking like the glossy photographs in your favorite foodie magazine? I'm sure some readers are expecting a list, organizational techniques or special tips on how to create the perfect meal when you are working full time.

It seems that a better idea is to not slave over the stove, but take you and your family to the nearest upscale restaurant for the special meal. Eat, drink and relax, the turkey will be cooked to perfection. Handing the responsibility for a beautifully cooked Thanksgiving feast over to someone else might even make spending the day with your annoying cousins just that much more bearable.

Another bonus of not preparing your own Thanksgiving meal at home is that often the menu includes items for those at the table who really don't like turkey. It may be considered heresy, but there are many who, out of hunger, force down what is often a dry uninspired main course because that is the only option. There is often at least one vegetarian at every table who sits glumly while the rest of the guests are feasting.

For example, at Ken Aretsky's Patroon in New York City, pictured above, executive chef Bill Peet presents a family-style menu in the warm dining room of this midtown restaurant. In addition to the traditional free range turkey with all the old fashioned fixings (mashed potatoes, stuffing, roasted Brussel sprouts and giblet gravy) you will find chateaubriand as well as Scottish salmon for the vegetarians in your group. The restaurant will charge $85 per adult and $45 per child for the meal. Whether you live in the tri-sate region, are in the area visiting family or to see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade I can't think of a better way to make you meal truly stress free.

For those of you who live around the country and are watching the parade or the games on t.v., there are great Thanksgiving menu options at the Craft and Craftsteak restaurants, run by the award winning chef Tom Colicchio, located in Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. (New York too!) The restaurants offer holiday prix fixe menus - everything is served family style, except the choice of main course.

Leave the turkey in the freezer, save it for a random winter weekend, and eat out!

Tags: cooking, Craft, Craftsteak, food and drink, FoodAndDrink, Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade, MacysThanksgivingDayParade, Patroon Restaurant, PatroonRestaurant, stress reduction, StressReduction, Thanksgiving, turkey

The Ultimate Thanksgiving Turkey

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

When you're throwing a lavish Thanksgiving dinner, it's good to keep some things simple. The decor doesn't have to be over the top; anything too fancy may appear to be "trying to hard." There are two things to splurge on: The drinks and the food.

While there are endless options for amazing wines and and fabulously presented after-dinner drinks (red lacquer Grand Marnier bottle, anyone?), the main dish says the most about the dinner.

So, what's a luxury turkey? Bypass the supermarket and go for the gold: Designer turducken.

Chef Ryan Farr and San Francisco's chic 4505 Meats have teamed up to create a a totally mouth-watering combination of turkey, duck and chicken (above) which "comes on a bed of root vegetables in a roasting pan and includes an electric thermometer with a preset alarm on it, making it simple for home cooks to follow the directions and pull the bird from the oven when the thermometer beeps." If you're in SF, you can order one from 4505 Meats for $200-$225 (15 or 20 pound turduckens, which will feed 14 or 18) and pick it up in the Portero neighborhood or have it shipped (at an additional cost); just get your order in by November 20.

If you're not in San Francisco, there are a number of other websites where you can get a perfectly good turducken, including cajungrocer, herbertsmeats, or you can even hit up Sam's Club for Tony Chachere's® Cornbread Turducken at a delicious price (but you didn't hear that from us).

For a holiday like Thanksgiving, it's a good idea to let the meal speak for itself. If everyone's enjoying the food, nobody's talking (and nobody's fighting).

Tags: 4505 meats, 4505Meats, ryan farr, RyanFarr, san francisco, SanFrancisco, thanksgiving, turkey

Martha Stewarts Offers Thanksgiving Turkeys

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Celebrity Shopping

The Martha Stewart

branding train is rolling on with a new food line just in time for Thanksgiving. Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.has partnered with The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. to introduce a new Martha Stewart-branded food line that includes poultry from Plainville Farms, baking mixes from Arrowhead Mills and dried pastas from DeBoles. The Martha Stewart-branded products will launch with a line of fresh and frozen vegetarian-fed and antibiotic-free turkeys from Hain Pure Protein's Plainville Farms in time for Thanksgiving 2009. In a press release Stewart said, " I'm delighted to be offering consumers antibiotic-free, vegetarian-fed turkeys that are moist, tender, and absolutely delicious." The Martha Stewart website already has a place where you can order the bird online for $69.99 for a 12-pound bird. You can also download Martha's Turkey 101 guide should you need additional help. Add in some Martha table linens and Martha Stewart-branded wine and it's a very Martha Thanksgiving.

Source

Tags: martha stewart, MarthaStewart, thanksgiving, turkey

Turkey Platters for a Beautiful Thanksgiving Table

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Dining

When it comes to feasting on Thanksgiving day the turkey is the star of the show so it's only natural to display it on something beautiful. And since large serving platters aren't as prone to being broken or worn out by daily use it seems worthwhile to invest in one you'll be proud to show off on special occasions like Thanksgiving and other gatherings for years to come. So what kind of platter will go best with your Turkey Day tabletop decor? Whether you choose one that matches your dinnerware or one that stands out on its own, there's literally thousands of choices out there -- see the gallery below for some ideas!

Gallery: Turkey Platters for the Thanksgiving Holiday

Spode Woodland American Turkey Platter with Well

White Bone China Turkey Platter by Gordon Ramsey

Tags: dinnerware, entertaining, holidash, holidays, platter, platters, Thanksgiving, turkey, turkey platters, TurkeyPlatters

Unique Ways To Celebrate Thanksgiving Away From Home

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Most of us gather at the homes of family or friends for Thanksgiving but that isn't the only option. Some opt for a warm weather escape outside the U.S. and hotels in Mexico and the Caribbean can do a brisk business this time of year. But here in the U.S. a wide variety of hotels offer different types of Thanksgiving specials that include dinner but also spa treatments, winery tours and outdoor sports. Another way to do a non-tradiitional Thanksgiving is to opt for a dinner cruise (a couple of examples are in the gallery below). If you haven't made plans yet, there is still time. Many hotels and restaurants are finding their reservation books staying open longer than usual this holiday season.

For those interested in attending the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, shown above, the I Love a Parade from Mandarin Oriental offers access to the 6,000 square foot Mandarin Ballroom with panoramic views of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline and includes omplimentary upgrade from a Deluxe Room to a Hudson River View Room, a welcome amenity of signature pumpkin taffy, spiced pumpkin seed candy, hand-picked heirloom apples and orchard cider and clusive access to the Mandarin Ballroom on parade day, including Continental Breakfast (children's activities included). It starts at $925.

Check out the gallery below for other options for distinctive Thanksgiving excursions.

Gallery: Thanksgiving Dinner Options Around the U.S.

Thanksgiving on Kiawah Island, South Carolina

Tags: holiday, hotels celebration, thanksgiving

Ten Ways To Order Thanksgiving Dinner Online

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

The other day I read that AmazonFresh, the grocery arm of Amazon.com will be delivering an entire Thanksgiving meal for people in the Seattle area. A total prepared meal serving up to eight people costs $80 and sides, desserts, turkeys and other items can also be ordered separately to be delivered on Nov. 25 and 26. If you aren't in Seattle, your best bet may be a local grocery store especially if you want specialty items like a tofurkey or an organic or free range bird (Whole Foods has a great holiday menu). Many stores do offer prepared meals and some will even deliver. But there is also a growing crop of turkey dinners that you can order around the U.S. online. You'll pay anywhere from around $70 to over $200 depending on how many sides you want and how many people you need to serve. Thanksgiving dinner in a click? Check out the gallery below for ten options.

Gallery: Thanksgiving Dinner From The Internet

Tags: dinner, internet, online dinner, OnlineDinner, thanksgiving, turkey

Natalie MacLean's Thanksgiving Wine Picks

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Wine goddess and author Natalie MacLean has made her picks for wines for this year's Thanksgiving feast. MacLean, the author of the book Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass also has some simple rules for Thanksgiving wine pairing:

Starting off with a Champagne, Prosecco or other sparkling wine sets a festive note and makes a great aperitif.

Red wine or white wine with the turkey? You can do either. A crisp white like a Riesling or Pinot Grigio works but a juicy red like a Zinfandel also works well (it sort of mimics the berry note of the cranberry sauce). You can also go for the practically fruit juice appeal of this year's Beaujolais Nouveau.

You can also match your wine to the sides, offering other wines such as a buttery Chardonnay to complement the stuffing and veggies or a Sauvignon Blanc to add a little pep to a palate numbed by too many cream sauces. .

She suggests a late harvest wine or ice wine to pair with dessert to add the perfect finishing touch. In my experience, I have found that a Port or a late harvest Zinfandel works well with pecan pie while a late harvest Chardonnay can work with pumpkin pie.

After the jump, her top picks for reds and whites for the table.

Source

Tags: expire-images:2008-11-18, red wine, RedWine, thanksgiving, white wine, WhiteWine, wine, wine pairings, zinfandel

Continue reading “Natalie MacLean's Thanksgiving Wine Picks”

Thanksgiving Dinner in Paris

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Events

Thanksgiving in Paris? It might not be traditional but it sounds like fun. Context, a network of scholars who lead walking tours in European cities, are holding a Thanksgiving dinner at the historic restaurant Le Pharamond which will be annotated by docent and dining historian Carolin C. Young. Forget about the traditional turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie this meal will explore Parisian food. The entire adventure begins with an appetite-building walking tour of history and dining in Paris and then the group will head to Le Pharamond.

The menu will be:

Apéritif: Champagne Ruinart
Appetizers:
Foie gras, Escargots de Bourgogne, Coquilles Saint-Jacques, Bouchées à la reine

Served with Alphonse Mellot 2005, Sancerre blanc
Main courses:
Roasted 'poulet de Bresse', Sole normande, Côte de bœuf,
Côte de veau de la Vallée d'Auge, Rognons de veau, Tripes de Caen
(accompanied by seasonal vegetables and sides)

Served with Clos de Lumbrays 2000, Bourgogne, Grand Cru
Followed by salad and a selection of French cheeses
Desserts:
Équitoriale noire, Poire de la Grande Truanderie,
Tarte fine aux pommes, Crème brûlée

Coffee/tea/infusion.
Mineral water

The price is 220 euros per person and the event is being held on November 22, Thanksgiving Day.

Source

Tags: context, france, holidash, meal, paris, thanksgiving

Destination Holidays Are A Growing Trend

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Wings

To me the most interesting thing in the latest Middle Seat column by Scott McCartney in the Wall Street Journal is the fact that more and more people are choosing to use their holiday vacation time not to fly home for the holidays but to jet off to a more exciting locale. Where is the hot spot for Thanksgiving? Where else but Las Vegas where the extended weekend of the Thanksgiving holiday can be spent on a weekend of indulgence that includes more than just too much turkey. The popularity of Las Vegas as a Thanksgiving getaway has led to some pricey fares. At American for example, the cheapest price on a Thanksgiving trip from New York to Las Vegas was $1,095 if you traveled on the day before Thanksgiving and left the following Sunday. Things get easier if you travel on Thanksgiving and then leave the following Tuesday (it only costs $335).

For Christmas the popular spots are often beach destinations. Flights to Hawaii are already on the rise and the same thing is true of flights to Florida. People are also using the holiday period to head to off on international getaways, especially to warm weather locations such as the Caribbean and Mexico. The advice of the experts is simple. If you haven't bought already, you need to buy now. And if you can be flexible on the dates you can save a bit of money, traveling on off peak days can save you money. The same is also good advice if you are flying by private jet charter. If you've already arranged for the time off, you should have already booked your flights.

Source

Tags: beach destination, christmas, holidash, holidays, las vegas, thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

Featured Galleries

HuffPost AOL Social News Most Popular

Also on AOL