Giving Thanks

I know what you're thinking...here we go again with the same old "what to serve with the Thanksgiving feast" blog. Well, it occurred to me that there is an over abundance of musings that deal with this topic, and as I always prefer to be a little outside of the box, I want to go in a different direction this year.  Don't get me wrong, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year...it gives us a chance to reflect and gather with family and friends to share a great meal with great conversation!  As I look forward to the big event, I think about the traditional turkey (which we like to BBQ), and side dishes galore, everything from the stuffing to the mashed potatoes and gravy, perhaps candied yams, green beans or maybe Brussels sprouts, although I am sure some of you might encounter the green jello thing with sour cream and walnuts that some relative insists on bringing.  The point is that there are so many fantastic flavors it is hard to pair any one or two wines that will work with everything. Most Thanksgiving meals are a vast array of diverse taste sensations.  Add to this the fact that the feast is usually consumed in a short period of time  and  the wine is too!  So what should one do about the wine? First take into consideration how many people you will be serving and be prepared to offer a choice of whites and reds. I know that many of the 'experts' will recommend a full bodied Chardonnay or a flavorful Pinot Noir, but this year, perhaps you might want to make some alternative choices available.  Some might like to stay with a sparkling wine others might prefer a Cabernet.  You could choose to take the track that Thanksgiving comes but once a year and perhaps you will want to bring out some 'special' bottles of wine that you have been saving to share.  Whichever route you take, I think that people put too much pressure on themselves to choose the perfect  wines for Thanksgiving.  I say as you are planning the meal relax...and make the wines more of a fun experiment! Savor the meal, share wines that you enjoy, and be thankful!

Happy Thanksgiving All