Your guide to the holidays

November 19, 2008

THE CALIFORNIA COOK

How to host a successful holiday meal

Whenever I read one of those Thanksgiving stories about how wonderful it is to cook a fabulous meal for a huge crowd of friends and family, the first thing I think is, "How heartwarming! How generous!"

November 19, 2008

COOK TOGETHER: THE WINES

When picking wine for the holiday menu, one simply won't do

My parents weren't really wine drinkers, more your classic martini types, but for holiday dinners they -- and any guests -- drank wine. For me, as a kid and later a teenager, setting out the wineglasses used only at Thanksgiving and Christmas seemed almost ceremonial. Since my mom and dad didn't know a thing about wine, I took on the job of deciding what they should buy. Neither Robert Parker nor any of the other wine gurus were on the scene yet, but I remember reading somewhere that Riesling was a good match for turkey and that Wente Grey Riesling was one of California's best. And so that's what we bought.

November 19, 2008

Food editor Russ Parsons on the turkey everyone loves

After more than 20 years of writing Thanksgiving turkey recipes, I thought I had seen it all. And then came the "Judy Bird."

November 19, 2008

COOK TOGETHER: A SWEET FINISH

Dessert? As easy as pie

The days before Thanksgiving are calibrated by shopping lists and baking times, a checklist universe clicking down to a shared meal of thanks and camaraderie. And if your universe is populated with children, that checklist becomes even more important -- especially if you're taking your feast on the road.

November 19, 2008

Thanksgiving, for here or to go

Takeout