Holiday nibbles in TV land
At homes across America this morning, kitchens are already in high gear in preparation for the traditional Thanksgiving feast. Tables are being set, houses are being tidied up, and the most serious eaters are already rummaging their closets in search of outfits with extra wiggle room.
The folks at the Food Network, meanwhile, see this day as their supreme challenge. They’re aware that, for most people, dining becomes the ultimate participatory sport on Thanksgiving, but nevertheless, they’re moving forward with a slate of programming that they hope will tempt you to fire up the tube along with the double oven.
“Sara’s Thanksgiving Secrets” gets things underway at 7 a.m., offering last-minute recipes for procrastinating cooks. Martha Stewart checks in at 8 with more of the same in her “Thanksgiving Celebrations From Martha’s Kitchen,” and that most ebullient of chefs, Emeril Lagasse, follows with “Turkey Treasures” at 9.
“Thanksgiving Unwrapped” serves up turkey-day trivia at 10, and then from 11 to 5 p.m., there’s a block of a dozen episodes of the fun “$40 a Day” program hosted by perky Rachael Ray that shows you how to dine out in style on a budget, all while touring the globe. In addition to stops in Amsterdam (3:30 p.m.), Rome (4 p.m.) and Paris (4:30 p.m.), there’s even a visit to several L.A. restaurants (1:30 p.m.).
The day’s special programming is capped from 5 to 8 p.m. with hourlong episodes of “Extreme Cuisine,” featuring segments on “Food as Art,” “Guilty Pleasures” and “Rarest Foods.”
Bon appetit.