The Thanksgiving Issue Part Two

 Yesterday The New York Times Food section printed their unofficial Thanksgiving issue. It was chock full of ideas and recipes. There is still more to go over and share with family and our veterans alike.

 We discovered spins on turkey thanks to Padma Lakschmi and some interesting dishes from a Liberian Thanksgiving. Now it's time to look into traditional and classic New York Times recipes. These reflect over 150 years of them from The Times. Krysten Chambrot food editor of the section  created the assembly of these tasty dishes.She's had help from Amanda Hesser, co-founder of the cooking and home company Food 52, and former Times food writer and editor. Some of the recipes weren't originally meant for the holiday but they can easily be made for it.  You could easily start the meal off with Craig Claiborne;s Florentine dip first published in 1959.It's a heady mix of anchovies, capers and lemon juice mixed into a blend if sour cream and cream cheese. Chives, garlic and parsley add to the flavor. A different side is red cabbage glazed with maple syrup. This would also be good with a holiday pork roast or  a Christmas ham too. It's from 1991 , created by Yves Labbe. Red cabbage is first sauteed in bacon drippings with onions, apples, a bay leaf and maple syrup. This is then baked in the oven for thirty minutes after being seasoned with salt and pepper.

You can never go wrong with an Edna Lewis recipe. Her recipe for baked sweet potatoes with lemon was first published in 1993 right after she wrote her seminal cookbook "The Taste of Country Cooking" when she worked at the famed Gage & Tollner.The sweet potatoes are first boiled as a syrup of brown sugar, lemon zest and nutmeg in water. Butter is whisked in and then lemon juice. The potatoes are then sliced into half inch thick  discs or coins and put into a buttered shallow baking dish. The lemon syrup is poured on top and the whole dish is baked for half an hour at 425 degrees. What to end the dinner with? Not a traditional pie but David Lebovitz's fresh ginger cake first made by Times readers in 1999. Mr. Lebovitz was the pastry chef at the famed La Panisse in Berkeley California. This recipe is from his first cookbook "Room For Dessert". It's sort of like a gingerbread, but made with fresh peeled and cur ginger along with cloves , cinnamon and black pepper.It only has two eggs so it's not as rich as other holiday cakes. It would go well with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream.

These are great Thanksgiving recipes to be shared with everyone, including our veterans. They can also be made for other holidays too. Enjoy these New York Times classic recipes and their classic flavors. They are the perfect accompaniment to turkey, ham or roast port.

Your Holiday Cooking Guide

Hard to believe we're entering the start of the holiday cooking season.It's a time when even the most experienced home chefs panic. Don't. There's a guide to help you navigate any big meal fromThanksgiving to Christmas, from New Year's to just a big Sunday dinner with family and friends.

The New York Times put out this special guide in their Wednesday paper today. It's separate from the  Food section but it has some of the best recipes from the Times recipe book plus a day to day guide on getting ready. It is a four-page fold out and the recipes can be cut out if need be. To be honest you'll want to keep this intact.it is very handy.It features the classic turkey, sides, and pies.What I like is the timeline in which to prepare. It makes planning for Thanksgiving a dream and can be altered to fit any prep time before a big meal. It starts with making a guest list which will give an idea of how big a bird to buy.A second and definite must do is deciding whether to have a sit-down dinner or buffet., depending on the number of guests.One of the smartest suggestions is taking stock of kitchenware along with the oven. Are there enough pots and pans for the sides? Is the oven big enough for the bird you want? You may have to get two turkeys or have a diner roast your bird. Two weeks before , check t see if you need tablecloths . extra glasses or even a gravy boat. Also The Times recommends writing up two shopping lists; one for perishable goods and one for non perishables. A week before it's time to make the pie crusts and cranberry sauce along with cleaning out the fridge and freezer to make room.

The recipes come from the best. Julia Moskin, Melissa Clark, Sam Sifton and Kim Severson have contributed as well as the famed Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey. Emily Weinstein and  Amanda Hesser have also given recipes as well. Kim Severson gives us a dry brined turkey that's punched up with white wine.Gravy is a must and Sam Sifton has a good one.It too has a half cup of white wine along with the turkey fat, flourn and turkey or chicken stock.Of course, there has to be stuffing, also coming from Mr. Sifton.It has apples and chestnuts along with a cornucopia of herbs and spices. A dash of hot sauce is added for kick. Every holiday meal needs sides and there are some tasty ones here. Guests and family will flip over the Hassselback potatoes made rich with both Gruyere and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Even the most adamant Brussels sprout haters will think twice about them being served with heavenly pancetta.Thanksgiving is all about the dessert and there are three good recipes to choose from (Or you can make all three).Melissa Clark gives us her double apple pie which is not only spiced with cinnamon but with ginger and nutmeg.She also has a brandied pumpkin pie given a kick with the liqueur and enriched with whole cream and three eggs. There is also Craig Claiborne's cheesecake, a great ending to any meal.

Thanksgiving and any holiday meal should not be a time for panic or fear. Follow The New York Times guide and recipes and watch the big day breeze by.it'll be not only a time of giving Thanks but also for good eating!

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Mussels With A Gallic Twist

Mussels  are always a mainstay in French cuisine. They've also been hard to come by this winter thanks to their habitats being iced over. The freezing temps are now over, the floes have melted . These briny gems can now be bought and made into classic dishes.

Sam Sifton not only wrote about them but made them in the Times classic recipe billibi. the recipe appeared in yesterday's New York Times Food section where it was first published in 1961.Craig Claiborne, the famed food editor, along with the known chef, Pierre Franey copied billi bi from a classic French recipe.Originally created by the famed eatery, Maxim's of Paris ( and named for the American tycoon William B, Leeds it could be named for  either father or son, Both loved Paris and the soup. Their  nickname Billy B or Billy Bye Bye gave this treat its' name) this is a rich, creamy  soup.It has typical Gallic ingredients such as heavy cream, white wine and shallots A well beaten.egg yolk  gives the soup an almost custardy feel. An added spike is a pinch of cayenne pepper to give it some heat. Mr. Sifton also recommends freshly ground white pepper too for bite.Home chefs will need about two pounds of mussels and a good sized soup pot .

Billibi is relatively easy to make.The mussels are first cooked with greens, a mix of onions, shallots, parsley and bay leaf.This is also when the wine and butter are added as well as the cayenne or white pepper. The heat will also force open the mussels allowing their broth to pour out. This mix is strained through a cheesecloth to create a base stock for the soup.The mussel meat is then  reserved  for later. The broth is then returned to the pot and the cream to it. Egg yolk is drizzled in. Mr Claiborne served it without the mussel meat  and as an appetizer . Mr Sifton , however, recommends serving it as the main entrée poured over the morsels. Both recipes allow for a sprinkle of parsley on top of each serving. Billi bi can be served cold and it would be an interesting dinner for a hot summer evening . Either way, serve the soup with sliced toasted baguette for a true French flavor. Don't worry about leftovers; the soup is so delicious, there won't be any left.

Mussels are coming back with a vengeance. Try them in this classic French soup , billi bi . It's a delicious way to enjoy their rich brininess and tender meat.