We're Bringing the Turkey to The Communal Table: Thanksgiving Edition

By: Sarah De Heer

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the communal table

Thanksgiving: It's a holiday that requires a ton of preparation and can cause some stress, but in the end, we all love it and the memories make each moment worth it. Whether you have your recipes in order for the big day next week or you're looking for some inspiration, we thought we would share some of the best offerings out there.

In honor of Thanksgiving, we're kicking off the first annual Communal Table on Food Network, an event that we opened up to the entire food community. The response was outstanding -- it blew us away. Experts from the industry were excited to "pull up a chair" to our table and offer readers their favorite recipes for appetizers, sides, salads, breads, mains, desserts and cocktails.

alton brown good eats roast turkey

We've chosen to bring Alton's Good Eats Roast Turkey to the table — a foolproof recipe that both novices and pros alike love. Alton uses simple aromatics like apples, onions, cinnamon, rosemary and sage to make his turkey the star. How does he keep it so juicy? He brines it with a solution of salt, brown sugar, vegetable stock, allspice berries, peppercorns and candied ginger.

We didn't stop there. We've also asked our wine expert, Mark Oldman, to help pick the wines for the table. According to Mark, these three options would pair perfectly with Alton's famous turkey:

  • American Sparkling Wine: An appropriately American bubbly, zesty enough to stoke the appetite while the bird cooks, but rich and fruity enough to enjoy well into the meal
  • Pinot Gris from Oregon: Floral and peachy to harmonize with the bird’s ginger and apple accents, but clean and refreshing on the finish
  • Chinon from France: A slingshot of cherry-cranberry and earth, lithe and bright enough to invigorate the table, even during those last, belly-busting bites of bird

See what our friends are bringing to the table and tell us what you would bring to the table on Twitter by using the hashtag: #pullupachair.

Cocktails, Appetizers, Salads and Breads:
Big Girls Small Kitchen: Braided Biscuits

Mains:

Sides:
EatingWell: Green Bean Casserole
Diner's Journal: Fiery Sweet Potatoes
The Daily Meal: Bacon Brussels Sprouts
AP/ J.M. Hirsch: Ginger-Pear Cranberry Sauce

Desserts:

The Blender/ Williams-Sonoma: Deep-Dish Apple Bourbon Streusel Pie

Southern Living: Pumpkin-Pecan Cheesecake
Cooking Channel: Apple Bread Pudding

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