Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays because, at its heart, it’s really pretty simple.
It’s about gathering around a table with the people you care about, sharing a great meal and taking some time to appreciate being together.
The problem is that somebody has to make that great meal, and if that somebody is you, Thanksgiving can quickly turn into one of the most stressful days of the year.
You have to shop, chop, peel, mix, bake and then figure out how everything is going to fit into the oven at the same time. You’re trying to remember which recipe called for what, wondering whether the potatoes are ready and then realizing you forgot something while everyone else is watching football, catching up and enjoying themselves.
At Pollard’s Test Kitchen, we’re big believers that the people hosting Thanksgiving deserve to enjoy Thanksgiving, too. So we say: You buy the bird, we ease the burden.
We can certainly provide your turkey, but preparing it is up to you. Everybody seems to have a favorite way of doing the bird, whether it’s a family recipe passed down through generations, something you’ve perfected over the years or a new technique you’ve been dying to try.
Make the turkey your own, then let us take care of the rest.
Thanksgiving sides are where a tremendous amount of the work happens, and they’re also where we can have some fun. Rather than spending the day peeling potatoes, preparing vegetables and assembling dish after dish from scratch, you can have everything ready to heat, serve and enjoy.
As a chef, that’s the part I love. We aren’t interested in simply checking the boxes with the dishes people expect on Thanksgiving. We want to make those familiar favorites memorable, while also creating some unique sides that might earn a permanent place at your family’s table.
There’s something special about taking traditional comfort food and giving it just enough of a twist to make someone stop after that first bite and say, “Okay, what’s in this?”
That’s what a great Thanksgiving table should be. Familiar, comforting and maybe just a little surprising.
When you get right down to it, the real ingredient we’re giving you is time.
Instead of spending the entire morning and afternoon working in the kitchen, you can sit down with relatives you haven’t seen in months. Watch the Lions beat the Bears. Have a glass of wine and wonder if the Cowboys can get it done against Philly. Play with the kids and tell the same family stories everyone has heard a hundred times – I’m sure they get better with age.
When it’s time to eat, sit down and enjoy the meal instead of feeling exhausted from making it.
Food is what brings everyone to the Thanksgiving table, but it isn’t really what Thanksgiving is about. The people around that table are.
This year, cook the bird exactly the way you love it. We’ll help with the rest.
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