Last year, we devoted a lot of blog space to Thanksgiving, by Sam Sifton. And since weโre editors and writers, supposedly on the pulse of what the lastest, greatest, trendiest everything is, we should probably be featuring this yearโs of-the-moment holiday cookbook. But hereโs the thing: โtrendyโ and โof-the-momentโ are not words that should EVER EVER EVER be in the same sentence as โThanksgiving,โ and we stand by our claim that Sam Siftonโs timeless, authoritative, delicious guide to our countryโs greatest holiday is The Only Thanksgiving Recipe Collection You Will Ever Need. (Outside of your grandmotherโs recipe box, of course โ we donโt want to get anyone in trouble here). As such, we launch our โCountdown to Thanksgiving Seriesโ with a bountiful giveaway: In the next 48 hours, five readers are eligible to win a free copy of Siftonโs Thanksgiving, and five more are eligible to have a free copy sent to whoever is cooking/hosting the feastโฆ as a little pre-holiday pump-up and thank-you-in-advance. Thatโs TEN COPIES WE ARE GIVING AWAY. All you have to do is leave a comment below (we wouldnโt complain if this comment included a Thanksgiving tip) and tell me which one you are: #Host or #Guest.
Update: All winners have been notified. Congrats Josh, Betsy, Candice, Eva, Molly, Susan, Colleen F, L, Divya, Memegirl and to everyone else thanks for playing!
Related: Sam Siftonโs 1o Laws of Thanksgiving.
Iโm always the host at Thanksgiving!! What a great holiday. All about food. I do as much ahead of time as I can. I think Thanksgiving is all about the sides. Traditional sides and new ones every year.
This year Iโm a guest, but I long to host Thanksgivingโฆ.
Iโm a guest this year. First time with family in a number of years! Iโve always been successful brining my turkey, thatโs my tip!
#guest.
With two mothers-in-law, one overbearing sister-in-law, and my own glorious mother, I think it is pretty unlikely that I will ever host. While I know I would do a bang up job, its pretty nice to let someone else do all the work while I steal the glory with a killer pie!!! ๐
I am a #Gost this year. Thatโs what happens when the entire extended family goes for a destination Thanksgiving. We do it every year to the same mountain house and itโs great fun. Everyone gets a moment to be the host and everyone gets time to relax as a guest.
I have 3 girls 7 and under. I would love to have them begin to learn to cook. What dishes do you reccomend starting them with?
I am the host and I would love to win!
#Guest. Learning to love time in the kitchen with my wife. Would love to win this book for us!
we are always the host. we enjoy the day as the first day of a 4-day weekend! canโt do much prep ahead of time so we spend the day in the kitchen as a family. love this holiday!
#Guest As a guest for Thanksgiving, it is your duty to bring a wonderful hostess gift, a delish nibble/side/dessert, and your most charming, complimentary self.
guest at my grandmotherโs farm. We just began the facebook posts where everyone declares what they are bringing this year. So optimistic.
Iโm hosting, but long to be a guest one day (perhaps when my kids are grown). I married into a family of non-cooks so I write out a schedule of what/when to cook dishes and keep them out of the kitchen with a combo of football, booze and appetizers (thank you Trader Joeโs). I brine the turkey the day before and everything (usually) turns out great. Then, I sit back, relax and watch all the non-cooks wash dishesโฆI wouldnโt have it any other way.
#host. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! My husband and I host a crew of 27 family members from both sides of our family every year. I do most of the prep work ahead of time (we have only 1 oven), set the tables on Tuesday, and put my 3 kids (ages 5, 7, 9) to work helping get things readyโlast year they pulled Brussels sprouts off the stalks while on the couch in their jammies watching tv.
Iโm the #guest, but Iโll be bringing the apple pie!!
This year, Iโm on call so Iโll be a guest at an expat Thanksgiving potluck here in Amsterdam; but good olโ Martha is right, setting your table the night before is one of the best ideas ever! All your serving dishes and utensils too, which ensures that youโll have space for everything on your table, or helps you to plan if you donโt. It used to be the last thing Iโd do, when I needed to be doing the finishing touches in the kitchen, but now it kicks off the run-up to the feast and keeps me sane(r).
I am a guest who likes to be a host(ess)! I think this gift could bring me and my delightful host right onto the same page. My Thanksgiving tip is to add a few drops of almond extract to the cranberry sauce โ delicious!
#host โ for 20 years now! have been wanting to get my hands on this book for awhile ๐
I am both #host & #guest!! I have to work the day of Thanksgiving so we are hosting a (small) family dinner a few days before and are the guests at a larger family affair the evening of Thanksgiving. Cooking for both!! Help! ๐
#host, in part to avoid my mother-in-lawโs cooking and in part to inaugurate our newly renovated kitchen!
#host โ this will be my first time, but my plan is to prep ahead, involve my awesome friends and family, and have plenty of wine! Iโd love the book for everything in between ๐
#host almost continually since 1999. I change my veggies every year but otherwise have made the same turkey, gravy, stuffing, potatoes, and pies forever! I would love some cookbook inspiration. Most important for me is to start a few days in advance, drying cornbread for stuffing, making the cranberry sauce, finding all the platters. One day is not enough!
Hosting for our 7th year (took over the reigns when my daughter was born)! Expect 17-20ppl this year. I love this book โ gave a copy to my sister in law when she moved overseas last year to join the foreign service. Yes, I donโt have a copy:(
Mostly guest, but a little bit host. We are doing Thanksgiving at my brotherโs, but as always I am responsible for dessert (pumpkin pie and something chocolatey for the non-pumpkin pie eaters among us), and I usually do a vegetable side as well. Then, I had up to my brotherโs and help out with whatever they are making. One year, I ended up pretty much making the main dish as well while I was there. So like I said, guest and host.
Iโm a host & a guest!
Another host here! This year is my first hosting with a toddler- I need all the help I can get!