Last year, we devoted a lot of blog space to Thanksgiving, by Sam Sifton. And since we’re editors and writers, supposedly on the pulse of what the lastest, greatest, trendiest everything is, we should probably be featuring this year’s of-the-moment holiday cookbook. But here’s the thing: “trendy” and “of-the-moment” are not words that should EVER EVER EVER be in the same sentence as “Thanksgiving,” and we stand by our claim that Sam Sifton’s timeless, authoritative, delicious guide to our country’s greatest holiday is The Only Thanksgiving Recipe Collection You Will Ever Need. (Outside of your grandmother’s recipe box, of course — we don’t want to get anyone in trouble here). As such, we launch our “Countdown to Thanksgiving Series” with a bountiful giveaway: In the next 48 hours, five readers are eligible to win a free copy of Sifton’s Thanksgiving, and five more are eligible to have a free copy sent to whoever is cooking/hosting the feast… as a little pre-holiday pump-up and thank-you-in-advance. That’s TEN COPIES WE ARE GIVING AWAY. All you have to do is leave a comment below (we wouldn’t 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 Sifton’s 1o Laws of Thanksgiving.
#GUEST I would LOVE to give this to my mom who is hosting!
I am an annual guest and #1 dish washer… every host should make sure to have one of those! Would love this book for my mother who has been hosting for as long as I can remember!
I’ll be a guest, at not 1, but 2 Thanksgiving feasts. My tip is to assign side dishes and pies to your guests, and focus on the turkey.
I’m a #host! My tip is to make a schedule for the stove and oven, and make sure you make some sides on the stovetop.
I am a host, who unfortunately gave food poisoning to guests 5 years ago. Miraculously, not only are they willing to risk sitting at my table, they shelled out plane tickets to do it!
I am the guest but I wish I were the host.
I am maybe hosting this year, it hasn’t been decided yet. If so, it will be my first time hosting!
Yum! I am a guest at my moms. We are having 14 people and we have never had that before! So I am sure I will be recruited.
We alternate hosting duties. This year I’m the guest. Our best tip is to invest in a turkey fryer! Fried turkey is amazing, and just as importantly, it frees up the oven for all the other things!
Technically I’m a #guest, as Thanksgiving Dinner is at my Mom’s house, but I live nearby and I am very involved in the food prep! Biggest Tip: DO AHEAD! Pie Crust can me made ahead and frozen, turkey can brined the day before, mashed potatoes can be made ahead and rewarmed in a chafing dish or slow cooker. Give yourself as much lead time as possible!
Guest bringing half of the food, so does that make me a “ghost” (half guest, half host)? hee hee
My tip is to mark your serving dishes and table with post it notes, so you have the proper size dishes to hold your food and you know where everything will go when you set the table.
First time #host!
With my husband on call, we’re hosting my family this year (we hope!). However, I think we may cater the turkey – maybe I’ll be inspired 🙂
I am a #Guest this year but looking forward to hosting one day!
#Host this year, number of guests still up in the air, so I’m not setting any tables yet…
Host. For our sweet little family of four. Tip: I make the easiest cranberry sauce ever first thing in the morning. I feel overly accomplished after that and can do anything for the rest of the day. Provided there is champagne for the cook. After noon of course 🙂
I am down to only 3 people at our Thanksgiving celebration and I must say I like it. After years of Turkey day extravaganzas, this small holiday is a relief and a joy. I keep it very simple and it is always wonderful.
#Guest this year but helping with sides!
I’m a guest this year, but have hosted for 5 out of the past 7 years.
Tip: make a side (or 2 or 3) that can be served at room temperature. Roasted Brussels sprouts are delicious at room temp, with a little balsamic vinegar drizzled over them. My mother makes a great green bean salad with a dill dressing that tastes better cold or at room temp. It lessens the stress with all that last-minute prep.
Thanks for hosting this giveaway! With everything else that’s been going on this year, I almost forgot to get excited about my very favorite holiday coming up!
Happy to be a guest this year! But when I do host, I make as much as possible the day before so I only have to concentrate on the turkey and stuffing on Thanksgiving day.
So thankful to be a #GUEST this year, and here’s a universal law to ALL guests out there: Offer to bring something!!! And if the host declines your offer, bring a nice bottle of wine to share. My specialty is the dessert category, so my sister-in-law often hosts, and I do an array of 4 or 5 desserts for us all. 🙂
I’m a #Guest of a wonderful friend who is so dedicated to making sure Thanksgiving happens way out in the countryside in France that she has been known to stash a frozen turkey in her hand luggage when flying back from the States (she’s a flight attendant)! She has an address in the US, so should be eligible and I know she’d love to receive this book.
My tip is to always remember that having friends and family around you is way more important than anything else, so relax, get everyone to bring a dish and enjoy the day.
I’m a #guest, but it will be just my parents and us, so I expect to do a fair amount of cooking too. Yay!
Host for only the 2nd time. Very stressed about the turkey!
Finally a #guest this year after several hostings. I love to cook, but I hate to get the house clean. Make sure you give yourself ample time to do chores before the big day, and remember delegating to your fiancé or whoever is a-ok!