What You Should Do Now to Get Ready for Thanksgiving (If You’re Worried)
They say luck favors the brave, but I think it favors the restless (like me), especially when it comes to event planning. And what is Thanksgiving, if not an event? The “very detail-oriented” among us tend to plan things “too far” ahead, but this extra preparation usually pays off in the end. If what I’m saying made you nod, I have some tips for what you can do now – in mid-October – to make your Thanksgiving as wonderful as you want it to be.
It’s time to check out the recipes
It’s pretty obvious, but the morning of turkey day (or even the day before) is not the time to try a new pie recipe, spin your classic buns, or change toppings. Experiment with all of this right now. You will enter the big day with more confidence, and today you will be able to eat cake under the guise of research. You can also make some extra pie crusts and toss them in the freezer because you can never have too many pie crusts, especially if you’re like me and have a penchant for spoiled pie crusts. (I just don’t respect them!)
ferment something
Fermentation takes a while, but we’ve got a full six (6) weeks before turkey time, which gives you plenty of time to make some fermented cranberry honey , fermented garlic honey , or some shio koji to slather on your holiday roast or vegetables (for a fancy cleansing sky remedy). You can also use this time to make seasonal kombucha , such as cranberry, apple, or pumpkin. (Is there pumpkin spice kombucha? I bet.)
Go to a thrift store for crockery
Quickly, before anyone else thinks about it, get to your local Goodwill or Goodwill-like establishment and search the shelves for serving dishes, serving utensils, gravy boats, cheap wine glasses, pots, large antique pots, tablecloths, and coffee. mugs (for serving coffee with a pie). I’ve found a lot of beautiful stuff at Goodwill for very little dollars, so at least check with your local thrift store before paying full retail price.
You should also check out the restaurant store for knives, cutting boards, knife sharpeners and honing rods, baking equipment, and takeaway containers (for leftovers), but these are less likely to be selected.
Stock up on popular non-perishable foods
I’m not one to pay attention to the “supply chain”, but it seems unstable at best. If you know you’re going to need canned squash, or Jiffy baking mix, or frozen dough, or French-style fried onions, or any other non-perishable Thanksgiving staple, grab them from a regular grocery store and stash them away. This will help spread the cost of The Big Meal so you don’t have to worry about that pesky supply chain sabotaging your menu at the last minute.