"The king and high priest of all festivals was the autumn Thanksgiving. When the apples were all gathered and the cider was all made, and the yellow pumpkins were rolled in from many a hill in billows of gold, and the corn was husked, and the labors of the season were done, and the warm, late days of Indian Summer cam in, dreamy, and calm, and still, with just enough frost to crisp the ground of a morning, but with warm traces of benignant, sunny hours at noon, there came over the community a sort of genial repose of spirit -- a sense of something accomplished."
- Harriet Beecher Stowe
Welcome to the November issue of Seasoned Cooking. November is a month of celebration. The busy days of summer and fall harvest give way to the busy days of preparing feasts, planning parties and giving gifts. It's a time to celebrate the year's accomplishments and contemplate those yet to be found before the year's over. In this spirit of celebration, we're bringing you more than just the traditional Thanksgiving turkey. We're pulling out all of the stops and offering you our best for making your holiday celebrations something extra special.
We start out our issue tour with a special stroll down memory lane to drop in at Momma Gert's for a traditional Southern Thanksgiving. If that visit leaves you feeling hungry, it only seems appropriate to continue our journey by checking out Phil's International Flair to get the recipe for Honey Turkey and all the fixings. You'll also want to visit Momma Gert's Place for all the wonderful sweet things that find their way to the table too. Victoria's Vegetarian Victuals reminds us that Thanksgiving without a bird is not only possible, it can be done with a microwave! Imagine, taking a delightful dinner from your microwave to your table and not even missing good 'ol Tom Turkey!
Speaking of tables, there's more than just food gracing them during the holidays. If you're feeling a little overwhelmed by the thought of arranging flowers for your table, check out the ultimate flower arranging guide featured this month. Center Stage Florals covers all the basics and gives you last-minute tips that will make your holiday entertaining seem like a snap! There are even photos there to help you start, but the sky's the limit after that.
Finally, the answer to the question that plagues everyone the day after Thanksgiving: What can I do with the leftovers? Land of Leftovers shifts into full gear with hints, tips and recipes to give all that turkey the makeover of a lifetime. You'll be finished with it before your family knows what's fed them!
That's just a hint of what's in store in this month's issue. We're also offering a focus on food allergies, coffee perfection, a guide to using bay leaves and much more. So, grab a mug of that wonderful apple cider that Harriet Beecher Stowe mentioned above and enjoy! Here's to a seasoned lifestyle.
