Tomato pickers in Immokalee, Florida. Photo: Scott Robertson

As the nation's annual food fest approaches, let's take a moment to express gratitude for farmworkers, the hard-working field hands who grow and harvest the abundance we're about to eat on Thanksgiving.

It's so easy in the food-obsessed Bay Area to focus on whether our D.I.Y., made-from-scratch meals are perfect or if the raw ingredients of our culinary creations have a pristine pedigree.

But enough food narcissism already: let's talk about the plight of the people who make this holiday possible.

Some food for thought:
• Check out the videos from the recent conference TedxFruitvale: Harvesting Change hosted by the foundation wing of the sustainable-food focused Bon Appétit Management Company (BAMCO). The event, held at Mills College in Oakland, revealed in sharp relief and from first-hand accounts the back-breaking labor of those in the fields, many of whom are still exposed to life-threatening pesticides and labor in shocking conditions. But this day-long event was anything but a downer: The program also highlighted farmworker success stories and alternative ownership models to BigAg.

  The well-curated program (hat tip to BAMCO's Maisie Greenawalt, Bonnie Powell, Haven Bourque and crew) featured a diverse group of speakers that went well beyond the usual suspects who typically wax on at such meet ups -- along with great food, good music, and an inclusive vibe. There were breast-feeding activists and Spanish-speaking farmhands and everyone found a place on the stage and at the table.

  Recurring themes from the day: Hard work, determination in the face of adversity, and the importance of family ties, which seems fitting to mention in a Thanksgiving post. Local organic farmers' market regular Maria Catalán, one of the first Latina farm owners in the country, talked about giving back to her community and the pleasures of working with her children, as did Napa grape grower and wine maker Amelia Ceja.

  Adelfo Antonio of Swanton Berry Farm recounted the benefits of working on a unionized organic farm (one with panoramic ocean views, no less). Former farmworker, José Gutierrez, who once toiled alongside his father in the fields now studies agromedicine, so that workers like his dad can have a healthier life. Reporter Roberto Romano simply let his film La Cosecha/The Harvest, which chronicles the plight of three teenage migrant workers, speak for itself.

• Stay tuned for the pending posting of the Edible Education 101 lecture that included Fast Food Nation author Eric Schlosser. Not one to mince words, Schlosser says simply that racism is at the heart of the long history of exploitation and abuse that characterizes farmworkers' struggles. He urges us all to stop being consumers, start being citizens, and take some personal responsibility for what we eat.

  Also speaking that evening, the man Schlosser refers to as the next Cesar Chavez, Lucas Benitez, co-founder of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), an organized group of tomato pickers from Florida who have made great strides in improving simply horrendous living and working conditions for produce pickers. (A detailed account of the squalor, abuse, and danger these workers encounter can be found in Tomatoland by Barry Estabrook, who first brought national attention to this issue in a James Beard award-winning story for the late Gourmet magazine.)

  In the past decade, the CIW's widely cited Campaign For Fair Food has forced major fast food restaurants, food service companies, and tomato growers to agree to a pay increase for workers and a code of conduct that recognizes workers' rights. (Still to come to the table: grocery store chains such as Kroger, Publix, Walmart, and Trader Joe's, see below.) The Oakland-based Just Harvest USA is a CIW partner and works on fair food campaigns close to home.

• Take action: Get to know your local farmers. Visit your favorite farms (a green tour guide has been amazed to discover how many people -- Bay Area residents no less -- have never set foot on a farm.)

  Even heavy hitters like farmer friend Alice Waters, who herself had a recent epiphany about the plight of farmworkers, are showing support for farmworkers' struggles. Waters sent snacks from Chez Panisse to feed protesters at the recent Trader Joe's rally (covered on Bay Area Bites).


Protest march to Trader Joe's for farmworker justice in Oakland. Photo: Wendy Goodfriend

• Try farming: Got what it takes to harvest in the heat under difficult conditions for low pay and no benefits? The United Farm Workers invites American citizens who think immigrant and undocumented farm workers are stealing all the good jobs to sign up for field work as part of their Take Our Jobs campaign, which caught the attention of The Colbert Report, among others, last year.

Have ideas about how to stay connected to farmworkers and their concerns? Bring 'em on below.

Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving.

Not too far back in the past a vegan had very few options for a store-bought holiday main dish outside of a Tofurkey or for recipes beyond a bland grain-stuffed squash. Boy, have times changed! Vegan food companies and vegan foodies have become incredibly creative in inventing "turkey replacements." I've usually gone store-bought in the past, but this year I just can't resist making Karina Allrich's incredibly flavorful Vegetarian Garden Loaf (with a few twists added), not only because it's incredibly delicious, but also because my family includes two vegans, one vegetarian, and a celiac. Karina is a cookbook author and creator of the gluten-free blog, gluten-free goddess, where she has lots and lots of vegetarian and vegan recipes, some inspired by her pre-celiac cookbook, Recipes from a Vegetarian Goddess.

However, if you are still on the lookout for something a little less maintenance, check out this list of delectable store-bought options to make your holiday table thoroughly Tofurkey-less:
• Gardein's Savory Stuffed Turk'y
• Field Roast Grain Meat Co.'s Stuffed Celebration Roast
• Field Roast Grain Meat Co.'s Hazelnut Cranberry Roast En Croute
• Vegetarian Plus' Vegan Whole Turkey (Here's a review of it on vegansaurus.)

Vegan (and Gluten-Free) Garden Loaf with Cranberry-Maple Glaze
(Based on Karina Allrich's Vegetarian Garden Loaf with Maple Apricot Glaze from gluten-free goddess, altered with permission from Karina Allrich.)

Makes: 1 loaf/6 slices
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:
Extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion- red or sweet
2 heaping cups chopped Baby Bella or Cremini mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
5 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves
Sea salt and ground pepper

1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup toasted gluten-free bread or waffle crumbs (I used Vans Wheat/Gluten Free Waffles, which I toasted and then made into crumbs in my food processor.)
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mix -- basil, thyme, oregano, parsley, marjoram
1 teaspoon fresh minced rosemary
3-4 scallions sliced thin
1 baked orange sweet potato or yam, peeled and diced (take it out before it's cooked too much or too soft)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a glass loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper that extends up above the longer sides. When the loaf has baked, and set a bit, you will be able to lift out the loaf in one whole piece.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet and cook the onion until it is translucent. Add the mushrooms and garlic; stir until softened. Add the balsamic vinegar and stir. Add the spinach. Season with sea salt and ground pepper. Stir and cook down until the mixture is soft -- about seven minutes or so.

Spoon the skillet vegetables into a food processor and pulse to make a grainy mixture. Don't over-process it -- you want some texture.

Place the mixture into a large bowl. Add the cooked quinoa, gluten-free breadcrumbs, ketchup, molasses, and olive oil and stir to combine. Add in your dried herbs, rosemary, scallions, and mix to distribute. You want a moist mixture that sticks together when you press it with a spoon. If you need more ketchup to hold it together, add it now, maybe a tablespoon.

Add in the diced sweet potato and fold in gently. At this point, taste the mixture and see if you need to add salt and pepper.

Spoon the loaf mixture into the oiled loaf pan and shape it with moist fingers, pressing it tight into the pan. Smooth the top.

Make your glaze.

Combine:

1/4 cup jellied cranberry sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
A sprinkle of cinnamon and cumin
Hot red chili flakes, to taste

(I made two batches of this to have extra as a drizzle for individual slices of the loaf.)

Pour the glaze all over the top of the loaf.

Tent loosely with a piece of foil. Bake in the center of a preheated oven until heated through and the edges of the glaze are bubbling—about 30 minutes.

Allow the loaf to set for ten minutes, tented with foil. This helps it to settle, and makes it easier to slice. Slice into portions (the loaf yields about 6 slices) and lift out with a thin spatula. Enjoy!

How do you conceptualize your Thanksgiving practice? Do you loll in the warm gravy-filled bathtub of tradition, splashing between the green bean casserole and the marshmallow-topped yams? Do you light out for the territories with Thai-spiced vegan pumpkin soup? Do you skip the whole thing, go out for dim sum, then roast a turkey on Friday just for the joy of standing in front of the fridge, making sandwiches, picking at leftovers or frying up hash? Why Brussels sprouts? And how?

At times like these, a cookbook, an app, the Food Network, even Mark Bittman is not enough. For inspiration, for solace, for getting you through your kitchen's long dark night of the soul, only poetry will do. (Philosophy, the big gun typically aimed at life's meatier questions, is distressingly silent on crucial issues like do I brine or do I fry?) For all the koan-like beauty of his work, poet Wallace Stevens never made the most obvious suggestion to readers of Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird, one known to every kid since their days of playground double-Dutch: get yourself eleven more birds, mister, and you got yourself a pie.

Not that all poets should bake pies, but, as Grace Paley has pointed out, it's a valid occasional alternative, even for a poet. As Paley writes,

I was going to write a poem
I made a pie instead
...
everybody will like this pie
it will have apples and cranberries
dried apricots in it many friends
will say why in the world did you
make only one

this doesn't happen with poems

So, pace Mr. Stevens, we offer 13 Ways of Looking at a Brussels Sprout, our poem of recipes for you and your pre-holiday kitchen.

I
Among twenty winter squashes
The only moving thing
Was the cleaver heading towards your fingers.

Aida Mollencamp, CHOW, How to Cut Hard Squash

II
I was of three minds
Like a refrigerator
In which there are three slaws.

Mark Bittman, New York Times, Slaws Eight Ways

III
The pureed pumpkin whirled in the coconut milk.
It was a small part of the dairy-free, gluten-free pantomime.

Pim Techamuanvivit, Chez Pim, Pumpkin Panna Cotta

IV
A man and a woman
Are hungry.
A man and a woman and a Brussels sprout salad
Are happy.

Heidi Swanson, 101 Cookbooks, Shredded Brussels Sprouts & Apples

V
I do not know which to prefer,
The beauty of chestnuts
Or the beauty of butter.
The pie coming out of the oven,
Or pie the morning after.

Bay Area Bites, KQED, Chestnut Soup for the Holidays
Bay Area Bites, KQED, Sweet Potato Pie

VI
Pies filled the long window
With buttery shards.
The shadow of you on your bicycle
Crossed it, to and fro, wishing you had pre-ordered your Thanksgiving dessert.
The mood
Traced on the glass
Sugared with longing.

Bay Area Bites, KQED, Food Secrets of Mission Pie’s Karen Heisler and Krystin Rubin
Bay Area Bites, KQED, A Day with 3 Babes’ Bakeshop

VII
O vegan teens of Haight Street,
Why do you imagine golden tofurkys?
Do you not see how the bacon
Whispers to the Brussels sprouts
Of the Whole Foods around you?

Chef Zac Palaccio, New York Times, Fatty ‘Cue Brussels Sprouts
Chef Erik Cosselmon, 7x7, Kokkari's Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Lemon

VIII
I know Burning Man
And its lurid, inescapable rhythms;
But I know, too,
That fried onions in a can are involved
In what I know.

Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Post Punk Kitchen, Vegan Green Bean-Mushroom Casserole
Tori Richie, Tuesday Recipe, Green Beans with Brown Butter and Lemon

IX
When the Brussels sprout rolled under the table,
It came out fuzzied in cat hair
The five-second rule, debatable.

Bay Area Bites, KQED, Food Safety on Thanksgiving

X
At the sight of Brussels sprout leaves
Wilting in a skillet with red grapes and bacon
Even the ennui’d of brassicas
Would cry out sharply.

Chef Rene Ortiz, SF Chronicle, La Condesa's Coles de Brussels

XI
He rode over to the coast
In a Zipcar Mini.
Once, a fear pierced him,
In that he mistook
The false chanterelles
For chanterelles.

Iso Rabins, Forage SF, Wild Mushroom Box

XII
The lard is melting
the pigs must be flying.

Jessica Prentice, Edible East Bay, Cream of Celery Root Soup with Leeks and Lard
Sara Seinberg, Seinberg Holistic Health Coaching, Spicy Cauliflower and Japanese Sweet Potato Soup

XIII
It was dinnertime all afternoon.
The dishwasher was running.
And it was going to run.

(with thanks to Amy Rosenbaum Clark)

Mitch Rosenthal. Photo credit: Paige Green © 2011

Mitch Rosenthal is the chef and owner of three of San Francisco's most beloved restaurants, Town Hall, Salt House, and Anchor & Hope, as well as Irving Street Kitchen in Portland, Oregon. Mitch hails from Edison, New Jersey, and was a chef at the Four Seasons in New York City, Wolfgang Puck’s Postrio in San Francisco, and Paul Prudhomme’s K-Paul’s in New Orleans. Through the years and through many kitchens, Mitch developed an adventurous philosophy not bound to a single cuisine, blending Jewish deli roots with Southern-inspired comfort food, updated regional favorites and urban sophistication.

The recipes for many of his favorite dishes appear in his newly published cookbook, Cooking My Way Back Home (2011, Ten Speed Press), and reflect the Southern exuberance of Town Hall, the contemporary approach of Salt House, and the focus on fresh seafood of Anchor & Hope. The book draws upon Mitch’s 35 years of restaurant experience but is geared toward the home chef—he tested every single recipe in his own home kitchen. Readers can cook up one of the book’s recipes, the Cheesy Rosti Potato Cake, at the end of this piece. Mitch lives in Mill Valley with his wife, Mary, and two children, Eli and Athena.

What do you have planned for Thanksgiving?

We’re having 30 people over at our house, and the menu will probably be a little different this year. We’re thinking of doing the turkey porchetta style: boneless, rolled up with lots of traditional spices, and roasted. This way, we’ll have more time to do other things -- maybe a seafood paella. Both are untraditional for us, we’ve never done this before. Since we’re having a lot of people over and have a pretty small house, we can cook the paella outside over the grill and just roast the porchetta. The porchetta will take less time to cook and be much easier to carve than a traditional turkey. We’re still discussing sides, as the flavors from the fennel and other spices used on the porchetta will change what will go with it. For example, we’ll probably skip the cranberry sauce and use something like Italian mustard fruits instead. But my wife Mary will still make her apple-sausage stuffing, as she does every year.

Please tell the story of closing Salt House and using it for a special Thanksgiving...

It was a disaster. Fun, but a disaster. Originally it was supposed to be a dinner for close friends and family, but then we had people inviting others and suddenly there were about 70 people at dinner. We had to put all of our tables in the restaurant together to fit everyone. The menu was very traditional: roast turkey with all the trimmings, Mary’s apple-sausage stuffing, and cranberry sauce. We did have jambalaya, though, and my brother Steve made his chopped liver, which he does every year. We had a lot of wine. It was fun, but there’s a point when you’re cooking for a group where you start to feel like the hired help instead of the host. I never got to sit down. We had a good time, but it was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Any dishes that have special meaning?

The chopped chicken liver that my brother makes every year is our grandmother’s recipe. It’s in the cookbook. And Mary cooks a lot of recipes that were handed down -- her apple-sausage stuffing is from her mother. We also serve latkes with smoked salmon at Thanksgiving as an hors d’oeuvre, which I learned from Tom Plajanis, the chef at the Jewish deli I worked at in New Jersey. The latke recipe is in the cookbook as well.

How is the book tour going?

The book tour really just started, but I’m always surprised by how many people show up. The biggest surprise so far was probably earlier this month at Powell’s Books in Portland, which was my first big talk during a book signing. I was really nervous, but it was great -- I was able to go on for over an hour talking and had to cut myself off. It’s so easy to talk about food and the stories around it. The other big surprise has been all of the emails I’m getting from long-lost friends, lots from the East Coast. Ever since the cookbook was published, I’m hearing from some great old friends that I haven’t talked to in years.

How did your cookbook come about?

Honestly, I was pushed into writing a cookbook. Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson of Tartine pushed me into it -- they’ve been bugging me for years. The funny thing is that’s how I got into the restaurant business: my mother pushed me into it.

One of the biggest surprises to me while writing the cookbook was how little it affected my marriage. With Mary being a chef, we got into very few fights while testing recipes at home -- basically I just let her be the boss. The big thing about testing recipes at home was that it brought me closer to the overall experience of cooking at home, which was a first. I’ve spent my life cooking in restaurant kitchens, and cooking out of my house brought me closer to the home cook. But I’m hoping that the book will do the opposite for the home chef, giving people the skills for more restaurant-level cooking.

What are you favorite off-night food & drink spots?

The reality is that I don’t go out that often, but when I do, I love R&G Lounge for their salt and pepper fried crab. Or the original Shalimar restaurant in the Tenderloin, for their lamb and spinach stew.

Favorite date night spots?

We like to visit Redd, a friend’s restaurant, in Yountville for special occasions, and have actually been to Aziza a few times in the last couple of months. They have these great vegetable spreads made with charred eggplant and yogurt dill. I had calamari with a saffron sauce that was amazing.

What is your favorite meal to have with friends and/or family?

When I go out to eat we usually go out with my family. We love Tony’s Pizza Napoletana. I always get the Jersey Original, and we always order the meatballs -- they’re amazing. Our new favorite place to eat out as a family is Super Duper burgers. I get the Double. We also love Yank Sing for any of their dumplings -- my kids go crazy there.

Mitch Rosenthal. Photo: Paige Green

Guiltiest food pleasure?

I love it and it’s gross: a Jersey Taylor pork roll. The way they’re made is very specific. It’s pork on a Kaiser roll, topped with fried egg, ketchup and American cheese. You only ever see them in Jersey. They’re so bad for you that I rarely eat them anymore, but last time I was in Jersey I had one.

How did you and your wife meet?

Mary worked for me in the kitchen at Postrio. The longer story is that she went on to become chef at the Liberty Café, but we had a mutual friend, Robin, who cooked with us and stayed on in the kitchen after Mary left. Robin thought that Mary and I would make a great couple and told Mary that I kept asking about her, all the while telling me that Mary was asking about me. None of this was true, but she ended up setting us up on a date. True story.

Tell us about your kids? Do they have favorite foods?

My son Eli is 12 and my daughter Athena is 8. Eli’s favorite food is pizza. Athena is a big fan of any soup, especially brothy soup. When they come to Town Hall, Eli has the BBQ shrimp. Athena has a broader palate, and loves ribs, fried chicken and meatballs.

Any advice for cooks during the holidays?

Test dishes you’ve never made before. Like with the Thanksgiving turkey porchetta, which is something we’ve never done, I’m not going to wait until the day-of to figure out the details. Look through what you’re planning to cook and see what you can prepare a day or two early so you’re not cooking everything all at once. Start early, and have a cocktail. Or a beer. And invite people that you like.

Recipe: Cheesy Rösti Potato Cake with Roasted Garlic and Thyme

Serves 6 to 8

2 heads garlic
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large russet potatoes
4 ounces fontina cheese, grated
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F.
to roast the garlic, cut the top off of each head of garlic, about 1/8 of an inch to expose the cloves. Put in a shallow pan and drizzle a tablespoon of the olive oil over each, season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with foil and roast in the oven until cloves are soft and creamy, about 45 minutes to an hour. When done, and cool enough to handle, squeeze the cloves from their papery skin and set aside.

to steam the potatoes, place a collapsible metal vegetable steamer basket in a large heavy-bottomed pot with an inch of water. Bring the water to a boil, add the whole, unpeeled potatoes and steam for 16 minutes. Set the potatoes aside to cool.

It is important that the potatoes are completely cool before continuing. When they are, peel the potatoes and grate on the largest hole of a box grater and season with salt and pepper.

In a bowl, toss together the grated fontina and Parmesan and set aside.

to make the rösti, heat one-half of the oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium heat. Add half of the grated potatoes and distribute them evenly, pushing them down with the spatula and shaping them to the form of the pan. Next layer the roasted garlic cloves evenly on top of the potatoes. Then, layer the grated cheese over the garlic and potatoes in an even circle, leaving about 1/4 inch from the edge of the pan. Pack the cheese down with the spatula, and then sprinkle with the chopped thyme, and cover with the remaining half of the grated potatoes, making sure to cover the garlic and cheese completely and evenly. Pack it down and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the potatoes are crispy and golden brown. When ready, turn the rösti over. This can be accomplished using either a spatula, a quick flick of the wrist, or by turning it out onto a plate, and then back into the pan. After it has been flipped, cook for 5 more minutes, then slip the pan into the oven for another 5 minutes. Slice and serve immediately.

“Reprinted with permission from Cooking My Way Back Home: Recipes from San Francisco’s Town Hall, Anchor & Hope, and Salt House by Mitchell Rosenthal, copyright © 2011. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.”

Thanksgiving works a little differently for us vegans and vegetarians. We also love to celebrate and give thanks with those closest to us. We also love to share a grand meal and reflect on the past year. We also love pie.

What we do differently is not just swap out the meat with a squash or a store-bought substitute. We also make sure to think about the hundreds of millions of birds who are slaughtered each year during this time and give thanks to the individuals at sanctuaries around the country who take in the more fortunate. We thank the restaurants who cater to our lifestyle of compassion. And we thank the animals who make our lives richer, funnier, eye-opening, and loving.

Below is a list of events happening in the area to celebrate Thanksgiving AND the turkeys, plus options on places to order a vegan meal and desserts:

1. November 12: Join Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary for Toast for the Turkeys in honor of the rescued turkeys at the sanctuary.

   
   Two of the residents at Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary, Bill and Sierra. Bill was found wandering the streets of Berkeley before being pickup by Animal Control. He is a gentle giant with the manners of a perfect gentleman. He spends his days gracing the green pasture with his buddy, Sierra. Photo Credit: Christine Morrissey

   The event, sponsored by such Bay Area establishments as Cinnaholic, Vegansaurus, D.O.V.E. Distributors, and Rainbow Grocery will also feature a “Humane Harvest” vegetarian food drive, to benefit the Emergency Food Bank of Stockton/San Joaquin.

Check out this video from last year's Toast to the Turkeys:

2. November 19: Take part in Farm Sanctuary’s annual Celebration FOR the Turkeys which features a vegan feast, musical performance, guest presentations, and the most adored of all – the Feeding of the Turkeys celebration, where the turkeys are the center of attention and dine on squash, pumpkin pie, and cranberries (on silver platters of course!).

   
   Me bonding with a turkey at the 2009 Feeding of the Turkeys. They are incredibly friendly animals and love to socialize and be petted!

   This year’s guests will include vegan writer and chef Colleen Patrick-Goudreau and Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter and the new Biz & Livia Stone Foundation, who became vegan after visiting Farm Sanctuary. You will also be able to tour the farm and visit with all the other animals. I was taken to the Celebration FOR the Turkeys for my 30th birthday, and it was the best birthday I ever had (good job, husband!).

   
   Two turkeys enjoying their feast of pumpkin and veggies. At factory farms, turkeys' beaks and toes are clipped (without anesthesia), so these guys have a little trouble eating without getting messy. But they definitely still enjoy the feast that so many turkeys don't get to experience.

   Farm Sanctuary (who recently took in 25 baby turkeys from a factory farm that were dumped on their doorstep) truly changes your perspective on farm animals as you spend time with them, experience their different personalities, and watch them thrive in a free and loving environment. [If you can’t make it, consider sponsoring a turkey!]

3. November 24: Join Café Gratitude (who recently opened a location in LA!) for their annual vegan Free Thanksgiving Meal, where this super compassionate establishment gives back with a feast served by volunteers from the community.

   
   Cafe Gratitude's Annual Free Thanksgiving Meal. Photo Credit: Cary Mosier
   
   If you prefer to stay in, you can still experience some Gratitude on your table by ordering a pie to go. Their desserts are seriously delicious (and probably the most healthy you’ll ever eat). It's sure to please vegans and omnis alike.

4. Order your vegan holiday meal from Souley Vegan, everyone’s favorite vegan soul food restaurant! This year the offerings include Southern fried tofu, roasted garlic mashed potato with gravy, and cornbread dressing, among other delicious options. You can also order pies and cheesecakes.

   
   Photo Credit: Souley Vegan

   Check out their homepage for a link to the menu and ordering instructions (order must be received by November 21).

5. Cinnaholic is promising some exciting holiday flavors this year, including pumpkin spice and egg nog frostings, and toppings like gingersnaps, candy cane pieces, and peppermint “Oreos.”

   
   Photo Credit: Michael Lang/Cinnaholic

   They’ve also teamed up with the aforementioned Harvest Home Sanctuary to celebrate the Toast to the Turkeys by donating, for the entire month of November, 50% of all Baby Bun sales to help out with feeding, housing, and general care for the animals.

And if you are simply looking for a way to complete your holiday table with something sweet, here are a few other places to check out for ordering Thanksgiving desserts:

Wholesome Bakery: Try their Sweet Potato Pecan Baby Pies
Rainbow Grocery: They always have an assortment of vegan treats from various local bakeries.
Mission Pie: They're offering a Vegan Apple-Cranberry crumb-top pie this year for Thanksgiving.
Fat Bottom Bakery: You can special order some Pumpkin Cupcakes with vegan cream cheese frosting.
Idle Hands Baking Company: Try their Spice Cake (gluten-free option available) or Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Sweet Potato Pancakes with Persimmons

Black Friday. A holiday for bargain-hunters, early birds, and those stricken temporarily insane from the incredible savings. Shop 'til you drop (or shop 'til someone dropkicks you for the last iPad /vacuum cleaner/Sing-a-Ma-Jigs).

This year, I'm going to pass on the lines and the crowds of shopping zombies with their deal-crazed eyes. No 4 am doorbuster for me. No, this girl is going to be sleeping in and waking up to a leisurely breakfast. It will be a shocker if I even change out of my PJs while the sun is still shining.

Like you, I'll most definitely have a little tower of Tupperware looming in my fridge. No doubt there will be sweet potatoes in the mix – sweet potato casserole, sweet potato pie, maybe even a baked sweet potato or two. Mash some up (go ahead, include the marshmallows if you must) and combine with the ingredients for your pancakes. Voila! Sweet Potato Pancakes. Your first Thanksgiving leftovers makeover meal of the day is complete.

With some butter and maple syrup coursing through your veins, you are now primed and ready to shuffle your fuzzy slippers on over to the computer and celebrate Black Friday online. Just because you've sworn off the crowds, doesn't mean you need to miss out on all the deals. Welcome to the wonderful world of e-commerce:

Amazon: Amazon has been offering Black Friday Lightning Deals all week, with free shipping to boot. Pick up that cookbook/breadmaker/smoker you've had your eye on. If you are so inclined to face the crowds, arm yourself with Amazon's new free iPhone app called Price Check, which allows users to make in-store price comparisons by scanning the barcode of a product, taking a picture of an item, or saying the product's name into the phone. If the item is listed on Amazon, the app will display prices sorted from lowest to highest, and allow customers to purchase it right there.

Macy's: Admittedly, the puppies and kitties in the window at the Union Square Macy's are adorably cuddly, but they'll be there until January 2nd so no need to bum rush them on the busiest shopping day of the year. Black Friday deals will be sold both online and in stores. If you're in the market for some spiffy new kitchen appliances: Cuisinart 7-Cup Food Processor (on sale for $69.99, reg. $149.99) and KitchenAid Classic Stand Mixer (on sale for $179.99, reg. $299.99).

Etsy: Online marketplace for the homespun and artsy fartsy, find the best Black Friday deals on Etsy by searching the term "Black Friday Etsy" on the site. Of note: if you're looking for a unique, quirky foodie gift, this is a good place to start.

Best Buy: The same products promoted in its Thanksgiving Ads will be available online. Best Buy is also offering free shipping on online orders through Dec. 21, excluding laptops, iPads, iPods and some major appliances.

Apple: Even the almighty Apple is hopping on the Black Friday gravy train this year. For one day only, select items will be on sale at Apple stores and online.

To get the skinny on more Black Friday deals, check out Black Friday Online.

*****
Sweet Potato Pancakes
Have some sweet potatoes left over from Thanksgiving? Remix it into this breakfast treat!

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups milk
½ cup mashed sweet potato
1 egg
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation:
1. Preheat your oven to 200 F (to keep the pancakes warm as you finish each batch).
2. Whisk together in a large bowl the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Whisk together in another bowl the wet ingredients: milk, sweet potatoes, egg, melted butter, and vanilla.
4. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and gently whisk them together until just combined (don't overmix).
5. Cook pancakes on a hot, buttered griddle or frying pan until the top of the pancakes bubble a bit, then flip and cook until the underside is lightly browned.
6. Keep warm on a foil-lined baking sheet in the warmed oven until all the batter has been used up. Serve with butter and maple syrup.

USDAFoodSafety: Let's Talk about Cooking a Turkey

What do you think of when you hear the word Thanksgiving? A Normal Rockwell family sitting down to eat their big shiny turkey? Pilgrims and Native Americans eating corn together? Or a loud boisterous family trying to cook and eat together while they bicker, laugh and get in each other's way?

If the latter, then your idea of Thanksgiving is refreshingly grounded in reality. But along with the family and friends bringing various plates and drinks into your house for the big holiday meal, you have to also consider the food safety issues related to feeding all those loved ones safely.

Now I don't want to be a downer, but if there's any day during the year when you might accidentally spread some bacteria or make someone sick, it’s Thanksgiving. But keeping your meal safe for your family and guests isn’t difficult if you take a few proactive steps. Following are some easy food safety guidelines for not only the holiday meal, but every day throughout the year.

Please note that I won't discuss how to purchase or store a raw turkey because at this point (as today is Thanksgiving) that ship has sailed. If you would like information on this topic, however, go to the USDA's Poultry Preparation web page.

And because this isn't the most festive topic, here's that old Saturday Night Live skit of Dan Ackroyd playing Julia Child to get you into a merry mood first. In it, poor Julia definitely needs some food safety tips.

And now for those safety tips:

Maintaining a Clean Work Area

Preparing a Thanksgiving dinner can be a messy endeavor, but you'll find that keeping your hands and work area clean is the key to success if you want to keep everyone safe. So be sure to:

• Clean your work area thoroughly before starting to handle the turkey. Although you may be literally up to your ears in food that needs to be dealt with, you should remove everything from the area where the raw turkey will be handled.
• Don't place raw meat on a porous surface (such as wood or grout). If you don't have a solid non-porous surface to work with, place a large plastic cutting board down for your work area or line the counter with layers of foil.
• Use separate cutting boards for raw and cooked foods.
• After handling the turkey, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly in warm soapy water. And don’t’ be lazy. If you handled the turkey and then need to go to the refrigerator to pull our some butter or herbs, don't just quickly wipe off your hands before opening the refrigerator as any bacteria on your hands will be transferred to the dish towel and then the refrigerator handle and anything else you touch. Best to wash your hands every time you have to touch anything other than the turkey and its ingredients during the process.
• Set aside any herbs, salt or spices that you will use when preparing your turkey. So if you're using a dried spice, don’t handle the container throughout the preparation process. Rather you should set some in a bowl before you start for use. Throw out anything unused in the bowls when you’re done.
• Be sure to clean your workspace with hot soapy water when you’re finished and toss any used dish towels in the wash.

How to Treat Stuffing
• Keep any wet ingredients refrigerated until ready for use.
• Stuff the bird moments before baking. Don't stuff it early in the day (or the day before) and then leave refrigerated (or worse yet at room temperature). Stuffing can easily harbor bacteria, so be sure to keep it fresh until it goes inside the turkey.
• Don't overpack the stuffing in your turkey as it will take longer to cook than the bird if you do this (which will dry out the turkey meat). So be sure to stuff loosely.
• Make sure your stuffing is nice and moist as the oven's heat will destroy bacteria more rapidly in a moist environment.
• Cook the stuffing until it is at least 165 degrees (just like the turkey).
• Remove the stuffing when you take the turkey out of the oven.

Tip: If the bird seems fully roasted but the stuffing still isn’t 165 degrees, remove the stuffing from the bird and continue baking in a separate dish. Also make sure the turkey cavity is 165 degrees before taking it out of the oven.

Note: The USDA actually prefers that people don’t stuff the bird, but I love the flavor of the turkey drippings in the stuffing so I disregard this advice. If you do stuff, however, be safe.

For more information on stuffing, check out the ridiculously informative stuffing safety page on the USDA web site.

How Long to Cook Your Turkey
Here are the USDA's recommended cooking times:

The Temperature of Your Bird
The USDA has determined that the internal food temperature for your turkey should be at least 165 degrees. Be sure to check various locations of the bird before taking it out of the oven as white and dark meat cooks differently. Also, be sure to take an internal temperature (i.e., inside the cavity of the turkey).

Note: The turkey will continue to cook as it rests, so if you feel sure everything will reach 165 degrees when tenting on the counter, you can take it out at about 160 degrees (I do). But please be sure to take the temperature after 5-7 minutes to make sure you get to 165 (especially if feeding kids and pregnant women).

What to Do When You Remove the Turkey From the Oven
• Immediately remove the stuffing and set in a separate dish. If the stuffing has reached 165 degrees you can set aside covered. If not, set the dish in the oven to continue baking until it reaches the designated temperature.
• Let the turkey rest for at least 15-20 minutes. If you need to use the pan to make gravy, just set the turkey on a large dish or plastic cutting board and tent with foil.
• When carving the turkey, look to make sure pink juices are not present. If they are, you have misjudged the turkey’s temperature and it needs to be cooked more fully.

During the Big Meal
• Don't leave any meat, stuffing or gravy on the counter for longer than 2 hours. If you have food on the counter that you do not intend to use during the meal, quickly store it in the proper container and set in the refrigerator for later use. According to the USDA web site: "Scientists have found that after 2 hours at room temperature, bacteria can multiply on foods to high enough levels to cause illness."
• If you do leave food out, you will need to toss any turkey, gravy or stuffing that is left at room temperature for over 2 hours.
• If you have an all-day buffet, keep part of the turkey, gravy and stuffing in the refrigerator instead of putting the whole thing out to sit for hours. Presenting smaller amounts to your guests will allow you to make sure the food isn't sitting around too long.

Storing Leftovers
• Remove all the meat from the turkey and store in small portions in either ziplock bags or containers in the refrigerator or freezer. Do NOT set the entire turkey on a plate in the refrigerator as different parts of the bird cool at different rates.
• Use refrigerated turkey and stuffing within 3 to 4 days. Use gravy within 1 to 2 days. If you think you won’t use it this quickly, freeze.
• If freezing leftovers, use within 2 to 6 months for best quality.

Non-Turkey Safety
• Thoroughly cook anything that uses eggs (especially if you're cooking for kids or pregnant women).
• Refrigerate anything made with eggs, dairy or meat until ready to use and then after use.
• If traveling to a relative or friend's house with your own prepared dish, be sure to set it in a cooler if the food needs to be refrigerated and the trip will take over an hour.
• Place all perishable foods in the refrigerator within two hours.

And if you're really in a fix, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline toll free at
1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854)

What are the pros and cons of brining a turkey? What is the secret to perfect pie crust? On the day before Thanksgiving, food scientist and New York Times "Curious Cook" columnist Harold McGee joined Forum's Dave Iverson in the studio to answer listeners' last minute cooking questions.

Host: Dave Iverson

Guest: Harold McGee, columnist for The New York Times and author of "On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen" and "The Curious Cook: More Kitchen Science and Lore."

Photo by Keelin Czellecz

100 pounds of sugar, 390 pounds of flour, 60 pounds of eggs, and 100 pounds of candy are among the ingredients for a ten foot tall gingerbread house at The Claremont Hotel Club and Spa. Last night at the Resort’s annual Holiday Open House, over 200 guests showed up to see the unveiling of the big gingerbread house. Also on the bill: Santa, carolers, snow, a 1967 Oakland Fire Department Parade engine (with holiday music), servings of hot cocoa, cider, candy canes, ginger cookies, and more. Charity was a part of the event: bins for toy and canned food donations were set up. Guests could also select ornaments from a Giving Tree to make a wish come true for a child in need.

Caroling in front of the Claremont's Gingerbread House

Executive Chef Josh Thomsen oversaw the construction of the gingerbread house, and Pastry Chef Janine Fong was responsible for the baking details. Thomsen said, "The structure takes a day to build. The rest is five days. We changed it up from last year." Thomsen was exuberant about a "homecoming" dinner (Thomsen is an East Coast native) he and his staff prepared recently for the James Beard Foundation in New York City. Thomsen has worked under Thomas Keller at The French Laundry, and was a StarChefs Rising Star Chef this year. Thomsen made sure to pay his respects during the NYC trip, and ate a twenty-three course Per Se dinner that lasted six and a half hours, "longer than the flight!" Thomsen joked. Full disclosure: This writer's brother Josh Ladd was a part of the Beard House crew.

One difficulty Thomsen and Fong ran into is how to replicate the Claremont, since it's "white all over," as Thomsen noted. The gingerbread house was brown in keeping with the gingerbread's natural color. White was used for the windows and surrounding clouds and snow. Claremont Marketing Manager Mickey Khangsengsing said the house's frame was stored with other decorations while Fong and her crew "baked and baked and baked."

Elisabeth Blackburn, age 7, and Ann Smulka admire the gingerbread goodness together.

Small gingerbread houses were created by Claremont club members, and were judged and displayed throughout the lobby. Elisabeth Blackburn, age seven, and Ann Smulka are club members and live nearby. The two were on hand admiring the varied gingerbread creations. Smulka said, "Some of our neighbors were in the competition."

Khangsengsing and other Claremont managers were the judges of the gingerbread houses. Khangsengsing looked for attention to detail. Citing one of her favorite gingerbread houses, she paused and said, "Look at that roof!" made of what appeared to be Necco wafers. "That took a long time to do.' Don't count on eating the results of any of these gingerbread houses, though; it's best to look, but not touch gingerbread that has been sitting uncovered for days.

Full Disclosure: Mary Ladd’s brother Josh Ladd is the Claremont's Executive Sous Chef.

Pumpkin hand pie at The Pie Palace

I often find myself driving to the city or the East Bay to eat out or pick up dessert. Marin has its high points, for sure, but exciting dining options don't rank up there as one of them. But I have to give San Rafael's 4th street proper credit: it's getting more and more interesting with each passing month. We have a great Arizmendi, Sol Food is expanding to an even larger location, and now we've even got pie.

Checking out the selection at The Pie Palace

Owner and baker Leslie Burnside opened The Pie Palace in late summer next to her popular restaurant Theresa and Johnny's. She makes all of the pie fillings in the big restaurant kitchen next door but bakes the pies all on site at The Pie Palace. The little five-seat spot offers sweet and savory hand-pies (although these struck me as almost too large to be called such) each day for $3.75 each. Much like Theresa and Johnny's, this is a sort of no-nonsense spot where, if they sell out of pies, that's it. And they close for the day, so be sure to call to check on the daily selection.

The menu rotates often, but generally they have close to three savory options and two to three sweet pies, all using local and organic ingredients whenever possible. Leslie also makes handmade sodas using fresh juices and flavored syrups. I'd return for the apple fried pie, which was brimming with flavorful fall apples and the perfect amount of subtle spice. And a friend brought me the cabbage and sausage hand pie the other day for lunch: a delicious, filling pocket that kept me going throughout the afternoon. I have to say, I wasn't blown away by the pumpkin pie. I found the filling to be a bit bland and sparse.

Decisions, decisions

I've spent some time trying to figure out Leslie's crusts. They're not uber-flaky like a pure butter crust might be, so I'm guessing she uses a combination of shortening and butter. It's a really good all-purpose, pleasing crust although it's not the most flavorful I've ever had. From what I hear from the folks at The Pie Palace, they're not planning on doing whole, traditional Thanksgiving pies (it's just simply not their gig), but call to chat with Leslie about larger hand pie orders anytime.

The Pie Palace
811 4th St.
San Rafael, CA 94901
(415) 454-8692
Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 11am-7pm*; Fri.-Sat. 11am-9pm*; closed Sundays
* or until pies run out...