If you’re a longtime fan of “Barefoot Contessa,” you’re probably well-acquainted with Ina Garten’s signature and iconic catchphrase: “How easy is that?” It underscores Garten’s prevailing mission to simplify even the most daunting tasks with style, whether that’s preparing a spatchcocked chicken for weeknight dinners, savoring a jumbo glass of Cosmopolitan during an at-home cocktail hour, or hosting the perfect Thanksgiving dinner. In anticipation of the annual holiday, we could all use some of Garten’s expert tips and tricks to whip up the perfect menus for a smooth sailing, memorable Thanksgiving celebration.
In her recent Substack post titled “Thanksgiving at my house, part 1!” Garten shares how she puts together and plans her make-ahead menu before turkey day. She also shares her favorite Thanksgiving wines.
Here’s how to celebrate Thanksgiving, Garten style.
Don’t wait until the last minute to prepare your turkey — and sides
Perhaps the cardinal sin in Garten’s Thanksgiving guidebook is waiting until the very last minute to prepare and serve your Thanksgiving meal. “There’s no such thing as an effortless Thanksgiving,” Garten told Bon Appétit in 2022. “You just have to be strategic about it.”
Prepping your menu doesn’t have to — and shouldn’t — be an arduous endeavor. Garten recommends dry-brining your turkey at the beginning of Thanksgiving week. She offers her tried-and-tested recipe for Make-Ahead Roast Turkey, which also includes an easy Gravy with Onions & Sage. “There are more important things to think about on Thanksgiving than worrying about a lumpy gravy!” Garten writes on her Substack.
For sides, Garten suggests her Leek and Artichoke Bread Pudding and Make-Ahead Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes, which can be covered and refrigerated for up to two days, then baked before Thanksgiving day. Garten’s Sautéed Shredded Brussels Sprouts are a quick yet hearty side dish that can be made just hours before serving.
And lastly, for dessert, Garten serves up her Pumpkin Flan with Maple Caramel, which can be prepared and refrigerated in the pan for up to three days.
Try your hand at making a homemade pie crust
Yes, store-bought pie crust is convenient, consistent and efficient, but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily better than homemade crust. When it comes to taste, homemade pie crust takes the top prize. It’s also buttery and oh-so rich — a delicious flavor profile that most store-bought pie crusts simply can’t achieve.
Garten’s recipe for homemade pie crust is straightforward and guaranteed to turn out perfect every time (just take it from Business Insider’s Paige Bennett, who wrote, “I’ve followed a few Garten pie recipes before, and I remember liking her easy-to-make crust. That memory held true”). All you’ll need are six ingredients: diced unsalted butter (Garten says it needs to be “very cold”), all-purpose flour, kosher salt, sugar, vegetable shortening (which also needs to be “very cold”) and ice water.
To start, pulse the flour, salt and sugar together using a food processor. Add the butter and shortening and pulse until the butter is the size of peas. Pour in the ice water while the food processor is running. The finished dough should form a ball, Garten explains. Roll the dough into a ball on a board sprinkled with flour, then wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Want more great food writing and recipes? Sign up for Salon’s free food newsletter, The Bite.
How you utilize the dough in preparation for assembling your pie depends on the kind of pie (or pies) you’re baking. According to Garten’s recipe, the chilled pie dough should have visible specks of butter when it’s rolled out. Garten’s recipes for a Maple Pecan Pie and an Ultimate Pumpkin Pie with Rum Whipped Cream only include a bottom crust. Her Deep-Dish Apple Pie calls for both a bottom and top crust.
No Thanksgiving feast is complete without wine
In the words of Garten, “Since turkey day is, after all, an American holiday, I often opt for an American wine — say, a light red pinot noir from the Sonoma Valley,” she writes on Substack. Garten also likes to serve a Morgon and for white wine options, she suggests a Meursault or Montrachet.
Dessert deserves its own wine pairings, too. Garten loves Perrier-Jouët Champagne or an Italian Prosecco.
“Clinking of glasses is encouraged!” she says.
Don’t forget to set the table
In Season 2, Episode 10 of “Barefoot Contessa,” Garten shares her tips for setting the Thanksgiving table. Her first tip is to use a waterproof runner underneath your favorite tablecloth, so your table stays protected from any spills and stains. She then adds square-shaped plates, plain silver cutlery, wine glasses and orange napkins. Garten arranges fresh orange tulips in drinking glasses and sets them along the middle of her table. In between the flowers, she adds plates of orange clementines for an extra pop of color and mini, unscented candles for a hint of sparkle. Garten takes her decor a step further by using pumpkin-shaped cookies as individual name cards.
“It’s simple, it’s stylish,” Garten says. “I think the orange always looks so festive.”
Garten offers additional table-setting ideas, including those with pumpkins, candy corn, chocolate-covered caramels and pears.
