Cookbook Chronicles: Giving Thanks
Thanksgiving celebrates a successful harvest and the things from this year we are thankful for. This November we’ve combined both ideas to give thanks to our favorite restaurants and their skilled workers. The best way we thought to accomplish this was to put ourselves in their shoes and cook up their beloved recipes in our own homes. All of the cookbooks referenced below are available for purchase if you’d like to try it for yourself or give it as a gift with the winter holidays just around the corner!
Phoenicia Diner: Biscuits & Gravy
Written & Prepared by Chris Nervegna
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And yes, I do include Thanksgiving in that time frame as well. There is nothing better than getting together with all your friends and family, eating and drinking, and being thankful for each other’s company. But before all the festivities begin and guests arrive, we still need to feed ourselves, and what better way to do that than with some Biscuits & Gravy. One of my favorite cookbooks that we keep in our kitchen is the Phoenicia Diner cookbook. If you’ve ever been to Upstate New York, or know people who have visited, then you’ve DEFINITELY heard of the Phoenicia Diner.
So what we like to do in our family is to get up early on Thanksgiving, and whip up some breakfast for our guests to wake up to. Recently, I’ve been making the Biscuits & Gravy recipe from their cookbook. In less than an hour, you have the most savory and delicious breakfast to start the day, giving you fuel and energy for the remainder of the day. The grandparents love it, the kids love it, and I love it too, especially for how simple it is.
Looking for the perfect gift for that special someone this year? Consider the Phoenicia Diner cookbook and let all your friends and family know how much you love them. Purchase one here.
Don Angie: Pinwheel Lasagna
Written & Prepared by Kayla Scheidel
For my family, Sundays during the holiday season hold a special place in our hearts. It’s a time when we come together in the kitchen to plan our feast for the day or, truthfully, begin to stress about how the Thanksgiving or Holiday meal will go. The star of these Sunday gatherings is usually some form of our take on an Italian dish. If you ask my dad, a Sunday feast is only complete with a rich, flavorful red sauce.
Knowing this, I wanted to find something a bit more unexpected to bring to the Scheidel Thanksgiving that reflects our Sunday rituals. It only felt fitting to explore a recipe from the one and only… Don Angie cookbook, and for those who know, what’s more Don Angie than trying to recreate their beloved Pinwheel Lasagna?
As someone who has yet to be able to try this dish in person, it lived up to all of my expectations. The rich and sweet sauce pairs perfectly with the mozzarella and béchamel, and we can’t forget about the crispy edges of the noodles. If I were to create this dish again, I’d do a few things differently to get it closer to the refinement of Don Angie’s presentation. For example, patience is crucial! Let everything cool down before you begin rolling. I’d also recommend investing in better pasta noodles; their width really changes the presentation, but overall, I’d give my first attempt a 7/10! Each pinwheel is the ideal indulgence for one person, making it perfect for gatherings and sharing. So, if you’re looking to join me in recreating this recipe for the holidays or want to explore the many other Don Angie classics, go check out their cookbook here. It makes a great gift!
Bubby’s: Cinnamon Raisin Challah
Written & Prepared by James Coviello
Known throughout New York City for their made from scratch dishes, Bubby’s opened on Thanksgiving Day of 1990. Over 30 years later, I am using their recipes to provide my own family with a Thanksgiving dessert. While I used their brunch cookbook, Bubby’s also sells an entire cookbook dedicated to just their pies if you’re feeling adventurous. I instead landed on what at the time seemed like an easier feat: cinnamon raisin challah bread.
“It’s not the tools, it’s the baker”, is something you could’ve found me muttering to myself repeatedly in the kitchenette of my studio apartment while attempting this recipe. Despite my optimism, there were some factors that may have contributed to a less than perfect challah bread. The recipe calls for a stand mixer and I was only equipped with a hand mixer, which wasn’t ideal when you have at least 10 minutes of mixing to do. Quite humorously, it also warns you to use steel bowls but I only had access to plastic, which did indeed crack.
Although I am an inexperienced baker, I was impressed that I ended up with a final product that looked appetizing. The braiding isn’t perfect but I did rely on a youtube video for that part so please forgive me. I can also personally confirm that it did taste great. It was a little denser than regular challah but I panic added extra flour when my dough was sticky. I think after Thanksgiving I’ll treat myself to Bubby’s homemade challah in person because sometimes you can’t beat the original! At least now I have a fun story to share at the dinner table this turkey day.
