NO PLACE LIKE HOME -- karen wight

Nestled between the thrill of Halloween and the enormity of Christmas is

a sweet little holiday called Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving reminds me of everything good. Families coming together.

Friends sharing each others’ company. Homecoming. I love that relatively

quiet day when all the great things in my life are reinforced.

While you are contemplating your own Thanksgiving traditions, there is an

incredible opportunity happening at Sur la Table in the Corona del Mar

Plaza on Avocado Avenue at 6:30 p.m. this Thursday. Georgeanne Brennan is

introducing the 1999 vintage of Beaujolais Nouveau, often called the

“turkey wine.”

Traditionally, Beaujolais Nouveau is released in the fall and has a

special character that complements the traditional Thanksgiving feast.

Brennan will present the latest edition from France as well as prepare an

incredible menu. Her books include “Potager” and “In a French Kitchen

Garden.”

If you’re looking for some new ideas or just want to enjoy an incredible

evening of food and wine, this is a great chance to do both.

So now that you have enough information to be the Thanksgiving sommelier,

let’s set the mood, beginning with the table. I start a few days ahead of

time, (the dining room rarely sees much action aside from the holidays).

I like to begin with simple white hotel linens. Nothing too fancy. Mine

are from the Williams Sonoma catalog and, aside from the bleach stains

that I am responsible for, they do the job quite nicely.

Then I pull out all the stops: the china and crystal come out of the

cupboards and get a quick rinse, the silver gets a tuneup as well. I like

to use it all -- chargers, dinner plates, salad plates and dessert

plates. Out come the water goblets, wine glasses and sometimes even the

champagne flutes.

Occasionally I need to refer back to my copy of “Joy of Cooking” to see

where all the various paraphernalia goes, but that’s part of the fun.

One of our favorite elements is the napkin. No ordinary napkins at my

table. If, as a child, you ever liked origami, then napkin-folding is in

your future. I have a great book, “Fancy Folds,” which really goes over

the top.

The kids usually want something quite magnificent like sailboats,

preening peacocks or Mexican fans. I usually like a simple bishop’s hat:

fast, easy and it only takes one napkin per setting. One year, we made

swans and it took two napkins apiece and required a fair amount of spray

starch. The napkins had a stiff, water repellent quality to them that

year -- not quite what I had in mind, but then, what price beauty?

Then there is the requisite Oreo cookie and candy corn turkey “sculpture”

that goes next to each place setting. Not high on the sophistication

level, but we’ve been doing this for a long time and can’t seem to let go

of the gooey birds. Some years we really go overboard and make enough for

the neighborhood, literally. I’m not sure what everyone does with these

lovely creations, but we hope they remember it’s the thought that counts.

Place cards are a fun addition, especially if you have a child just

learning to spell things out. It’s a great way to get in some writing

practice, and what could be cuter than a beautiful gold place card set in

a meticulously trimmed baby artichoke with backward letters. Perfect.

Some years we do a grand centerpiece and some years we just spread the

floral wealth all over the table. I think you can find a lot of treasures

in your own yard and then supplement the “bones” with specialty flowers

from the store.

One of my favorite staples are Melaleuca branches trimmed from our trees,

brown seed pods included. I use them as the background “greens.” They

really look quite wonderful when you throw in a few russet-colored roses,

sunflowers and orange lilies.

The kids’ artwork also gets incorporated. We have lots of walnut turkeys

hiding behind goblets trying to frighten the Rothschild Birds, and more

than a few papier-mache balloon turkeys on the buffet table.

Some of these objets d’art are getting a little worn, which only adds to

their charm. Each piece starts a “remember when” story from the kids and

that is as priceless as the turkeys made of outlined hands that have long

since outgrown the original lines.

So rejoice in tradition, set a beautiful table with not only beautiful

things, but also loving memories.

Cook. Eat. Play. Beauty, charm and tradition can peacefully coexist.

Thanks.

* KAREN WIGHT is a Newport Beach resident who owned Wight House Design

for 10 years. Her column runs Saturdays.