Thanksgiving gives us a moment to show gratefulness for the bounty of our food. Stylish presentation not only enhances the table setting but an imaginative presentation will add excitement to the meal. I always try very hard to create an artist design with the table composition. Frequently, many cooks and even some chefs offer “piled-on” dressing. May I suggest putting the dressing into a decorative crown or ring mold (lightly sprayed with no-stick cooking spray) and then plating it on a lovely pre-heated tray. The crown mold and ring mold designs can provide ledges to decorate with fresh cranberries. Smaller molds shapes such as those used for mini fruit cakes can be used to highlight individual servings of dressing.
Try another helpful tip by adding a touch of Chambord liqueur (from the Loire Valley) to your favorite cranberry recipe. This wonderful French liqueur, flavored with black raspberries, infuses the cranberries to delight the palate. Unflavored gelatin can be added (by following the gelatin directions) to your favorite cranberry sauce and then set the cranberry mixture into a mold for a stunning presentation. It takes a little bit more effort to plate food artistically but from the initial joy of the visual appeal, the delectable aroma and then the pleasurable taste, endearing relationships are kindled for those who have gathered during the stylish and thoughtfully planned Thanksgiving meal.
Another special thing that can be done to enhance the family moment is to ask everyone, just after dessert, to write a short time capsule message of what they would like to accomplish in the coming year until next Thanksgiving. The host keeps the messages of the attendees. Have fun the following year by seeing how the participants’ plans stayed on course or deviated. It’s engaging and a great conversation booster that is sure to bring some laughter to the table.