Thanksgiving Wines

A few weeks ago, we posted about some great wines that are just perfect for pairing with those fall flavors. This week, however, we wanted to talk turkey. Well, turkey and all its finery to be more exact, as we dish about some of the best wines for pairing with your Thanksgiving feast.

Typically for turkey, you think a dry white wine should suffice. Good for pairing with your juicy Thanksgiving bird, and you're generally correct. However, depending on the sides you're incorporating into your Thanksgiving feast, your wine selection can broaden accordingly. Additionally, many guests have their own preferences that may run afoul of conventional pairings, so it's best to have a few go-to varieties on hand to suit everyone's palette while still complementing that dinner you worked so hard to prepare.

For the sake of sanity, we made a few suggestions in the following wine categories to help you choose which selections to keep on hand this Thanksgiving. (For the sake of your wallet, it's up to you how many of each variety and at what vintage/price point you choose to enjoy).

the Sparkler

A before dinner warm-up when served with pre-meal relishes and appetizers as well as an all-around celebratory choice, a good sparkling wine is a great Thanksgiving choice. A drier brut is a good option for warming the appetite, and it even pairs quite nicely with the holiday bird.

the White

You have several options in this department. The Sauvignon Blanc is a classic Thanksgiving choice, as it pairs particularly well with not just turkey, but many of the traditional Thanksgiving side dishes too. A drier Gewürztraminer is also a favorite for with those savory holiday flavors, and your sweeter Rieslings can be a crowd pleaser when complementing squashes and other spiced wintry flavors.

the Red

A rich spicy Zinfandel is a great choice for a red Thanksgiving wine. With its bolder flavors, it pairs really well with cranberries and many other Thanksgiving flavors. Other great red options include the Pinot Noir, and if you're so inclined (like us), the Beaujolais. Traditionally released just before Thanksgiving, the Beaujolais Nouveau is not a wine meant to be aged. Its fruity flavors pair well with the larger meal, and it's generally a more approachable red for those non-wineophiles in your life. 

We hope this guide gets you started on making wine selections for your feast. However, if it just seems like too much trouble, you're always invited to join us for our Champagne Thanksgiving Brunch instead! We'll take care of ensuring all your favorites are prepared with the correct wines on hand for you to enjoy them with. 

For more information or for reservations, please contact Chez Daniel at 952-888-4447.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Chez Daniel Thanksgiving Brunch - 2012

It's back! Our bountiful Thanksgiving Champagne Brunch that is! Join us from 10:30am to 2pm on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 22, 2012) for a feast like no other. We'll have all of your traditional Thanksgiving favorites featured alongside our staple brunch offerings.

2012 Thanksgiving

Champagne Brunch Menu

Carving Stations

Roast Turkey with gravy or orange-cranberry sauce

Roast Ham with brown sugar-pineapple glace

Egg benedicts | Hash browns

Waffles with strawberry sauce, whipped cream and syrup

Roasted pork tenderloin with an orange-maple sauce

Green beans with toasted almonds

Sausage & Bacon

Seafood with fennel caper sauce

Homemade pot roast

Sweet potatoes with marshmallows

Butternut squash soup | Roasted garlic mashed potatoes

Omelet Station

Asparagus with house dressing, chopped egg and truffle peelings

Beet and orange salad

Roasted pear salad with candied pecans and Roquefort cheese

Marinated mushrooms

Butternut squash, fingerling potatoes, and scallops salad

Egg salad | Herring | Cheese board 

Fruit tray | Vegetable tray | House pate

Whole poached salmon | Smoked salmon | Shrimp cocktail

Dessert station & Chocolate Fountain

Assorted Desserts | Chocolate & Fruit tarts | Mini Creme Brulee 

Strawberries | Pound cake | Pineapple

Rice crispy treats | Marshmallows

We sincerely hope that you'll join us this Thanksgiving and leave the cooking and cleaning to us, so that you can spend more time with your loved ones! Thanksgiving Brunch is prices as follows:

Adults: $28.95, Kids 5 to 12: $12.95, Kids 4 & under: Free.

To make your party's reservation, please visit Open Table online or call Chez Daniel at 952-888-4447. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Veterans Day

As we in America celebrate our veterans this Sunday, November 11, the French will be doing the same. Just as in the United States, where we honor our veterans on the 11th day of the 11th month at 11:00am, so do the French.

November 11 marked the end of World War I and was originally set apart as Armistice Day, a day of remembrance for those who had served in the first world war. The day then evolved into a holiday that celebrates the remembrance of all who fought and even died as they served to protect France in any war.

Armistice Day is a very serious holiday in France. Most French have the day off work and there are many other commemorative rituals and symbols surrounding the day to honor the memory of the deceased. Just as in many other countries around the world, the French also kick off Veteran's Day with a two-minute "moment of silence".

Then, there are many other ceremonies and commemorations that occur around the country at various battlefields and war memorials, such as the Fort of Douaumont, the location of the Battle of Verdun. Living French veterans and soldiers may even participate in various parades, fully dressed in their military uniforms.

A symbol of the day's significance, the red poppy, symbolizes not just French veterans, but many other countries' veterans as well (including America). Made famous in John McCrae's poem, In Flanders Field, poppies may be worn by veterans or placed on graves in honor of their sacrifice.

This week, we'll close our post with the infamous words of McCrae's poem, a lasting reminder of the price of war and the sacrifice of our soldiers and their families. To the men and women of our armed forces, our gratitude is yours.

In Flanders Fields 

By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918) 

Canadian Army

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow 

Between the crosses row on row, 

That mark our place; and in the sky 

The larks, still bravely singing, fly 

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago 

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, 

Loved and were loved, and now we lie 

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe: 

To you from failing hands we throw 

The torch; be yours to hold it high. 

If ye break faith with us who die 

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow 

In Flanders fields.

La Toussaint & Le Jour des Morts

Happy November! This past week, we celebrated Halloween, All Saints Day (or La Toussant in France), and Le Jour des Morts (All Souls' Day). While Halloween is becoming increasingly popular with the globalization of American holidays and traditions, La Toussaint and Le Jour des Morts are both French through and through.

Halloween in France is celebrated similarly to Halloween in America (when it's actually celebrated); however, many French have boycotted the holiday since there really is no French tradition of celebrating the day in its current form. Only gaining popularity in the last few decades, Halloween was originally promoted by shops and businesses, with the intention being to visit the shops of course. Now, the tradition is celebrated by children going house to house "trick-or-treating" to receive candy and other goodies just as in America.

Celebrated the day after Halloween, on November 1st, La Toussaint is an authentically French holiday. (No American roots here). With origins dating back to the 5th century, La Toussaint began with the Celts celebrating Samhein at the beginning of November. Adapted into the church calendar, it wasn't officially celebrated in its current form, until Pope Gregory IV moved the holiday from May 13th and dedicated the day for the celebration of saints. Marked by the lighting of candles in cemeteries and decorating graves with chrysanthemums, La Toussaint is a day set apart for honoring the mother of God and all of the saints.

Then, the evening of La Toussaint also marks the eve of Le Jour des Morts, or the Day of the Dead, a day set apart for honoring the deceased. During this time, French churches are draped in black and people will commonly visit the graves of deceased loved ones to pray or sing. Additionally, some French will even host parties in remembrance which are highlighted with a special feast at midnight.

If you ever get a chance to be in Paris over La Toussaint, make sure you set aside time to visit the Pere-Lachaise Cemetary, which is one of the most famous cemeteries in all of France. Established by Napoleon I in 1804, it is the final resting place of many famous and historical figures worldwide and encompasses 110 acres of Parisian real estate.

However, don't be surprised if it's quite crowded, as La Toussaint and Le Jour des Morts are both French National holidays and fall during the time French children have a multi-week holiday off of school.

Have you ever celebrated All Saints Day, the Day of the Dead, or a similar holiday? We'd love to hear about it in the Comments' section below.