I have been, up until very recently, a "Thanksgiving Traditionalist", in that I loudly proclaimed that one should muck around with the traditional basics.

But last year, I changed my tune. We had a dinner based around Stanley Tucci's timpano instead of turkey (yes, the famous timpano from the movie BIG NIGHT). That was a big success.

This year, because I have some very dear friends who are vegetarians and who kind of slink away when anyone discusses Thanksgiving traditional dishes, I wanted to make dinner with their needs/desires squarely in mind, so I am doing a completely vegetarian menu. I generally despise "meat analogues", so no, we're not having tofurkey. So, here's the menu:

• velouté de châitagnes (chestnut soup)
• Spanish tortilla (the potato dish, not the Mexican flatbread)
• my grandmother's green bean casserole (very unique, not-what-you-expect, nod to tradition)
• roasted root vegetables (catch-all, probably rutabagas, turnips, parsnips, etc...)
• Jacque Pepin's "easy" corn soufflé
• a massive onion-mushroom tarte tatin as the centerpiece (onions, mushrooms, gorgonzola, walnuts, butter, pastry crust)
• fresh homemade pickles (various)
• fresh homemade bread (baguettes, sourdough boules, etc)
• risalamande (Scandinavian rice pudding)

I am probably forgetting something. Guests are bring desserts and wine (one is a L3 sommelier, never disappoints).