Modelo Presents
Flavor of NYC: Non-Traditional Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is going to be different this year, to say the least. Whether you’ll be spending it with your family or your “found family,” throw tradition out the window, along with that weird canned cranberry sauce, and do something unique this year. Here are a few of our favorite updated takes on Thanksgiving classics, thanks to our friends at Modelo. Get out there and give thanks, leave turkey-day for the birds, ditch the traditional bottle of wine and enjoy a Modelo - available for pick up.
Does anyone really like turkey that much? Somehow it’s usually dry & underdone at the same time, carving is a daunting task, and you end up stuck with lackluster leftovers into the new year. But a roast chicken, that’s a year-round crowd-pleaser—like the succulent and flavorful lemon roast chicken on the Rockaway Hotel’s
Thanksgiving prix-fixe menu.
Speaking of turkey upgrades, why not punch up the poultry power with some duck on your Thanksgiving table? A well-prepared duck is truly worth giving thanks for. Be it a breast or confit, or a little bit of both like the Asian-inspired duck option at Bryant Park Grill, subbing in duck for turkey this Thanksgiving is a tradition we could definitely get used to for years to come.
Who says you can’t say goodbye to poultry altogether? Nothing says “I woke up before the sun came up to start cooking for you” more than a beefy slab of delicious smoked brisket with a beautiful pink smoke ring that literally shows you how good it is. Even better, make sure it’s cooked over a real wood fire like they do at Pig Beach in Gowanus, and don’t skimp on the BBQ sauce.
We can’t think of anything that can take the chill out of a cold November night faster than a steaming cup of French Onion Soup. The only reasonable explanation for why a cup of heartwarming goodness that only caramelized onions, toasted bread and gooey, melty cheese isn’t already a standard on a Thanksgiving table is the time and love it takes to get those onions sweet and soft enough. Luckily, our friends at Pennsylvania 6 have put the time in already, so you can float into toasted gruyere dreams just a few minutes after walking in the door.
If you thought that nothing in the world could match the feeling of gathering around your auntie’s kitchen and snacking all day, you’ve clearly never experienced the pure joy of pouring over a platter of Colombian Picada with good friends. Forget about soggy carrots and bland crudite, and upgrade your smattering of sides for a steaming pile of steak, chicken, sausage. Add in yuca, potatoes and arepas and stack it high like they do at Mansion and you’ve got yourself a recipe for happiness.
