Celebrating Beaujolais Nouveau Day In SWFL

Thanks to Georges Duboeuf for sending me a bottle of wine to try for Beaujolais Nouveau Day in SWFL in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Cheers to Beaujolais Nouveau Day, a celebration observed by wine lovers world wide, the third Thursday of November. Georges Duboeuf bottles one of the most well known and easy to find ones and I got to preview it in advance of the big day. This year's release is this week's Fabulous Find.

Beaujolais Nouveau is a wine that dates back to the 1800's. It was made as a way for vintners and workers to celebrate the end of a long and exhausting harvest. The first bottling of the new vintage, it is young and lacks the finesse of other wine made in the Beaujolais region of France.

However, it became fashionable in Paris and the day took on a life of it's own. In the 50's Beaujolais producers would actually compete in a race to see who got their wine to Paris first. The wine arrives other places by horse and carriage. It is quite the celebration for wine lovers.

The wine is meant to be enjoyed in its youth. The bottles often have bright and playful artwork to represent that sentiment. Over the decades, Georges Duboeuf has played a big roll in the ceremony and increased popularity of Beaujolais Nouveau.

For its 2024 Beaujolais Nouveau, Georges Duboeuf handpicked quality Gamay grapes from 20+ year-old vines across the region and uses the classic carbonic maceration technique for a quick fermentation.

The 2024 is a festive, bright ruby color. It's light and fresh with lots of red and black fruit including cranberry. I like to put a slight chill on the wine and producers recommend it as well. It's a fun wine and a fun way to kick-off the weekend a little early today.

It's another one to put on your red wine list for Thanksgiving.

Restaurants and retailers are officially pulling the corks today on Beaujolais Nouveau. Some offer tastings, others have special menus featuring the wine. Best thing to do is check social media or place a call to find out.

The turkey might be the star of the show this holiday, however, it's not the only food item that gets Southwest Floridians excited. It's what accompanies the big bird every year that has mouths salivating. Here are 5 delicious side dishes for Thanksgiving that will leave your guests wanting more.

Every family has their Thanksgiving traditions. Not everyone cooks a turkey. Some families cook several turkeys using a different method for each. Regardless of whether you cook turkey, a leg of lamb or a plant based tofu turkey, filling the table with lots of sides is an important part of giving thanks.

Side dishes for a regular evening or weekend meal are usually thoughtfully planned to integrate flavors and themes. But at Thanksgiving, all rules and common sense food pairings are thrown out the window.

It's a free for all and it's one reason this meal is so beloved. Sure there are staples and they vary from house to house. If you are like me, there are some that are non-negotiable. If they are absent the meal seems incomplete regardless of how much is on the table.

However, I'm always looking for something new to try. It might be a new spin on an old favorite or something that is completely different from what I've made in the past.

Since we are on the countdown to Thanksgiving, my social media feeds are starting to fill up with food. It's getting me excited to sit around the table this year with family and friends and try a couple of these dishes. I threw in a bonus appetizer at the end.

If you don't have a TikTok account, don't worry. I've made it easy by taking these links from mine. Simply scroll down and watch from this post. Some of the recipe details are in the captions so you might have to click to see them in full.

Finally, share these videos and recipes with friends who also enjoy cooking or might be looking for some new side dishes for Thanksgiving this year.

Mashed potatoes are a must at Thanksgiving. Some people also love scalloped potatoes. Heck any kind of potato is appropriate. This is a new twist (at least for me) on a popular dish.

Not everyone likes sweet potato casseroles. But it is a tradition for many households and according to this home cook, once you try this recipe you will be sold.

Cranberries are another Thanksgiving staple. They come from a can, are added to cocktails, put in desserts and now you can use them in a dip. The addition of jalapeño adds an unsuspecting kick. Put on the main table or use for an appetizer.
https://www.tiktok.com/@mazerlazer_/video/7432339249728425259?_r=1&_t=8rDq4MWQyqp

Green bean casserole is another tradition people have a love/hate relationship with. It typically has cream of mushroom soup and is topped with those crispy onions. If it has run its course but you still want a green bean presence, try this one on for size.

This is more on the healthful side of sides. It incorporates a lot of the seasonal vegetables you might be serving. This just tosses them all together.
https://www.tiktok.com/@healthyishfoods/video/7298852494053018926?_r=1&_t=8rDp9JX8nc2

I have to throw this one in for a bonus. It wins a creativity award. Take that tired charcuterie and turn it into table art for a fun appetizer or addition to the buffet.
https://www.tiktok.com/@chefgenevieve/video/7432788714000043310?_t=8rDqgvmCe2E&_r=1