Thanksgiving in Your 20s, 40s, 60s

Fashion magazines tell you how to dress your age; here we tell you how to cook your age—experiment in your twenties, make dishes ahead of time in your forties and luxuriate in your sixties. We’re not sure these generalizations are true, but we hope you agree that the three menus are fantastic.

Thanksgiving in your 20s

For her irrevent take on the holiday, Melissa Rubel looks to India, with yogurt-marinated turkey breast and curried butternut squash.

• Mango-Rose Water Cocktail
• Indian Popcorn
• Pumpkin and Yellow Split Pea Soup
• Indian-Spiced Turkey Breast
• Fragrant Cauliflower in Tomato Sauce
• Toasted-Coconut Basmati Rice
• Curry-Roasted Butternut Squash and Chickpeas
• Chai-Spiced Caramel Fondue
• Holiday Wines

Thanksgiving in your 40s

For Grace Parisi, Thanksgiving means family and plenty of kids, so her meal is easy to make, with a classic turkey and stuffing.

• Potato Chips with Chèvre, Pepper Jelly and Bacon
• Roasted Turkey with Italian Sausage Stuffing
• Honey-Glazed Roasted Root Vegetables
• Green Salad with Tangy Mustard Vinaigrette
• Roasted Garlic-Parmigiano Broccoli
• Mashed Potatoes with Horseradish Cream
• Creamed Spinach with Buttery Crumbs
• Pumpkin Cake with Caramel–Cream Cheese Frosting
• Holiday Wines

Thanksgiving in your 60s

Marcia Kiesel’s Thanksgiving meal is elegant and luxe, with delectable recipes like roasted capon and fig-and-prosciutto stuffing.

• Smoked Mozzarella Spread with Flatbread Crackers
• Mussel-and-Spinach Bisque
• Roasted Capon with Fig-and-Prosciutto Stuffing
• Smoky Kale and Olives
• Green Beans with Shallots and Walnuts
• Sweet Potatoes with Apple Butter
• Cranberry Sauce with Spiced Pumpkin Seeds
• Chestnut-Chocolate Mousse
• Holiday Wines

For more great Thanksgiving recipes, menus and pairings, go to our Thanksgiving section.

Published November 2007