It's a weekend afternoon. My plan is to stop for coffee, get cash from the ATM, and set the GPS to avoid highways. I turn on the radio and set out solo to roads mostly unknown and no farther than 90 minutes away. The goal: return with something unique, lovely, and fresh, purchased from a new-to-me honor system stand.
This routine (now referred to as an Elyse jaunt) traces to the earliest days of the pandemic, when any unnecessary activity outside the home seemed not only frivolous but frightening. Still, wanderlust set in, and I craved time alone and unplugged, so I took Sunday drives on country roads. Spotting the occasional random "Open" flag at a self-serve farm stand was like receiving a hug from humanity.
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A Toast to Relish - Food writer Emily Teel celebrates her family's relish tray tradition and adds a tiny tipple inspired by the briny appetizer.
Some families put out a full spread of appetizers on Thanksgiving, pregaming the feast of the year with snacks, but my family has always taken a simpler approach. The meal is the main event; why should the opening act steal the spotlight? There's a delicate balance to it, however, because a slow start to the feasting can leave people hangry by dinnertime.
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Side SHOW
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Shaking Up Shaker
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Shucks Redux
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PUMPKIN Finale
For most of us, pumpkin pie is the hallmark sweet ending to the holiday feast. Let's break tradition this year. Pumpkin baklava bars, anyone?
