Open wide: it’s casserole time

As we load the car to join my family for Thanksgiving, I can already hear the scrape of the can opener, it’s green bean casserole time.

Cream of mushroom soup, still canned-shaped, slithers out with a plop, “French cut” green beans shimmy forth, and into the mixing bowl go all sorts of other instant goodies. Campbell’s Soup Company made this the go-to dish of the modern woman sometime back and it has lingered on holiday tables ever since. It’s been a Thanksgiving staple in both my and my husband’s families for years, despite our inability to choke it down successfully. This year, we plan to undo it. From the dozens of dressed up versions floating around on food Web sites these days, we chose one that involves shallots, Portobello mushrooms, heavy cream and sherry. Frizzled leeks replace good ol’ Durkee onions. Praise the Lord.

Cheese doofus diary No. 5

Mimolette

While its name sounds dainty and precious, Mimolette is a sturdy cheese that loves beer. If you like cheddar, but wish it went in a spicier, more pungent direction, give it a try.

Farmers’ market update

Last weekend’s Red Stick Farmers’ Market was alive with all requisite holiday produce (sweet potatoes, green beans, greens), but there was also a decent amount of good looking strawberries and plump second crop tomatoes. Head there Saturday for more.

Pairing the Feast

There’ll no whites at my table this year. I’m off to Calandro’s (their prices beat Whole Foods) to pair the bird and all its trimmings with a Sangiovese or Zinfandel. Will report back next week on how it worked.

Happy Thanksgiving, food lovers.