New York Times food writer Julia Moskin once wrote: “To many Americans, gravy without mashed potatoes is like jam without toast: a condiment with no consequence” and yes, it was in 2013 but …
Ahem.
NO.
Gravy is practically the whole point of Thanksgiving, and (at least on my family’s plates) it goes everywhere – not just on potatoes. Just your basic, pan-made-at-the-last-minute gravy is fine by me, but if you’re bored and looking for inspiration, here are three unique takes.
Red-eye gravy is a Southern staple, enriched with a porky base and grounded surprisingly with coffee for a deep savor. This Southern Living recipe is equally comfortable draped over your turkey, potatoes and yeasted rolls or ham, grits and biscuits.
Thanksgiving can be a stressful time for those who don’t eat meat. Show some compassion — for your family, if not actual meat animals — by offering a few meat-free sides, like this mushroom gravy.
Rachael Ray’s (don’t hate) maple-bacon gravy is easy, fast and melds perfectly with the fall flavors of root vegetables and roasted bird.
This recipe for chorizo gravy is a breakfast classic, but don’t be too fast to overlook it at the Thanksgiving table – that spicy kick of green chiles and chorizo definitely livens things up.And last of all, queso gravy? Well, what the hell, why not. There’s always next year.
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This article appears in Nov 15-21, 2017.
