L.A. Times Food Writer Introduces Potluck Thanksgiving Recipes
An L.A. Times Food staff writer argues that the traditional Thanksgiving meal is evolving from a single-host marathon into a collaborative potluck experience defined by personal family recipes.
In a recent column, the author describes how guests now contribute specific signature dishes, shifting the labor from one person to a shared community effort.
The shift toward shared cooking reflects a change in how many households approach the holiday. While some hosts still manage the entire menu, many have transitioned to a model where guests bring sides, pies, or even takeout. This trend can create logistical challenges, such as guests competing for limited stove space to reheat dishes.
“In a Thanksgiving world gone potluck, I sometimes feel like one of the last turkey-and-all-the-sides hosts,” the author wrote in the Los Angeles Times.
Despite the potential for chaos in the kitchen, the author suggests the potluck approach enhances the holiday spirit by allowing everyone to make a contribution. The column notes that guest contributions range from reliable family recipes to restaurant-quality creations, though some guests may arrive with supermarket items that contrast with more labor-intensive dishes.
The author describes how her own Thanksgiving has become an evolving album of memories. Rather than managing every detail, she has delegated specific roles to family members. She said that she ceded pie duties to her sister-in-law, Lisette, and often receives dessert from a photographer friend.
The next generation has also taken on specific culinary roles. The author’s adult children, Isabel and Leon, now prepare signature items such as braised fennel and olive bread pudding, or a spiced version of macaroni and cheese. Her partner, John, contributes Japanese sweet potatoes glazed with chile-crisp and maple syrup.
These individual contributions allow for a blend of old and new traditions. The author uses this personal evolution to introduce a collection of recipes contributed by the L.A. Times Food editorial team, intended to help readers establish their own holiday customs.
The collection includes various specialized dishes designed to fit into either a full meal or a potluck setting. These recipes aim to provide alternatives to standard supermarket offerings.
- Jenn Harris: Pickle-brined turkey
- Stephanie Breijo: Oyster dressing modernized with fried oysters
- Bill Addison: A macaroni and cheese recipe
- Cody Reiss: Baked mashed potatoes
- Daniel Hernandez: Crunchy persimmon and celery salad
- Danielle Dorsey: Holiday sangria
- Betty Hallock: Pecan pie with a lush custard
The author also highlighted her own contribution, a version of creamed leeks made with Row 7 hybrid sweet garleek. This approach to holiday cooking suggests that whether a host manages the entire process or relies on guests, the focus remains on the personal connection established through food.
As holiday hosting styles continue to fluctuate between traditionalism and modern convenience, the success of a meal often depends on the coordination of those involved.
The author concludes by noting that these recipes are intended to help people make their own new personal traditions, emphasizing that Thanksgiving is ultimately personal.