Thanksgiving Photos from Employees, Partners, and Friends 2021

December 2, 2021

Thanksgiving Photos from Employees, Partners, and Friends 2021

I’m always so excited to see photos of our staff’s Thanksgiving Day celebrations.

Every year before Thanksgiving, I send out an email to all our employees and partners, extending my very best wishes for a safe and lovely holiday. I also urge them to take photos of their table settings, their feasts, their families, and their friends. And, every year, I’m always so thrilled to see the pictures and to read the many stories that accompany them.

Many of you also comment on how much you look forward to seeing our annual Thanksgiving gallery, so here it is - enjoy.

: Marquee SVP of Marketing, Stella Cicarone, hosted Thanksgiving at her lovely home. Here is the beautifully set table. This year, Stella was inspired by one of my decorating ideas to place pumpkins upon cake stands. They look great.

: Stella also used my tried and true Perfect Roast Turkey 101 recipe for this 30-pound bird.

: Our CEO, Neil Fiske and his wife, Sonya, enjoyed a wonderful holiday at their home with family and friends. Sonya says they always use her grandmother’s vintage Metlox Red Rooster dinnerware for the table setting.

: Here’s a closer look at the Red Rooster plates. Metlox Pottery was founded in 1927 by T.C. Prouty and his son Willis Prouty. This collection was among a few that were well known for the brightly colored glazes derived from locally mined metallic oxides. The place cards are from a local shop in Old Chatham, New York called The Punctilious Mr. P’s.

: This was the first time the Fiskes used my Perfect Roast Turkey 101 recipe. Here is their turkey with the cheesecloth ready to be removed.

: It was a huge success! This recipe really is excellent. It makes a plump and regal roast turkey, with crisp, golden-brown skin.

: Here’s Neil carving the turkey just before serving.

: Of course, Sonya also loves a bit of whimsy, so she made turkey shaped butter molds for the table.

: There’s always time for a group photo! Here are some of their friends who attended the Fiske feast – Lance, Laura, Matt, Francie, along with Sonya’s son Jonah Ernst and his dog Ziggy.

: Marquee Brand Manager, Sabrina Blaustein, celebrated Thanksgiving at her boyfriend’s parents’ home in Katonah, New York. This is a photo of their beautiful table before all their Thanksgiving favorites were served.

: And here’s Brandy, the family’s happy Golden Retriever.

: Since Chanukah started early this year, Sabrina also celebrated at her aunt’s house in Connecticut with a feast of latkes, a family gift exchange and games! In this group photo – Morgan Fried, Natalie Fried, Steven Fried, Jacob Fried, Leslie Brazda, Allison Mason, Sharon Mason, Glenn Mason, Fran Blaustein, Cheryl Podob, and Emily Podob.

: Vanessa Arnold, Manager of Strategic Partnerships, had her family dinner in Nutley, New Jersey – my hometown, and hers. Her family started with castelvetrano olives, fig jam, artichoke hearts, and aged cheddar.

: There was also homemade stuffed olive bread – how can one go wrong?

: Here’s a view of Vanessa’s table and all the fixings. It was a very relaxed Thanksgiving filled with good food, humility, and love during a rather rough year.

: In this photo – Vanessa’s husband Scott, her daughter Hadleigh, son Liam, and mother Mary Ann.

: This photo includes Vanessa herself.

: My longtime Special Projects Producer, Judy Morris, enjoyed her holiday with the family at her Weston, Connecticut home. She decorated her table with mismatched copper candlesticks bought at various tag sales, an Indian sari silk table runner Judy made herself, and an antique bench she painted raccoon fur gray then covered with a faux fur blanket for the meal.

: She also used a variety of greens and fall-colored flowers as part of her centerpiece.

: Our own Brand Director, Alexa Halsell, made the Coconut-Pecan-Caramel Sandwich Cookies, from my Baking Handbook. Alexa says “they were a huge hit with my family and disappeared shortly after I set them down to take this photo.”

: This table for six was set by my Operations Manager, Stephanie Lofaro, at her Fairfield, Connecticut home where she enjoyed the holiday meal with her husband, Chuck, and some friends.

: Jen Cho, Design Director for Branch & Twig, shared this photo of her sons at the table. Beckett is three and Asher is six. Jen’s caption read, “this is going great.”

: Susanne Ruppert, who is Editorial Director of my books, shared the following photos of some of her Thanksgiving dishes. Here are Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, and beets roasted in a cast-iron skillet.

: Here are popovers made using my very own recipe.

: And this beautifully baked apple galette.

: These potpies were made with the leftovers from Susanne’s Thanksgiving – sometimes leftovers are the best part of the meal!

: These are homemade marshmallow fluff, toasted on twice baked sweet potatoes made by Rich Aiello, father of Robert Aiello from our Inventory Costing/AP team. Robert says his dad is an incredible home cook and also loves big football tailgate parties where he serves a full buffet style spread that includes a deep-fried turkey for all his guests.

: Marquee Chief People Officer, Nicole Mascera, shared this photo of her table. Nicole hosted alongside friends in Westport, Connecticut. Her celebration included 24 in all.

: This is the home of Christian Martin, President of Marquee Media. He and his family hosted a gathering for eight in Sharon, Connecticut.

: Their table was decorated in white, gray, and fall shades of orange.

: Later that afternoon, they also got three inches of snow. Their 10-month old Labrador Retriever, Appa, seems more interested in the snowfall than any of the delicious foods.

: This photo came from Claudia McKenna-Lieto, Executive Assistant to Chef Daniel Boulud. She calls it “Apple Pie en Deux.” Claudia says these apple tarts should have been one pie, but turned into two rustic tarts in order save about 15 minutes or so! I think they look amazing – and I am sure they tasted even better.

: This table photo was submitted by Sara Dennis, SVP Design for Motherhood and A Pea in a Pod. Her Thanksgiving table was set in Princeton, New Jersey by her brother, Greg Dennis and his wife Sarah Rulon-Miller Dennis. The placemats are from gregorydennis.com, her brother’s newly launched homewares line.

: Here’s my Stable Manager, Helen Peparo, with her niece, Adriana, and her nephew, Giovanni.

: Seven year old Adriana loves a theme and set the table for the family gathering.

: Here she is posing with a loaf of sourdough bread Helen baked to look like a “turkey.”

: And here is Helen’s sister-in-law, Kristen Peparo, with the full entree spread. Kristen hosted this year and did a wonderful job.

: My business partner for my skincare line, 86 Elm, Dr. Dhaval Bhanusali, had a wonderful Thanksgiving with his family. They enjoyed an Indian and American vegetarian Thanksgiving at his parent’s upstate New York home. It included tofurkey, vegetarian pot pie and stuffing, pomegranate Brussel sprouts with a date glaze, and smaller Indian sides such as thepla – flavorful flatbreads made with spices, herbs, yogurt, whole wheat flour and millet flours.

: Here is Dr. B with his niece and twin nephews. The little ones gave me a shout out – “Hi Martha Aunty!”

: Cheryl DuLong, who works up at Skylands, my home in Maine, celebrates Thanksgiving a couple weeks early every year when she visits her son, Torrey Grant, and his fiancee, Michaela, in Syracuse, New York. Cheryl sends photos from her family and “Friendsgiving” every year.

: To start – Maine oysters!

: Cheryl’s son makes a big platter of short ribs every Thanksgiving.

: They also had all those well-loved sides including this roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon.

: And garlic mashed potatoes.

: For dessert, Cheryl makes her own rendition of pumpkin charlotte – a creamy, no-bake dessert that’s perfect for entertaining. Instead of the traditional lady fingers, she uses Milano cookies. It is always a big hit.

: And here is Cheryl’s no-bake chocolate eclair cake made with vanilla wafers.

: J.C. Roberts is my Business Manager at my farm. He enjoyed turkey at his parents’ home.

: And when he and his wife returned to their own home, his kitty Ivy was already tucked in bed, but waiting up for any treats they may have brought with them. I love seeing all these photos. I hope you did also. And I hope you all enjoyed a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving with those near and dear. Happy holidays.