Here we are in November with Thanksgiving upon us as we begin closing out 2024. It’s hard to believe we’re closing the book on another year already. I don’t know about anyone else, but I'm over here with my brain still in September wondering what happened.
I do love the holiday season, though. I love this energy right now: grateful and celebrating the upcoming season of connections. We have so many opportunities to connect to people, places, and activities this time of year. Thanksgiving is definitely a fave. I love to eat. And I love to cook. Enough said, right? Thanksgiving was a very traditional holiday for us when I was growing up. In my Italian-American family, Thanksgiving is uniquely American and not to be trifled with. Ever. There were no exceptions to this rule. None. At my grandmother's house, you would never have seen so much as one pizzelle or a stray pan of lasagna anywhere. Ever. Period. I’m the grandmother now, and I run the show pretty much the same way, but with a little more artistic license. We have the customary turkey, stuffing, yams, gravy, cranberries, pumpkin pie, etcetera, etcetera, but we also add a few coal region twists. As a child, I wasn’t privy to just exactly how my grandmother prepared our feast, but I’ll share with you some of the things I do to prepare ours.
First and foremost, I shop locally as much as possible! Schuylkill County has some of the very best of Pennsylvania’s agricultural offerings to dress your holiday table. Shopping locally supports our economy and is convenient. Stone Mountain Wine Cellars has over 40 wines and hard ciders, as well as a farm store complete with pumpkins, squash, several varieties of apples and pears, local honey, maple syrup, and the freshest, crispest sweet cider you’ll ever taste. The pumpkin in the pies and produce for our side dishes will most likely come from them, too, or one of our local farmers at the Hometown Farmer’s Market. Both Honeybrook Farms/The Farm Store and Miller Charm Farm are stocked with delicious, fresh, locally raised poultry and meats for your main course options. The quality and taste are simply superb.
I like to keep my table scape simple. I mix my mom's chinaware and glassware with my own. I have a hodgepodge of table linens from my aunt and grandmother that I also combine with my own. I like the feeling of having loved ones long passed still with us in these small ways. I also happen to love the look and feel of retro table linens just as much as modern ones. Vintage 61 Storehouse and Tink's Antiques are preferred haunts of mine. You never know what you'll find at either, and both have fantastic service. This is another tremendous bonus of shopping local, excellent product and service knowledge and personal service that cannot be duplicated at big box stores, although some do try. The autumn flowers will be from Lessie’s Garden & Gift Shop or Forget-Me-Not Florist at Pioneer Evergreen Farms. Lessie's is great for mums and live plants. Forget-Me-Not Florist is the place for exceptional fresh centerpieces and bouquets of all kinds. Trust me when I say you will absolutely love their floral designs.
I mentioned that I keep our Thanksgiving repast traditional, and I do to an extent, but like many a child of the coal region, I like to add some Eastern European tradition, too, and so, Kowalonek’s to the rescue! At Kowalonek’s Kielbasy Shop you can purchase authentic handmade specialties including fresh and smoked kielbasa, krakowska, kielbasy jerky, sticks, and loaves, potato kishki, perogies, and much more. In my humble opinion, there’s none finer to be had outside of Poland itself.
Hope Hill Lavender Farm will bring an elegant creative flair to your holiday table with handmade olive oils, vinegars, chocolates, herbs, teas, sugars, spreads, and honeys featuring the farm’s organic English and French lavenders. I like to make a pear and lavender pie in addition to pumpkin for our Thanksgiving dessert table, and farm owner, Wendy Jochems, makes some excellent lavender cookies and brownies to sample. Both she and her husband, Troy, have a wealth of knowledge to assist you in your culinary endeavors and, along with their team of "lavender buds," provide an excellent shopping experience. You will feel happy and inspired when you leave.
I do all my own baking because I love it, but if you don’t, that’s more than okay! To-die-for holiday pies, cakes, and cookies are the order of the day at Momma Millie’s Bakery. You definitely want to pre-order because Momma likes it that way, so call 570.622.1022. My number one pick would be her Jewish Apple Cake, but anything with her buttercream frosting is heavenly. C&C Candies and Country Store is another top-notch bakery with a fully array of desserts, breads, rolls, and a fabulous selection of luscious handmade candies, too. The Red Lion Cafe is known for its exhaustive array of desserts. They are also known for farm-to-fork excellence for decades. Their pumpkin pie is made with pumpkins direct from the farm and ready for your Thanksgiving table. And so it goes with apple pies, dumplings, and more. ScottDee's Catering is another awesome option for delicious and creative desserts, charcuterie, appetizers, and so much more. There's no need to cook the whole she-bang by hand. In fact, you can order the whole meal and it will be delicious. If city chicken, halupki, and bread filling are a must for your holiday feast, call Hess Catering at 570.385.3578, and rest easy.
No holiday celebration is complete without the libations. Earlier I mentioned Stone Mountain Wine Cellars’ 40-plus wines and delicious apple cider, but we have several more options at the ready locally. Our craft beverage trail includes wineries, breweries, and distilleries. Download the Explore Schuylkill Craft Beverage Trail app to get started on your holiday cocktail shopping. With our app, you’re bound to feel the holiday spirit and enjoy your mission! Stoker’s Brewing Company, located in our eastern region in Tamaqua, is the perfect place to take a shopping break and enjoy the atmosphere of an authentic German biergarten. Fill those growlers and head to Cellar Beast Winehouse and Galen Glen, both in Andreas. Sip, relax, take in the views while sampling masterly crafted handmade wines. You get the picture. Any course that you choose to chart on the app will elevate your holiday meal and your shopping experience. There are just so many ways and options to celebrate the season with family and friends and elevate your own experience and joy as host when you shop local.
I hope you try a few of my recommendations. I hope you give positive feedback to our local businesses while you shop. You are investing in our local economy when you support them.
