Appetizers
Begin your quest to create the ultimate Midwestern charcuterie plate by stopping in at Logan Square’s Lardon for a variety of regional salumi. Customize a board by ordering familiars like salame piccante and spicy coppa, but don’t miss out on the truffled lardo, a delectable spread made from cured fatback, with a touch of luxe from black truffles. Be sure to add focaccia, onion jam, beer mustard, and pickles.
For the dairy side of things, swing by Beautiful Rind, a few blocks away. (Both places also deliver.) Curate your own cheese board, or rely on the expertise of owner Randall Felts and his team. Try the approachable, nutty Prairie Breeze cheddar from Iowa’s Milton Creamery and the Little Lucy Brie, which is triple-cream-like, from Minnesota’s Redhead Creamery. But also raise your game with the übergooey, funky Foxglove by Indianapolis’s Tulip Tree Creamery. The folks here can add on wine and beer to pair with your selections.
To brighten the flavors of the meat and cheese, stop by J.P. Graziano Grocery in the West Loop for jarred hot muffuletta. And to accompany it all, order a bag of lightly spicy chile-crisp sourdough crackers from local food-writer-turned-baker Laura Yee’s Chinese Mom Kitchen (thechinesemomkitchen.com).
The Bird
One secret to a browned, moist turkey: Coat it with mayonnaise before it hits the oven. May we suggest the locally made Giardonnaise, a mash-up with Chicago’s favorite condiment that adds gentle tangy spice without overpowering the meat? (Pick up a bottle at Gene’s Sausage Shop, Publican Quality Meats, and other markets around the city or order online at giardonnaise.com). Pro tip: Use your fingers to separate the skin and meat and spread the mayo in between, then add a layer on the exterior, so the bird bastes as it roasts.
Thinking ahead to leftovers: A tray of take-and-bake croissants from Lincoln Park pastry shop Floriole will ensure your day-after turkey sandwiches are just as glorious as the main event.
Not much of a cook? If you aren’t hung up on tradition — or want something that feels a bit more elegant and extra — order the superb rotisserie duck dinner ($85) from The Duck Inn in Bridgeport for your meal’s centerpiece. Each slow-roasted duck comes with roasted potatoes and kale tossed with duck fat. It’s perfect for a group of four or as a second main course that won’t take up all the space in your oven. Preorder from the restaurant (or from Goldbelly for shipping).
Sides
Thanksgiving sides are sacrosanct (ever had to explain why you skipped the mashed potatoes?), but you can enhance the classics with some local touches.
Give those potatoes, whether mashed or roasted, a peppery, herby edge with a pinch of Bridgeport potato seasoning from the Spice House, with stores in Old Town, Evanston, and Naperville.
If green bean casserole is in your family’s playbook, snag a bag of Local Style Potato Chips (available at many stores around town; check localstylechips.com for locations) in the Chicago hot dog or hot giardiniera flavors; crush and scatter them on top with the fried onions for a little extra crunch.
Head to Publican Quality Meats in the West Loop to glam up your roast vegetables and potatoes with some of chef Rob Levitt’s duck and goose fat. While there, pick up acclaimed baker Greg Wade’s sourdough to use in your stuffing.
Then, at Avondale’s Honey Butter Fried Chicken, snag a packet of corn muffin mix to bake at home and a tub of sweet-salty honey butter to serve with it.
Dessert
You can’t go wrong with the sweet potato pie from Brown Sugar Bakery in Greater Grand Crossing, lemon pecan pie from Kasama in East Ukrainian Village, or apple crumble pie from Daisies in Logan Square. Stock up for postdinner grazing with a cookie tray and hot chocolate from Mindy’s Bakery in Bucktown. Any — or all! — would make a perfect capper to your Chicago-inflected Thanksgiving feast.
