The Thanksgiving Hack I Learned From Julia Child

This year marks my eighth hosting Thanksgiving in my Brooklyn apartment. My husband actually started the tradition before we met. He wasn’t feeling like dealing with the slog of traveling to his hometown on such a busy weekend, so he decided to remain in New York and host a dinner party for anyone who was left in the city, for whatever reason. The tradition stuck, and here we are, almost a decade later.

I’m not a traditionalist when it comes to Thanksgiving. We’ve fried a turkey once or twice, but I’ve also flambéed a cured duck and served a porchetta. I make my mother’s Greek stuffing every year (which is filled with pine nuts, raisins and chestnuts), but I’ve modified that to include venison instead of beef. I used to serve a big cheese and charcuterie board as an appetizer, just like my aunt does. That is, until Julia Child changed my mind.

It’s well-known that Child loved Goldfish crackers. She used to snack on them while sipping Reverse Martinis and served them to guests at Thanksgiving and other dinner parties. And for a meal as rich and filling as Thanksgiving, it makes total sense — you don’t want your guests to fill up on rich appetizers and barely touch their food after sitting down to dinner.

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I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I don’t even like Goldfish crackers. I think they’re dry, mealy and bland. That said, I appreciate the sentiment of what Goldfish crackers do — they whet the appetite just enough without filling the stomach. It’s the same philosophy behind French apéro and Italian aperitivo.

When hosting a dinner party on a regular evening, I might set out cheese, cured meat or a dip of some kind. Or I might keep it simple with a bowl of nuts, olives or potato chips. And on big nights like Thanksgiving, I’ll always keep it easy with something light and salty. One year, it was a Japanese snack mix. Another time, it was a couple of bowls of warm olives with orange peel and chile. This year, I’ll probably grab a couple of bags of Torres potato chips and call it a day.

Child wasn’t known for cutting corners, but she’ll forever be remembered for her lighthearted outlook on cooking and entertaining. And there’s no better way to emulate her vibe than with Thanksgiving Goldfish, whatever that might be for you.

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Amanda Gabriele

Amanda is InsideHook’s Senior Editor and has been writing about food, drinks, travel and style for 16 years. She’s written for Travel + Leisure, Eater, Gear Patrol and New York Magazine among other outlets.