Friendsgiving, the tradition

Thanksgiving prequels have been showing at restaurants for much of November.

Union Pig & Chicken in East Liberty features smoked turkey, brussel sprouts with bacon, mashed potatoes and cornbread stuffing. A Thanksgiving dinner in a burrito, the Gobblerito debuted the beginning of the month at Mad Mex.

Turkey, stuffing and sides are making early appearances in home cooking, too.

This weekend marks the opportunity for Friendsgiving, when friends gather to celebrate the holiday and nail down recipes for Thursday's event.

Friendsgivings provide opportunity for experimentation and mistakes with the "family" of our choosing.They are usually potlucks, with a promise of leftovers and hangovers to boot.

Prequels allow newish cooks to decide whether to brine a bird. They're when foodists trot out sous vide sides or exotic ingredients family members may avoid. They allow permission to skip utensils and go right to turkey sandwiches. 

Will you host a Thanksgiving prequel? Send along your photos to mmccart at post-gazette dot com. Or tell us about your friend holiday in the comments.

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