Deciding what to serve for Thanksgiving dessert can be fraught with as many emotional landmines as preparing the menu for the rest of the meal.

Some people only want pumpkin pie or pecan pie. Others want anything but.

But most everyone agrees on one thing: Dessert is as important as the turkey and all the trimmings.

I always enjoy a slice of pumpkin pie or sweet potato pie with whipped cream on top (OK, I can enjoy almost anything with whipped cream on top, but that’s another story). I also enjoy trying something new, yet with respect to tradition. So, this year, I’m going to try an Apple-Brandy Tart from Plaza Club chef Dan Lewis’ cookbook, “Discover Ironstone Vineyards.” And I’ll hope that one of the other guests brings along the pumpkin pie.

Many of the desserts you’ll find make great use of the season’s bounty: apples, pumpkin, pecans. But the format can be different, such as Pumpkin-Spice Layer Cake.

Or the dish can something you love year-round, such as cheesecake, which has become a tradition in Diana Barrios Treviño’s family.

Whatever you try, remember that dessert, though it comes at the end of the meal, can usually be made the day before. So, save yourself some time and make your favorite pie or a whole array of desserts the day before. You’ll be glad to have one less thing to worry about.

Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting on top, this is sure to be a crowd-pleaser, says Dan Lewis of San Antonio’s Plaza Club. Make the apples early in the day, but don’t bake the tart until after the big meal.

Apple-Brandy Tart

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
7 apples, peeled, cored and halved
2 tablespoons apple brandy or brandy
Pinch of salt
Cinnamon
1 puff pastry sheet

Place the butter and sugar in a 9-inch oven-proof sauté pan and arrange the apple halves in the pan. Sauté the apples over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, for 15 minutes, or until the sugar is caramelized and the apples are brown. Add the apple brandy, salt and cinnamon to taste and turn the apples in the pan until the brandy is incorporated. Remove from heat and set aside. Arrange one apple in the center of the pan, core-side up, and place the others in circles around it.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut a 9-inch circle from the puff pastry. Cut the trimmed dough into 1/2-inch-wide strips and piece together a rim around the edge of the pastry. Place the pastry circle, rim side down, on top of the arranged apples and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the pan from oven and turn over onto a serving place. Cool slightly and cut into 8 pieces. Serve warm.

Beverage suggestion: Brandy

Makes 8 servings.

Adapted from “Discover Ironstone Vineyards” by Dan Lewis

The flavor of the tender celery root mingles well with the crisp texture and light sweetness of the apples. A tart dressing with olive oil and mustard,  and garnish of chives, finished the salad off.  It paired well with the Bastianich Friulano 2007.  You can find the Bastianich wines at Central Market.

Celery Root and Apple Salad (Insalata di Mele)

1 (2-pound) whole celery root, rinsed well but not peeled
1 pound firm, crisp apples (such as Granny Smith, Gravenstein, Jonathan, Gala or Fuji)
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon German-style mustard (coarse ground)
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Note: Recommended equipment: A large bowl for dressing, tossing and serving.

Put celery root into a large saucepan with cold water to cover, and heat to a boil. Lower the heat a bit and simmer celery root for about an hour or so until cooked through and tender. As it cooks, keep the root weighted down with a plate or pot lid. When you can easily pierce it with a skewer, drain it in a colander and cool.

When it is cool, peel the celery root by scraping off the skin with the dull side of a paring knife. Cut out the bits of skin in the folds and knobby parts. Cut celery root in half, and slice each half into thin half-moons; put these in a large bowl. (If the celery root is a bit fibrous, cut slices into thin matchsticks.)

Rinse apples well, but do not peel them. Slice them in half, through the stem and bottom ends and cut out seeds and cores. Slice halves crosswise into half-moons, about 1/8-inch thick, add to the bowl, and gently toss the celery root and apple slices together.

For dressing, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in small bowl, then whisk in the olive oil gradually, until smooth and emulsified. Pour dressing over the celery root and apples, sprinkle the chives on top and tumble to coat all the slices with dressing. Serve cool or at room temperature.

Note: Lidia Bastianich suggests adding thinly sliced prosciutto to the plate to make this salad a more substantial antipasto, as she did for the KLRN Chef Series, Nov. 1.

Makes 6 servings.

From “Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes”by Lidia Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali

Louis Latour Meursault-Blagny Chateau de Blagny 2006

This white burgundy is from the Cote-d’Or, part of the larger wine region of Burgundy.  Burgundy is popularly known for red wines, based on Pinot Noir grapes, but is one of the best areas for Chardonnay, the grape of choice for white Burgundy.

Fact:  Vibrant yellow straw color and good clarity.  Faint aroma of pineapple precedes the apple-pear and toast that dominates.  Ripe apple and tart minerality initially hit the palate before the luscious pear and vanilla-oak take over and carry to the finish.  Definitely decant; it took 45 minutes for this wine to show its full range of flavors.  This is available locally for $50-60 and will continue to delight for several years.

Feelings:  As soon as it hit the glass, the glittering and bright colors fascinated.  “Some enchanted evening, you may see a stranger …” The heady aromas are just seductive.  “And somehow you know, you know even then …” The aromas start with apple pie and a grilled pineapple nearby, wafting fragrances around you.  “When you find your true love …” The flavors are of a picnic in an orchard with sunshine warming the freshly cut fruit.  “Then fly to her side, and make her your own …”

So a restaurant owner says, “I offered the Sauvignon Blanc, but she said she didn’t like grapefruit.”

“Well, some of the Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand and other places does have a grapefruit taste at the end.  I guess she just doesn’t like that flavor.”

“No, she said she knew that they put grapefruit in it. I told her no, but she was not going to believe me.”

This is really a common misconception.  I have been asked in many wine classes to describe the flavor of a Riesling and my answer might go like this, “There is certainly the classic aroma of green apple that you find in most Riesling wines.  Then a hint of under-ripe peach, maybe cinnamon-nutmeg, with an almost sea salt finish.”

That is when a lot of them look at me as if I just gave verbal instructions on how to solve a Rubik’s Cube.  Some of them say, “How do you know this stuff?” and my stock reply is that I have been drinking a lot of wine for a very long time.

Then there will be a few brave souls that speak out.  “I definitely get the apple and I understand the sea salt thingy, but I do not get the other.  I guess my palate isn’t that good.”

I then try to encourage them to give themselves time to develop this attention to detail, because my palate is probably no better than theirs.

They scoff at this, but I continue by saying, “When was the last time you sniffed some nutmeg?”  Generally, it has been a long time, if ever.

“So if you are not familiar with the aroma, how could you identify it?  Do not be so hard on yourself. Smell an orange, an apple, a mango, a lemon and a lime.  Then go to a wine with the tools you need.”

It is about then that someone, perceiving me to be the gentle curmudgeon that I am, asks the question:  “They don’t really put that stuff in the wine, do they?”

No, they don’t.  They used to in wine coolers, now called Arbor Mist, but in regular wines it is just grape juice.  The many flavors that come through that grape juice are tweaked and tempered by the heat of the sun on the skin of the grape as it matured in central Germany.  Also by the minerals and fog of that valley in California or the French oak barrel it is aged in or the type of yeast that is used in fermentation.  All of these things change grape juice into a wonderful mosaic of tastes that we are not familiar with day to day.

So our brain tries to take the input from our nose and our tongue and give us an answer to the question, “What does this taste like?”  It can only answer with things we have already taught our brain to recognize.  Like apples, peaches, and cinnamon.  If someone says it reminds them of Australian Pepperbush, you probably would not know what he or she is talking about.  But if that person said it had a slight green peppercorn flavor, you might know.

“Yes, now, class, everyone go out and smell and taste things.” It doesn’t have to be that odd.  Next time you are eating and drinking different items, pay attention to what they smell and taste like, develop your brain’s library of tastes.

And honest, they don’t add grapefruit.

Maybe it is easier to show your love for Dad if you think more about what he does for fun than what gets advertised.

So if your father likes to get up and have a good breakfast — make him a special one like Spiced Baked Apple. (All recipes below.) If he likes to watch movies, there are a bunch of guy movies showing during the Father’s Day weekend and a batch of Spiceman’s Nachos would be a perfect accompaniment to watching an old western.

Perhaps your ol’ Pop is not a morning person, so a nice dinner with a Good Rib-eye is more in line for him. No matter which way Dad would like best, he’ll love the attention.

Spiced Baked Apples

The first time I had these was at Brennan’s in New Orleans. That was the place I learned about ordering a bottle of wine for breakfast (after cocktails) and how to spend more for breakfast than I did on my monthly grocery bill. I will always remember how they showed me a few priorities in life. This is real simple, do not be afraid of your food. Do not cut back on the sugar and 2-percent milk is NOT the same as cream. Every now and then, just reward yourself and indulge a little.

Spiced Baked Apples
9 firm apples, like Pink Lady or Winesap
2 teaspoons cinnamon
¾ teaspoon mace
¼ cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter
3 cups heavy cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Core the apples and place them in a lightly oiled baking dish. Sprinkle them with spices, then with the sugar. Portion 1 teaspoon of the butter into the hollow of each apple. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until tender.
(Note: At this point the apples can be set aside, or refrigerated, then reheated before serving.)

Place baked apples into serving bowls and pour 1/3 cup cream over each.

Serves 9.

Spiceman Nachos

OK, it’s coals to Newcastle and preaching to the choir time. You have had, and made, nachos before. This recipe will not change your culinary life, but this recipe does upscale a manly favorite.

Sure, you could open a “pop with the foam on top,” but this also will go well with many lightly sweet rieslings or fruity reds like a shiraz.

Spiceman Nachos
1 pound tube sausage, your favorite
1 pound hamburger, 95 percent lean
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 (16-ounce) can refried black beans
1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
1 bag corn chips, at least 16 ounces
1 pound Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (7-ounce) can jalapeño slices
8-32 ounces sour cream, to taste
1 bunch green onions, chopped

Place sausage in a cold pan and put on medium heat. As it starts to cook and render fat, add the hamburger. Cook until done.

While the meat cooks, melt butter in a small pan and the add beans. Stir until incorporated; add the poblanos, stir well and set aside. On a oiled or foil-lined baking sheet, arrange small piles of chips, or chip islands, for the number of servings you desire. Drop a little of the refried beans on each island and then sprinkle cheese on top of each.

When meat is cooked, add the cumin seeds and stir for a minute; add the chili powder and repeat. Add the onions and cook until transparent, about 4 minutes. Pour juice from jalapeños into the pan to deglaze, simmer until most of the liquid is gone. Remove from heat.

Portion the meat on top of the cheese and broil for a few minutes until the cheese starts to toast but before the chips start to get dark brown. Remove from oven, top with sour cream, green onions and sliced jalapeños and whatever other topping — salsa, pico de gallo, tomato or peppers — you want. Use a spatula to serve nachos on individual plates. (If you used foil, just cut the foil and put your portions on a plate.)

Serves  2 to 8, depending on the size of your portions.

Good Rib-eye

Good beef, when it isn’t cooked dry, is simply wonderful. I am quite convinced that I have a genetic pre-disposition that requires that I consume beef on a regular basis.

So, we will take a little rib-eye, season it, and later bask in the decadent, sated feeling you can only achieve with red meat. Am I getting passionate, or what?

Serve with a cabernet sauvignon from Chile, California, or Texas.

Good Rib-eye
4 rib-eye steaks, ¾ to 1 pound each
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil

Grilling method:
Heat your cleaned grill until it is hot. Season meat with thyme, pepper, garlic and salt. Quickly wipe the grates with an olive-oil infused paper towel and slap those steaks on! Adjust the grills heat to medium and let them cook for about 5 minutes and then turn them. You should have a definite grill mark on the cooked side when you do this. Continue cooking for 4 minutes and remove the rib-eyes from the grill. For the size steaks I have listed, these times should give you a medium finish, depending on the thickness of the rib-eyes and the heat of your grill.

Stovetop method:
Heat oil in a sauté pan to medium. Season outside of rib-eyes just before placing into the sauté pan. Cook to your desired level of doneness (use the times listed above for grilling) and then set aside to rest.

For the sauce:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/4 cup minced shallots
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups red wine, good enough to drink
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
Heat butter in the sauté pan you cooked the beef in and cook shallots until soft. Add mushrooms and salt, and cook until soft. Add wine and reduce until sauce starts to thicken, add thyme. Simmer for 3 minutes, correct seasonings, spoon over the beef.

Serves 4.

Judy Baum had never made pickles before Easter of this year.  All that work sterilizing jars, fussing with boiling water and second guessing whether the lid actually sealed was too much for her.

And why put up pickles when there’s only one at home?

But she ran across a recipe for Cucumber Apple Pickles on the Internet during one her routine recipe searches. And she just had to try them.

This difference is that these were fresh pickles,  small batches of pickles you make up and eat within a couple of days or weeks. You don’t have to seal the jar. You don’t even have to sterilize it, though if you’re reusing a jar,  it might help to wash it out. You wouldn’t want any leftover peanut butter tainting the flavor.

Baum, who lives in Live Oak, stayed away from making pickles because too many of the recipes called for a gallon of this or a bushel of that, far too much for a single person to think about.

Plus, fresh pickles take no longer to make than any other side dish. And they can add plenty of tangy flavor.

What can be pickled? You’re limited only as far as your imagination, of course. You can make pickled beets or chowchow, green tomatoes or piccalilli with cauliflower.

Pickled green beans can be used as on a relish tray or in a Bloody Mary.  Cabbage is the basis or a tart curtido, or Salvadoran slaw, like the one you find at the various La Playa restaurants in town.

Pickled red onions, as most Mexican food fans know, are great with cochinita pibil. One place you’ll find this flavorful treat is at Guajillo’s on Blanco Road at Loop 410.

Even if you have a bountiful harvest, you may want to think of fresh pickles for some of it, because you are able to cut back on the amount of sodium and sugar, both of which are used as preservatives, and without sacrificing any flavor.

Raw food fans out there, you can also do raw pickles if you like, using agave nectar instead of sugar for pickled cucumbers, onions or radishes.

Play with the recipe to suit your needs. For her Cucumber Apple Pickles, Baum used small cucumbers and cider vinegar, which she found a great match for the apple.

“I combined the brine in a baggie, then added the squeezed-out cucumbers and apple, put the baggie in a bowl and turned it around several times,” she said.  “I also used more than a pinch of the red pepper threads.  It didn’t seem to be too much heat.”

She served the pickles at Easter dinner, and her friends ate most of them that evening. The rest were gone by the end of the week.

The pickles may be gone, but Baum’s hunger to make more remains.

Links to Recipes:

• Pickle Recipe: Curtido, or Salvadoran Slaw
• Pickle Recipe: Pickled Red Onions
• Pickle Recipe: Pickled Radishes
• Pickle Recipe: Cucumber Apple Pickles

Cucumber Apple Pickles get a little kick from Korean hot red pepper threads, which can be found at Asian markets. The pickles remain fresh for 5 to 7 days.

1/2 pound Japanese or small cucumbers – unpeeled
1 teaspoon salt (kosher or sea salt), or to taste
1/2 Granny Smith or Fuji apple, unpeeled
2  cups water
1/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar or cider vinegar
1 tablespoon thin peeled ginger or minced ginger from a jar
1/4 cup sugar or agave nectar, or to taste
Pinch Korean hot red pepper threads or red pepper flakes

Slice cucumbers 1/8 inch thick or use box grater or food processor.
Toss with salt and let stand 30 minutes.  Then rinse well and squeeze out water with your hands.  Halve apple lengthwise and cut out core.  Slice slices 1/8 inch thick.
Combine water, vinegar, ginger, sugar and hot pepper threads in a glass jar or baggie, mix well.  Add cucumbers and apple.  Refrigerate for a day, then eat!

Adapted from epicurious.com.