A long wooden table after a meal: bread, pears, a pot and candles burned low

    The Table · Issue no. 4 · Week of Nov 2

    Notes from the table.

    Hosting, food, music and the people you feed. Two new articles a week, plus the ones worth rereading.

    This week · Facts

    Thanksgiving facts worth bringing to the table

    The 1621 menu was not what you think, the pie came later, and the holiday's date involved an argument about shopping. A few true stories for Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving.

    Read it 6 min read

    Facts

    This week's cover · 6 min read

    U.S. Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26, in 2026. Federal law fixes it on the fourth Thursday of November.

    Menus & recipes

    Brunch for eight, with a seat for the host

    I build November brunch around a spinach-and-cheddar bread bake, pears and yogurt, and coffee made before anyone arrives. Here’s the night-before recipe and the morning timetable for getting eight people, including me, to the table at eleven.

    November 5, 2026 · 6 min read

    New articles every Monday and Thursday.

    Plan a gathering