I knew I liked this book when I read the headnote to the Pecan Pie recipe which read "It is hard to say when exactly the food cognoscenti turned against corn syrup, a silken suspension of glucose-rich corn syrup that plays a significant part in many recipes for pecan pie." That made me smile, even though technically I don't know what "cognoscenti" means or how to pronounce it. I still got the idea.

Actually, the book made me want to ask Sam Sifton an important question: "If you had to have a Thanksgiving pie in the face, what kind would it be?". But when I asked the publisher, who had sent me the review copy, if they could ask him for me, I was informed that "due to his busy schedule" he was unable to field that question. Well.

Nonetheless - the book is chock-full of Thanksgiving recipes, tales, and miscellany that I found witty and charming. You can buy it here: Thanksgiving: How to Cook It Well.