Issue date:
Nov. 13-15, 1998

A new Thanksgiving table

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Introduction
Turkey 2000: Updating the classics

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By Patty Rhule

Decor: a new Thanksgiving table

Restaurateur and TV host B. Smith - here in her Long Island home - says the millennium is a time to create celebrations that show your personality.

The creative force behind three restaurants (B. Smith's in Washington, D.C., New York City and Sag Harbor, N.Y.); a syndicated TV show, B. Smith With Style; and a book, B. Smith's Entertaining and Cooking for Friends (Artisan, $30), Barbara Smith does not do holidays lightly. Especially Thanksgiving.

Savoring memories of the sun always shining through autumn leaves while the turkey cooked in her western Pennsylvania childhood home, Smith says, "Thanksgiving for us is a big day. As I got older, that was my holiday."

Tradition with a twist sets the holiday theme at Smith's home, where it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without her family recipe for corn pudding - a favorite of her stepdaughter, Dana.

On Thanksgiving, as in all entertaining, confidence is crucial. If you need entertaining practice, "start out with a pizza party or a tasting party. Start small, with recipes you are reasonably sure will work out well."

No guest goes away from Smith's Thanksgiving table with stomach or hands empty: "I cook extra drumsticks and wings so people get their own leftovers. Food says, 'I love you.' There's a graciousness with this. It's giving, and it's Thanksgiving anyway."

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Tips from B. Smith

	Centerpiece. Try artfully arranged fruit, vegetables, stones or a sculpture. After the holiday, spray-paint gourds and pine cones gold or silver to reuse.
	Food presentation. Smith likes candles but warns against scented ones near food. These candlesticks were made for her when she did a TV show about pewter. Think ahead: A week before the holiday, assess your serving dishes and platters to be certain you have enough.
	Tabletop. Consider what you have that can combine to create a new, festive feel. Two regular-sized yellow cotton tablecloths cover her long table; place settings hide the folded-back seam. Mix and match: She bought 12 blue and 12 yellow Ikea plates for Thanksgiving but pairs them with formal glasses she received as wedding gifts, Afrocentric placemats originally used for a Kwaanza table, and two styles of napkin (patterned and plain blue).

Photo: B. Smith and tabletops by Matthew Jordan Smith for USA WEEKEND.