Thanksgiving is our favorite maximalist holiday, and we’re not about to let a day filled with gratitude and abundance go the way of overwhelm. Ensure a simple-enough menu stays manageable with a to-do list so you’re not waylaid by days-long side quests. Skip over the dish pileup with a groovy playlist and designate some helpers to wash and dry before dinner is even served. And what about the premeal cocktail hour? We have another simple fix: Leave the “signature” cocktail to another gathering. This year it’s just vermouth on the menu.
Specifically, stock up on Spanish vermouth, a.k.a. vermut, a fortified wine that’s spiced, often sweet, and designed for drinking straight. In Spain, where la hora del vermut is a beloved premeal ritual akin to Italy’s aperitivo, vermut culture has evolved to embrace myriad styles, especially leaning into luscious fruit profiles and richer textures. Think inky cola-esque bottles; floral, blush rosé vermuts; or even cinnamon-and-licorice-tinged vermut negro.
Slightly sweeter than its French or Italian cousins, Spanish vermut is also