Thanksgiving in the Age of Corona

The leaves are changing, the weather is cooling, and the tier is purple: it’s time to celebrate Thanksgiving pandemic style.

With new restrictions and guidelines, officials are urging Irvine residents to cancel travel plans and keep celebrations to just three households. Here are some tips on how to celebrate safely and what to do if you’re not up for cooking grandma’s iconic dishes.

According to Ed Mertz of the Orange County Health Care Agency, small group gatherings are allowed under the following conditions:

1. Keep it small
   Guests can be from one or two households outside of your own household group.

2. Seat everyone outdoors
   Consider hosting a lunch, when it’s light outside and temperatures are warmer. Remind your guests to bundle up if it’s cold.

3. Mask up and keep your distance
   When not eating or drinking, wear a mask. Break out the yardstick and seat guests six feet apart. If your table does not allow for distancing, consider arranging chairs in a backyard or even a driveway. If you’re expanding beyond the table and don’t have smaller surfaces for spread out guests to eat on, ask attendees to bring trays or end tables.

4. Don’t linger
   Gatherings should be two hours or less.

5. Break out the wipes and sanitizer
   If guests need to use your restroom, be sure they enter your house masked. Leave antibacterial wipes for them to sanitize any surfaces they may have touched on their way out. Have hand sanitizer available for guests outside.

6. No pressure
   Assure guests that canceling at the last minute is entirely understandable if someone has flu-like symptoms or loses sense of taste/smell. Those at high risk of severe illness (the elderly or those with chronic medical conditions) should be strongly encouraged not to attend. This Thanksgiving shouldn’t be someone’s last .

7. Be Covid savvy
   Certain activities make viral transmission more likely. Avoid singing, shouting, chanting, cheering, or exercising as a group. Stick to turkey and gossip.

While officials have plenty to say about keeping guests safe, they have little guidance on providing a delicious meal. Some may face hosting a holiday meal for the very first time. Others may not want to bother with an elaborate meal for a small group. This may be an excuse to call in the experts. Restaurants are facing unprecedented challenges and risk going under. So perhaps this year, consider taking a break from the kitchen. Find out if your favorite Irvine restaurant is offering Thanksgiving meals or sides to replace or augment your menu. Some restaurants have deadlines for placing orders and others have limited quantities, so making plans soon will pay off.

In a year where so much has gone wrong, make sure your Thanksgiving meal goes right. Here is a small sample of Irvine restaurants offering Thanksgiving menus.

Brio Italian Restaurant:
Roasted sliced white meat turkey, topped with herbed pan gravy, homemade pancetta stuffing, pan-seared broccolini, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, orange cranberry sauce and pumpkin spiced bread pudding with crème anglaise and whipped mascarpone.

$68.99 for 3 people or $138 for 6 people

Del Frisco's Grille:
Butternut Squash Bisque, Salad, Herb Roasted Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Stuffing, Green Beans, Brown Gravy, Cranberry Sauce and Pumpkin Cheesecake 

$100 for 2-4 people or $199 for 4-6 people

Paul Martin’s American Grill:
Choice of Seasonal House Salad (mixed greens, tomato, red onion, avocado, lemon basil vinaigrette) or Wild Mushroom Soup (a blend of three types of mushrooms, cream, hint of sherry), Slow-Roasted Turkey Breast, Brioche and Sage Stuffing, Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Orange-Infused Cranberry Sauce, Maple Bourbon Yams, Sweet Corn, and Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake with whipped cream, caramel sauce, and pecans

$39 per person ($19 per child)

Urban Plates:
Herb roasted cage-free turkey breast, mushroom stuffing, gravy, cranberry relish, rustic bread, choice of side

$17.95 per person

For more information on staying safe this Thanksgiving, please check out resources from the California Department of Public Health and the state of California.