Happy Thanksgiving! If you’re cooking tomorrow, I hope your celebration is a small, safe one. If you’re still looking for right-size recipes, we have plenty for you from local chefs.

Chances are you have the desserts under control — that might’ve been the first thing you planned — but if you want something special for Christmas, have a listen to my Sound Bites podcast with Sugar Avenue founder Ed Crenshaw.

And Yolanda Jones tells us how MemFeast is going mobile this year because of coronavirus.

COVID-19 numbers went up and restaurateurs braced to find out whether their dining room would be shut. The verdict was no, but the Health Department came out with a new directive, effective Monday, and I went to a few places for lunch that day to see if it looked like the general public understands the new mask rules.

Because we all love stuffing, here’s a throwback story about Linda Joplin’s excellent dressing. It’s easy and a great recipe. https://dailymemphian.com/article/9106/thanksgiving-dressing-is-easy-to-make-with-a-good

And we end with a solid Memphis story: Earnestine & Hazel’s is for sale. Chris Herrington tells us about it. — Food editor Jennifer Biggs

Hello! Welcome to this week’s highlights of our food coverage including recipes, restaurant reviews, $10 deals and more. Join the conversation with other local foodies in our Table Talk Facebook group. If you’re a Daily Memphian subscriber, we appreciate your support. If not, please consider signing up for unlimited access to all our food and restaurant coverage.

This year, forgo the big celebration and have a Tiny Thanks with only your closest crew. We have plenty of recipes from local chefs that are right-sized for the year.

MemFeast, the annual Thanksgiving dinner for the homeless and those in need, had to change the way it distributes meals because of the pandemic. Six churches will serve meals from food trucks in their parking lots. By Yolanda Jones

Earnestine & Hazel’s, a literal cornerstone of South Main history, culture and nightlife through good times and bad, is now for sale, as Caitlin Chittom announced on Facebook on Monday.  By Chris Herrington

No businesses will close in new health directive, but restaurants will see a new curfew and diners will face new masking rules. Related story: The process behind health directives and importance of tripwires By Jane Roberts, Jennifer Biggs

Adherence to new mask rules is spotty on its first day, though some diners in East Memphis restaurants seem to know they should stay masked until they start eating. By Jennifer Biggs

Ed Crenshaw didn’t mean to be a baker, but an accident here and an accident there can turn into a career if you’re not careful. By Jennifer Biggs

Restaurateurs wonder if they’ve paid a higher price than other businesses during COVID, and fear another shutdown could be coming as virus numbers rise. By Jennifer Biggs

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