When thinking about this year's Splendid Table Thanksgiving menu, we turned to our friends Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer for inspiration. They're co-founders of Canal House, and currently collaborate on Canal House Cooking, for which they do all the writing, recipes, photography, design and production.

Melissa and Christopher not only cook for the holidays, but they take great pleasure in sharing their love of food and all its rituals with fellow cooks. They feel that the practice of simple cooking and the enjoyment of eating are two of the greatest pleasures in life.

This entire menu was chosen from their latest book, Canal House Cooks Every Day.

Jennifer Russell
Jennifer Russell is a founding producer at The Splendid Table. Before coming to radio, she made historical and arts and cultural programming for public television. She claims to have come out of the womb a food lover -- when other girls played house, she played restaurateur. Follow her comings and goings on Twitter: @jenejentweets.