Robust food. Glorious wine. Outstanding company. Fabulous weather.

Thanksgiving in South Florida promises a bounty of gifts made even more special when enjoyed among the flowers and foliage of our local settings.

The Palm Beach Post’s sirens of the celebrated sip gather at the home of Swirl Girl Earthy to share their favorite Thanksgiving dishes and wine pairings. It is a feast as eclectic as the girls themselves.

Click here to see more pictures from the Swirl Girls Thanksgiving!

Earthy brought the rum-laced sweet potatoes. Bold brought fresh green beans with crumbled goat cheese. Sweet brought something sweet — pecan pie. As for Dry, she roasted the centerpiece dish: duck breast with honeyed figs and pinot noir. An unconventional choice, yes, but a delectable one.

Add to the menu a heady progression of vino, from the bubbly to the sweet, and the culinary blessings multiply.

Jennifer Podis
Alias: EARTHY
I love Thanksgiving.

It’s not just about the food (although that’s part of it), and it’s not just about the wine (although that’s becoming a bigger part of it).

It’s about family.

Thanksgiving is the one time of year when my family, despite being scattered about the East Coast, works its hardest to arrange schedules so we can gather together and celebrate each other. When nieces and nephews began sprouting up 20 years ago, it became even more meaningful. Without kids of my own, my family is my core, despite the geographical distance between us. Family is my grounding in a sometimes charged existence.

At our Thanksgiving dinners — no matter where we congregate, whether in South Florida with Mom, in upstate New York at my sister’s or in New Hampshire at my brother’s house — there are certain dishes we serve that always remain the same. And I guess that’s part of the tradition behind such a holiday.

So, for the first Swirl Girls family Thanksgiving, we thought we would share with you our favorite dishes. Some have been passed down through generations, and others are just getting their start. And, of course, what would our holiday meal be without the proper wine to pair?

WHAT I BROUGHT
The salad:
Although salads take a back seat at my family’s Thanksgiving, the girls decided we should kick off our shared meal with fresh greens. I knew just the perfect salad to make. The “Autumn Dinner Salad” marries a variety of distinctive flavors over the mixed greens. What’s not to like about green apples, bleu cheese, candied walnuts and a balsamic vinaigrette?

When they heard me describe the salad during our menu planning session, Dry and Sweet knew just what wine we should pair with it — the Dr. Heidemanns Bernkastel Spatlese riesling we had poured at the March of Dimes Signature Chefs and Wine Extravaganza. It’s semi-sweet and has elegant hints of apricot with a touch of vanilla. The fruit is well-balanced with its slight acidity and minerality, and it combines oh-so-deliciously with the flavors of the sweet walnuts, the sharp, tangy cheese and the acidity of the balsamic.

The sweet potatoes:
If there were a version of The Newlywed Game in which members of a family were quizzed about the one must-have dish at their Thanksgiving celebration, ours would undoubtedly answer: sweet potato casserole.

This dish is so scrumptious that we even ate it when we were little kids. (Might have had something to do with the fact it was garnished with marshmallows arranged into a smiley face.)

My grandmother made it in some fashion for my mother when she was young, and then my mom crafted it into the dish I savor every November and the one I shared with the Swirl Girls.

Sweet potatoes alone, I love, but these spuds reach bliss when they’re mashed and blended to a smooth consistency with the help of orange juice, butter, brown sugar and spiced rum (or orange liqueur, if you prefer). Top them off with marshmallows during the last 15 minutes of baking and, when you dig the serving spoon into the hot casserole (and you know you’ll take a wide swath off the top to commandeer those ’mallows), releasing the sweet aromas, the melted white fluff drips like molasses from the utensil.

Mom also likes to add either mandarin orange or pineapple slices to accompany the marshmallows. These days I prefer pineapple since I can more easily cut them into shapes to design the “face” of the casserole!

Lynn Kalber
ALIAS: Bold
My task was to choose the starter wine, something to sip before the first dish. Then we decided we wanted a sparkling wine and the fun kicked in.

I’m not a huge sparkling wine fan. This was going to be a challenge for me. Luckily, I had a few newly published wine books, including two I turned to right away: Parker’s Wine Bargains: The World’s Best Wine Values Under $25 and The Wine Trials: A Fearless Critic Book.

Both focused on finding good, affordable wines, which is also the Swirl Girls’ goal. I figured that was kismet.

The books agreed on one sparkling wine that seemed to be a great bargain: Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut, listed at around $12 a bottle (I found it at Total Wine for $10.99). The brut sounded terrific: In the Wine Trials blind tasting against a $150 bottle of Dom Perignon Cuvee, it won two-thirds of the time.

It’s made in the traditional method of champagne (says that on the bottle) and it’s dry, but not too dry — even Sweet liked it! We smelled and tasted apples, which makes it a perfect fall fit. It proved to be a light, crisp start to the meal. With a nice, short finish, the sparkling wine is rated 87 by Wine Spectator. It was delicious served alone, without food. But if I were to serve this brut with food, I decided, sushi would be a nice fit. Or chocolate. At the price — and the taste — you can’t beat it for a great holiday sparkling wine.

Onto the meal itself. I contributed the dishes, a Wedgwood set left to me by my husband’s great-aunt, Bernice. I love it because it’s not the traditional Wedgwood blue but white with green trim. The serving plates are the opposite — green with white trim. They looked beautiful on our Swirl Girls dinner table, set against fresh flowers and banana-leaf runners.

WHAT I BROUGHT
Perfect potluck dish:
My green bean dish wasn’t an old family favorite but a fairly recent one. I’ve made this dish for group meals many times in the past three years. I pulled it out of the recipe book again for this year and have made it twice in the past month. The green bean salad tastes best when served at room temperature. I love this dish because you can make it ahead of time, and because it travels well. So, it’s an excellent dish to bring to potluck gatherings.

Gwen Berry
ALIAS: Dry
For me, the feast started more than a month before Thanksgiving. I had just gotten married in early September, so, by my birthday in mid-October, my new spouse and I were practically penniless. Instead of going out for a nice birthday dinner, I decided to make something special at home.

A few days before my birthday I broke out the “special occasion” stash and decided I’d sacrifice a wonderful bottle of Hamilton Russell pinot noir from South Africa. I bought it a few months earlier at a Crown Wine & Spirits tasting. I remembered it had the loveliest smoky aroma.

Since most pinots aren’t meant to be aged for decades, it made sense to open it and save my Bordeaux for future birthdays. Then it was just a matter of what to cook.

WHAT I BROUGHT
Heavenly duck:
Mushrooms were necessary to my dream dish. First, because I really love them, and second, because they are a known match for pinots. I checked through my library of cookbooks but nothing really jumped out at me until I started searching online. There it was on epicurious.com, three of my favorite foods in one dish: Duck. Mushrooms. Figs. A culinary trifecta.

I have to admit, I was a little nervous at first — I had never cooked duck. I didn’t even know where to buy it. But I learned it’s not that hard to find. I found individual vacuum-sealed frozen breasts at Publix Greenwise for $6.29 each.
Cooking the duck turned out to be quick and easy. The key, I learned, is to make sure you don’t overcook it. On my first try, it came out medium-well. And I left the figs in the oven too long, so they were a bit chewy. But even with those glitches, the meal was delicious, and the wine made it something just short of heavenly.

So, I felt I had the perfect main course when the Swirl Girls got together a few weeks later to discuss Thanksgiving pairings. It didn’t take much to convince them. We already agreed to highlight a pinot noir, since the wine pairs well with most Thanksgiving fare. And even though duck may not be the most traditional main dish, the figs and cinnamon do have a Thanksgiving-y feel. So we decided to be different.

I cooked the sauce ahead of time but made everything else at Earthy’s house that night. (Since she doesn’t eat meat, I also made some of the mushrooms with vegetable broth so that she wouldn’t miss the experience.) This time, I made sure to cook the duck to medium, so that the center was still a little pink and juicy. And I also kept my eye on those figs.

We all tried the wine first, and everyone oohed and ahhhed over the dark berry, tobacco and earth aromas. The wine was medium-bodied, smooth and dry, with balanced tannins and a long, beautiful finish.

Similarly, the duck was delicious. Judging by the silence that descended on the table as everyone concentrated on the symphony of flavors, I’d say that the pairing was a success.

Libby Volgyes
ALIAS: Sweet
When I think of Thanksgiving, I think of being a little girl and going to my grandparents big house in South Dakota, where all the grandkids and cousins flocked to every November. I remember the food — the relish tray with homemade pickles, stuffing that melted in my mouth, sneaking bites of leftover turkey. And, if I was a good girl and belonged to the “clean plate club,” I’d be allowed dessert. Dessert was always either pumpkin pie or pecan pie, as my family is extremely traditional, of solid Nebraskan stock.

WHAT I BROUGHT
Sweetness squared:
Those pies came to mind recently when the Swirl Girls received a glorious shipment of port from Taylor Fladgate for review. I decided that the 20-year-aged Tawny Port ($49.99) would be a great match for pecan pie. And it was. With flavors of caramel, raisin and nuts, it complemented the pecan pie perfectly. Yes, both the wine and the pie were sweet and rich. But, if you ask me, that’s just how they’re supposed to be.

This pecan pie recipe is my great-grandmother’s. I modified it slightly, making up and adding a layer of caramel to the pie to bring out the flavor in the port, but I’m giving it to you in its original form — that’s what Grandma Mary would have wanted.

Serve this pie with a tawny port and prepare for sweet nirvana.

The pie:
My mother never makes her own dough from scratch because she says her body temperature is too warm and the best bakers have cold hands. I do make my own dough sometimes. But for Thanksgiving, with so much going on, it’s OK to use store-made.

Finally, as a side note, the gold-plated silverware pictured is also from Grandma Mary. She received it as a wedding present when she married my great-grandfather, Habe Leuben.
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RECIPES

FROM GWEN BERRY::
Duck with wild mushrooms and fig sauce
Printed in the September 1996 Bon Appétit, the original recipe comes from chef Roy Breiman of The Restaurant at Meadowood in the Napa Valley.

30 dried black Mission figs
2 cups dry red wine
21⁄4 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 cinnamon sticks
5 tablespoons butter
1⁄3 cup shallots, finely chopped
1 lb. assorted fresh wild mushrooms, thinly sliced (portobello, chanterelle, oysters, shiitake, etc.)
1 teaspoon peeled fresh ginger, finely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
1⁄4 cup honey
4 6-oz. boneless duck breasts, with skin
1 tablespoon olive oil
Fresh chives, to garnish

Cut 14 figs in half lengthwise. Combine cut figs, wine, 2 cups broth and cinnamon in medium saucepan. Simmer over medium-high heat until thickened to sauce consistency, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Strain sauce, pressing solids to release juices. Discard solids. (Can be prepared one day ahead. Cover and chill.)
Preheat oven to 450º Fahrenheit. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and ginger, sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 4 minutes. Add remaining 1⁄4 cup broth and simmer until most of the liquid is evaporated, about 4 minutes. Stir in chives. Keep warm.

Place remaining 16 figs in small glass baking dish. Drizzle honey over figs. Bake until figs are tender and honey is slightly caramelized, about 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, sprinkle duck breasts with salt and pepper. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter with olive oil in another heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add duck breasts, skin side down, and cook 5 minutes. Turn duck breasts over and continue cooking to desired doneness, about 3 minutes for medium-rare.

To serve, spoon mushrooms into center of each plate, dividing equally. Slice duck breasts and arrange atop mushrooms. Rewarm sauce and spoon over duck. Place four caramelized figs on each plate. Garnish with chives, if desired.
Serves four.

FROM LIBBY VOLGYES:
Mary Aden’s Pecan Pie

This is Grandma Mary’s original recipe. Sweet makes it extra-sweet sometimes by adding a layer of caramel between two layers of pecan filling.

1⁄4 cup butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup (Karo, light or dark)
3 eggs
1 1⁄2 cups pecans
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 350º. Add brown sugar and corn syrup to melted butter and mix well. Beat eggs with salt until light yellow and thick. Add the brown sugar mixture to the eggs and beat well. Add vanilla and pecans.

Pour into pie shell and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, depending on your oven. Pie is ready when the top is firm to the touch.
Serves eight.

FROM JENNIFER PODIS:
Mom’s Sweet Potato Casserole

This is the one must-have dish at our family’s Thanksgiving celebrations.

4 cups cooked sweet potatoes, mashed (or canned yams)
2 tablespoons margarine
2 tablespoons brown sugar
6 tablespoons orange juice
A splash of spiced rum (or any fruit liqueur or bourbon)
Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
1 cup marshmallows
Pineapple or mandarin slices, to garnish

Preheat oven at 350º. Mix the margarine, brown sugar, orange juice, rum and nutmeg into the sweet potatoes. Spoon the sweet potato mixture into a casserole dish, cover and bake for 30 minutes.

Scatter the marshmallows over the top of the sweet potatoes. Garnish with pineapple or mandarin orange slices. Bake another 10 to 15 minutes uncovered.
Serves eight.

FROM LYNN KALBER:
Green Bean Salad

Recipe adapted from Real Simple magazine.

4 cups fresh, thin green beans, sliced (2 pounds)
1⁄4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (1⁄2 pound)
2 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a large saucepan of lightly salted boiling water, cook the green beans uncovered for 7 to 9 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, mustard and salt. Pour the dressing over the green beans and toss well. Fold in the tomatoes. Very gently fold in the goat cheese. Add pepper to taste.

To make up to two days ahead, prepare and store separately in the refrigerator: green beans, dressing, tomatoes and cheese. Combine up to 3 hours before serving.

Serves eight.

FROM JENNIFER PODIS:
An Autumn Dinner Salad
Recipe from ‘Food for Thought’ by the Junior League of Birmingham, Ala.

2 tablespoons butter
1⁄2 cup walnuts, chopped
3 tablespoons brown sugar
6 cups mixed salad greens — romaine, leaf lettuce, Boston lettuce, radicchio
1 firm pear or apple (I use green apple)
A handful of alfalfa sprouts (optional)
3 scallions, chopped
3 to 4 ounces bleu cheese
For the balsamic vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1⁄2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1⁄2 teaspoon onion juice (I have omitted this and the recipe is still fine)
1 clove garlic, crushed
3⁄4 cup olive oil

To prepare vinaigrette, combine dry mustard, seasoned salt and pepper. Stir in vinegar, onion juice and garlic. Let stand 1 hour. Just before serving, pour into bowl through wire mesh strainer to remove garlic. With a wire whisk, beat in a slow stream of olive oil.

To prepare salad, melt butter in heavy skillet over medium heat. Add walnuts and brown sugar, and sauté until nuts begin to soften. Remove from pan to cool.
Wash and drain lettuce. Tear into bite-size pieces, and place in a large bowl. At serving time, core fruit and cut into bite-size pieces.

Toss lettuce, fruit, sprouts, scallions with the vinaigrette. Add half the nuts and cheese and gently toss again. Sprinkle remaining nuts and cheese over top. Serve immediately.

Serves four to six.

The Swirl Girls — Libby Volgyes (Sweet), J. Gwendolynne Berry (Dry), Lynn Kalber (Bold) and Jennifer Podis (Earthy) — write about wine for The Palm Beach Post. Send e-mails to swirlgirls@pbpost.com. Sip and swirl more on the Web at pbpulse.com/swirlgirls.

Click here to see more pictures from the Swirl Girls Thanksgiving!