On any normal day, Bostonist can hardly make a box of macaroni and cheese, but on Thanksgiving, Bostonist IS an expert at making something: a nice hostess basket to take along to whichever friend's family adopts us for the year's feast. Luckily, on the third Thursday of November every year (just in time for Turkey Day), the French release their newest batch of Beaujolais Nouveau, a light and fruity wine from southern Burgundy.

A few conversation points to aid in "humbly" chatting up your libation during courses:

- Beaujolais Nouveau is considered extremely "hip" right now by the Japanese, according to importer Kenji Koga. (Bostonist doesn't know who this person is, but let's face it, the Japanese always know what's cool before the rest of the world, so jump on their bandwagon - fast!)

- The Globe and Mail reports that experts are predicting this year's batch of B.N. to be "one of the best in decades" with "notes of wild blackberry, cranberry and blackcurrant, with hints of cherry, raspberry and spicier flavours not unlike licorice."

- Controversy alert! A revamp of the classic slogan "Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!" (or "Beaujolais Nouveau has arrived!") to the more youth-appealing "It's Beaujolais Nouveau time" has met with resistance from traditional cafés and wine bars in Paris and beyond. Still, the new campaign has a spiffy website and Michel Rougier, head of the group promoting the region's wines, is telling youths that "instead of drinking Coke...it's better to drink a glass of Beaujolais..."

What? Too cheap to buy a hostess gift? Ok then, try making this homemade, traditional mulled cider. Also called glühwein, this concoction should keep the family warm until it's time to soak in the hot tub and break the wishbone - or is that just a Bostonist tradition?

(makes 4 servings)
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Ingredients

• 32 ounces claret or other dry red wine


• 2 large dashes of Angostura bitters


• 8-10 cloves


• 4 small pieces of cinnamon stick


• a few twists of lemon peel (not the whole lemon's worth, now!)


• 4 teaspoons superfine sugar


• 3 pinches allspice



Combine all ingredients in a small, heavy saucepan.

Heat, but do not allow to boil.

Strain into 8-ounce mugs (or dump it all into your favorite Nalgene and tell Grandma it's water).

Drink.

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Photo courtesy of flickr.com / user: Elektra Fisher