Carmignano is one of the smallest Italian wine appellations. It is also one of the oldest: Cosimo III De'Medici recognized it in the Bando, or Edict of 1716, in which he set the boundaries of the four best Tuscan wine-making areas (this was the first formal recognition of quality wine-making areas, anywhere).

Carmignano produces a number of styles of wine, from light fruity rosés though substantial reds that will drink well with rich foods and also age quite well. And there is also Vinsanto, the classic Tuscan dessert wine.

In short, no matter your preference, you're certain to find a Carmignano wine that will be perfect for your Thanksgiving Dinner. Want Pinot Nero? You'll find that too, made by Marchesi de'Pancazi ar the Villa di Bagnolo. Very nice!

Carmignano's wines, from the 2009 Vintage Presentation

If you live in the US, you will likely have your fill of Turkey on Thursday. Those of us living elsewhere will probably not (even if we are American), largely because preparing a Thanksgiving Feast takes time we cannot take from our jobs, school and so on. So most of those of us who celebrate the Day outside the US will likely move it to Saturday.

This doesn't mean not eating turkey at all on Thursday, however: Turkey breast is one of the more popular items in Italian markets, because it's inexpensive and lean. And it is versatile. For example, you coild make:

Turkey Breast Fillets with Peppers and Black Olives, Fettine di Tacchino con Peperoni e Olive Nere:
Though Bologna is known for rich dishes, there are also quick easy things to enjoy. These turkey breast fillets with peppers and black olives, for example.

Turkey Breast with Onions, Farmer Style, Tacchino con Cipolle alla Contadina:
I'm not sure why turkey breast stewed with onions should be called farmer-style, but it is. And it's tasty.

Turkey Roll, Rotolo di Tacchino:
Turkey roll is nice for a family meal, and is also an excellent option if you want to serve turkey for a festive occasion but your party is small.

Though I am American, because I live in Italy I don't celebrate Thanksgiving, at least not on Thursday -- since Italians don't celebrate the holiday, we simply cannot take the time off to prepare during the week.

But we will join some American friends on Saturday, and it therefore seems like a good idea to eat more lightly for a few days in preparation.

You might winder at the juxtaposition between eating lightly and serving pasta: It's all about portion size. The standard Italian pasta serving is 80 grams (dry weight), which is a little less than 3 ounces -- enough to fill, but not to overflowing, a deep dish pasta bowl. Follow the pasta with a quarter pound of the main course and a vegetable, and the meal won't be heavy. So:

Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe, a Roman classic. Followed by:

Triglie alla Livornese, reef mullet in a zesty tomato sauce. Very good, and if you don't have reef mullet other flavorful fish will work fine. Accompanied by: Spinaci rifatti, recooked spinach, which is a winter standby in much of Italy. And crusty bread to mop up the drippings. To finish up?

Fresh fruit. The oranges were especially good this week.

And to drink? White wine, and I might be tempted by a Gavi.

Orata is sea bream (I have also seen it translated as sea bass), and a fine fish it is. Excellent roasted over the coals, and also quite good baked. Or done Al Cartoccio (baked in a packet with other ingredients).

In short, delightful eating, and if you're preparing for Thanksgiving next week, as an additional bonus it is, like most fish, low in fat and light on the digestion. Perfect!

A couple of recipes:
Orata al Cartoccio, Roasted in Paper
Orata Al Forno Con Gli Aromi, Roasted with Herbs
Baked Royal Dorade (Its French name)

How To Select A Fresh Fish and Estimate Its Cooking Time
How To Serve a Whole Fish at Table