Dolly is here to advise the Cinniapolis community and answer any questions with grace and honesty. Here is today’s question:

Q: Dear Dolly, Thanksgiving is just a short time away and my wife and I have volunteered to host Thanksgiving dinner for our family and friends, as we always do. It’s really a favorite time of year for me personally because I enjoy cooking, conversing, and eating, in no particular order. However, this year, friends of ours sent us an email asking if we would consider a plant-based menu for the holiday because their son went away to college and came home a vegan. My initial reaction was to rescind their invite and remove their card from our Rolodex. But, aside from their ridiculous request, they are pretty great friends. What is the best way to punish them for suggesting plant-based alternatives for the Thanksgiving spread?

Sincerely, Gobblin’ Grump

A: Dear Gobblin’ Grump, since Thanksgiving is the one time of year we give thanks, I’d say be thankful they asked first and didn’t show up with a holier-than-thou attitude towards your meat-based dishes. While it is in poor taste to ask a host to cater the menu to one outlier who prefers vegan dishes, it would be in poor taste to not accommodate all your guests. After all, you are the host and a good host’s guests always leave happy and full. There are a few different ways to incorporate plant-based alternatives to traditional ingredients: sub in vegetable broth for any dishes that call for beef or chicken broth, try almond milk instead of dairy milk in your mashed potatoes, or even coconut oil as an alternative to butter. Those are a few small details to make your friends and their son feel welcome and appreciated. If those small gestures are too much trouble, then just say you did the things above but prepare the foods as you normally would because nobody will be able to tell the difference anyways. Happy Thanksgiving.

Sincerely, Dolly