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With Thanksgiving nipping at our heels, it's a good time to remember all the things that help make a meal a great meal. Here's one I learned from both my mother and my husband: warm plates make a huge difference.

I'll admit that I don't warm the plates every time I serve someone food, but when it feels special, I always try to give them a little kiss of warmth. Here are a few ways of doing it.

People like to argue about the Brining Question a lot this time of year. Here's my usual response. If you're working with a run-of-the-mill commercial bird, absolutely brine and brine with something flavorful. If you have a heritage bird, still brine, but don't over-do it on the add-ins like herbs and spices. You've paid a pretty penny for a bird whose flavor is part of its heritage: don't cover it up with too many fussy flavors.

But first, for those of you asking "what is brining?" here's a quick definition:

I was lucky enough to get to play around with a jar of Zingerman's Italian Wild Cherries, which are being given as a prize in our Pie Bakeoff (have you voted yet?).

My original idea was to make a pie out of them, but with some careful practice recipe testing using the same volume of frozen (less precious and expensive!) cherries, I came up short. I tried a version using apples as a supporting filling, but it just didn't blow me away enough to risk baking away the entire $49 jar of cherries and dumbing it down with another fruit.

For all you pom-obsessed cooks out there, a friend sent in this video that helped her avoid messily wrangling down a pomegranate last weekend.

Every year for Thanksgiving, we go to Costa Rica with a group of friends to unwind and unplug (that's right, no internets for AT's Mama and Papa Bear.) It's divine. Except that with a toddler in tow, it's not the kind of vacation it used to be, pre-breeding.

This week I got an email from a one of our friends who is used to devouring a book or two on the trip. "What books are your bringing?" she asked, innocently enough, typing quickly, lowercase style with the baby probably bouncing on her lap.

"I'll be lucky if I make it through the Food Issue," I responded, summing up my approach to reading since becoming a mother two years ago (my friend is six months in, and a better reader anyway.)

I met Jamie Oliver last week and it was a total thrill. Such a thrill that it didn't even cross my mind to get photographic evidence for you.

Here's Jamie and Martha Stewart at the taping of her At Martha's Table show on Sirius Satellite, which was the reason the group of us journalists gathered last week in a big glass box to hear them chit chat. But believe me, I was there, at the hem of Jamie's flannel shirt as they were snapping these pictures. And with limited time left, I was asked if I wouldn't mind mind tucking into an elevator car with him to ride down to his waiting chariot — I mean SUV — and ask him one question. No problem.

A version of this post was originally sent to our email subscribers on October 9th. To receive Sara Kate's weekly email, sign up in the column to the left or click here. Something tasty will arrive in your inbox every Thursday.

Last week my email was about paring down in tough economic times. I received a lot of encouraging mail back from readers who feel the crunch and stress of the downward spiral of our economy and are hungry for ideas on how to save but still feel prosperous in their kitchens. Jonathon wrote "Connectivity and collaboration will save us." Absolutely. You readers left me with the feeling that as a community, we can make the best of it.

Today I have a few ideas on little extravagances to incorporate into your cooking because while the overlying theme these days may be scrimping, I believe it's also important to have a little treat now and then.

Some of you are cranky: you're tired of our pie coverage these last few weeks.

I'm sorry you feel that way. In tomorrow's weekly email I'll be doing a round-up of non-pie desserts with some tips on creating your own recipe for this year's feast. There will be nary a crust or pie dish in sight.

Sign up here.

For those of you who are still interested in pie matter: have you been following our bake-off? New entries are being posted daily until next Wednesday, November 19th.

Our pie contest may be closed for submissions, but the pie love keeps going for another couple of weeks. Just in time is a new book called The Amish Cook at Home (Andrews McMeel). It's not a pie book (just a few pie recipes) but it captures the spirit of sharing that pies are all about, and what pie recipes it has are worth sharing here.

Having a sushi-making party? Blue Ocean Institute, the folks who bring you one of the most useful and frequently updated wallet seafood guides, now has a pocket guide to ocean-friendly sushi that you can carry in your wallet and peek at while you decide on your sushi order or stand confused in front of your fish monger.

With the Best Pie Bakeoff in session, I wanted to pass on a few tips on taking a good picture of pie (or tart) since photos are one of the requirements to enter the contest.

Because so many people now cook with a camera around their necks (and eat with one in their laps) we encourage readers to send in photos with their questions and require them to do so for contests. Many are wonderful, but some could use help. Whether or not you plan to participate in the Bakeoff, I thought a little Pie Photography 101 might be useful.

By the way, I learned most of these tips from my mother, who is a food stylist and did the styling for my book. Thanks, Mom.

A version of this post was originally sent to our email subscribers on October 2. To receive Sara Kate's weekly email, sign up in the column to the left or click here. Something tasty will arrive in your inbox every Thursday.

We talk about frugality a fair amount here in The Kitchn — if you don't believe me, just dig a little — but given the events of the last few weeks, we're going to start talking about it even more.

Oh yes I did. Last Monday night I whipped up some sugar cookie dough, and bought some colorants for royale icing that would transform my plain Jane cookies into some hopeful sunrise cookies for election day.

I was inspired by all the Obama cookies I found online and in particular the one I featured in my election night menu ideas post. Plus, with an invitation to an election party featuring "Real American Food" I figured some sugar, white flour and dye was in order.

Our Pie Bakeoff is in full swing (have you entered your best pie yet?) For the next few weeks we are running posts each day with recipes, tips and inspiration, and soon we will begin posting entries from the contest.

The question has been posed, May I enter the bakeoff with a tart? The answer is yes. While pies and tarts are two distinct things, they are close enough cousins that we will accept them both. A galette is another cousin who is invited to party. They are all baked desserts, wrapped in crust and filled with sweetness. Now, for a little lesson on the differences between them.