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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2014 20:07:28 GMT
Oddly enough, we don't appear to have ever had a thread specifically addressing the traditional Thanksgiving Day meal in the United States. At least, I did do a search on 4 different threads and didn't find one, although Thanksgiving is mentioned from time to time.
To be perfectly honest, the reason I am starting this thread is that I have been totally indifferent to Thanksgiving for more than 40 years, which is sort of normal considering I have not been living in the United States during all that time, but perhaps a bit odd for someone who was born in the American culture and who enjoyed the Thanksgiving experience during my youth. I would imagine that the main reason that I have never missed it is because French culture has plenty of festive events throughout the year, so I never really felt that I was missing an indispensable holiday. However, this year for some inexplicable reason, I have been having warm thoughts about Thanksgiving and have been wondering what people are doing. My main experience of the holiday all these years has been to see it in various movies where it is sometimes a nightmare and sometimes a touching moment of reconciliation but in any case always considered to be one of the moment important times of the year in the United States.
My fantasy Thanksgiving (thanks to Hollywood) takes place in an oversized house. The children watch the parade on television while the womenfolk (where the fuck are the men?) are busy in the kitchen. Family members arrive during the morning from near and far by plane or car. The menfolk offer them drinks (ah, that's where they were!). The meal happens sooner or later, but in my mind I skip the part about the prayers and the heartfelt speeches and the old grudges exploding unexpectedly. I even skip the food since I hate turkey, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes and so many other things like that, but I am happy for all of the people who love it. After the meal, the women go back to the kitchen for a major cleaning event (of course) while the men go out for a walk in the cold and a few more beers before the big game. Then there's the football game which a few people watch and most people sleep through. Snacks are served... And really that's all that Hollywood has taught me because usually the scene dissolves at that point to the next morning.
After all of these years of not giving the day a thought, this year I sort of miss it for some reason. Old age?
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Post by breeze on Nov 19, 2014 21:54:42 GMT
Oddly enough, we don't appear to have ever had a thread specifically addressing the traditional Thanksgiving Day meal in the United States. At least, I did do a search on 4 different threads and didn't find one, although Thanksgiving is mentioned from time to time. To be perfectly honest, the reason I am starting this thread is that I have been totally indifferent to Thanksgiving for more than 40 years, which is sort of normal considering I have not been living in the United States during all that time, but perhaps a bit odd for someone who was born in the American culture and who enjoyed the Thanksgiving experience during my youth. I would imagine that the main reason that I have never missed it is because French culture has plenty of festive events throughout the year, so I never really felt that I was missing an indispensable holiday. However, this year for some inexplicable reason, I have been having warm thoughts about Thanksgiving and have been wondering what people are doing. My main experience of the holiday all these years has been to see it in various movies where it is sometimes a nightmare and sometimes a touching moment of reconciliation but in any case always considered to be one of the moment important times of the year in the United States. My fantasy Thanksgiving (thanks to Hollywood) takes place in an oversized house. The children watch the parade on television while the womenfolk (where the fuck are the men?) are busy in the kitchen. Family members arrive during the morning from near and far by plane or car. The menfolk offer them drinks (ah, that's where they were!). The meal happens sooner or later, but in my mind I skip the part about the prayers and the heartfelt speeches and the old grudges exploding unexpectedly. I even skip the food since I hate turkey, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes and so many other things like that, but I am happy for all of the people who love it. After the meal, the women go back to the kitchen for a major cleaning event (of course) while the men go out for a walk in the cold and a few more beers before the big game. Then there's the football game which a few people watch and most people sleep through. Snacks are served... And really that's all that Hollywood has taught me because usually the scene dissolves at that point to the next morning. After all of these years of not giving the day a thought, this year I sort of miss it for some reason. Old age?
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Post by breeze on Nov 19, 2014 22:12:18 GMT
Well, it wasn't my intention to copy your post, kerouac, but at least it got me to a quick reply box.
Thanksgiving has changed a bit since Norman Rockwell painted your family. Nowadays even the guys help cook. Nobody drank on Thanksgiving when I was a kid, but for the past 20 years we've had wine, and finally beer, good beer, is making an appearance. We still have to prepare every dish our grandmothers prepared, and more. (But nowadays sweet potatoes may not be topped with marshmallows--a family law.) Football is followed by Seinfeld reruns, or maybe some TV series more current, but Seinfeld still has a potent grip on our family and I wouldn't be surprised to see Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer between lunch and dinner.
From my point of view the high point of the day is turkey sandwiches around 6:00. I've been lobbying to skip the big meal and go right to the turkey sandwiches, but I'm not the hostess.
If anybody has a suggestion of an unusual dish I could make to take along, I'd love to hear it.
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Post by htmb on Nov 19, 2014 22:25:03 GMT
Your vision of Thanksgiving was my experience in the 1950's and '60's, kerouac, but not now.
We eat at my house. My sons and one daughter do most of the cooking. I do most of the cleaning up, which is my preference. We always have an odd assortment of guests, including boyfriends, girlfriends, an ex-husband or two, and children and dogs underfoot. We don't watch much in the way of the football games or the parades, but might watch a stupid film instead; something for ages 5 through "second childhood." The majority of us don't like turkey so we'll have ham. This year my oldest will be bringing both her girlfriend and her ex-husband, but I doubt there will be any excitement in the way of poor behavior. The father of my children usually joins us, but will be spending time with our other son's family in Arizona this year, so our gathering will actually be a little more relaxed. There may be a little drinking, but far less than in my parents' day when all the adults would drink heavily and I'd listen in to conversations to hear what family secrets might be revealed.
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Post by lagatta on Nov 20, 2014 0:04:38 GMT
Thanksgiving is celebrated in a very low-key manner in Canada, but mostly in the English-speaking parts. There is not the great rush for people to go home to the Maritimes from the West, though some lonely oil patch workers might do that if they can get time off. It is nothing like the frenzy in the US.
In Québec it is basically a day off; of course some people organize suppers because there is a long weekend, then but it can be just anything in an autumnal mood; I think game meats have become popular, but it isn't really celebrated as such here. Probably because it was seen as a "Protestant" holiday. Those people who voted for Prohibition... and they even included cider. Many settlers here were from northwestern France, Brittany and Normandy; cider country, not wine country (though of course wine was always drunk as well, Église oblige)...
But the big event remains "Les Fêtes".
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2014 12:31:28 GMT
When I was growing up I looked forward to this holiday probably even more-so than Christmas. Because we had such a large family it was held at a different family members home each year.
The meal itself was okay but the most memorable and enjoyable aspect was after when all the cousins would go outside and play. Because it was farm country the properties were large and we could go and explore, find unique and mysterious places to play games, hide,play with the different animals. It was always a fun time and I was always sorry when the day was over.
In college I often went to different friends homes because it was too expensive to justify going home for such a brief period of time with Christmas just around the corner. And so, I experienced different family traditions. The most unique and fascinating was one deep in the heart of Cajun country where there were foods served some of which I had no earthly idea what they were. (raccoon, squirrel, who knows?). After dinner there was Cajun music, dancing, and much merriment. That night my friend and I along with some others went to a place not to far away and heard Arlo Guthrie play before a not too too large a crowd. I still have a cassette tape of the show although I doubt it's in very good condition to play after all these years. (this was 1973 or 4).
These days, for the past 15 years or so we gather with friends and neighbors at different locations in the neighborhood. Those who have familial duties drop by either before or after. The weather is generally warm enough to eat out of doors. A group of us usually take a nice long walk up on the levee later in the day. We divvy up the leftovers including the turkey carcass for someone (usually my husband) to make gumbo with. It has become a long standing tradition and people who have moved away often return to attend. One never knows just who is going to show up.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2014 17:15:23 GMT
It's only since I got married to an American that I realised how big a holiday this was to them. In Canada, Christmas is where all the family effort is made.
This year I'm not in Seattle for Thanksgiving, but my husband is and as usual, he's going to his cousins' place for dinner on Thursday. I have to work, but he'll come up that weekend to see me here. Yay! He hasn't been to Vancouver for over six months.
The routine: arrive at about 3pm, start drinking. We usually bring a Pouilly Fumé or something, because the cousins are fond of jug wine. I try to pace myself.
The group is usually just us middle-aged and older people; the "young adults" have retail jobs that require them to be at work. Old Aunt Lily start making her baked pilaf at that time, turkey is in the oven, (sans stuffing, unfortunately, fears of salmonella, don't you know), people roam about chatting, then closer to the time, my husband makes the gravy (it's "his job"). Then we all sit at the big table, around 12 to 14 of us, and Aunt Lily says grace (I've never heard anybody say grace before, and the first time, it was such a shock!). The meal consists of turkey, some sort of separately-cooked stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, overcooked almond/raisin pilaf, tinned cranberry sauce, crudités consisting of carrot sticks, radishes and canned black olives (ugh). I think last year there was an honest-to-god jello salad. That's it, no vegetables. Last year we brought a bit of roasted brussels sprouts because we were dying for something green, and they were devoured by the group, so I'm instructing my husband to make a huge mess of them this year. Then various, somewhat mediocre baked goods (I won't be there with my pumpkin pie from scratch). By this point my husband has one glass of wine too many, and I drive home. He knows to go easy this year.
It's nice, seeing these people once a year, but because I don't really know them we can't talk about anything of any great consequence, and I'm glad it's over by the end. But my husband enjoys it, and I'm glad he'll be there because his uncle Jim is visiting from Iowa. My only regreat is I didn't get any turkey this year, neither this weekend nor Canadian Thanksgiving. I love turkey.
Next big holiday: Christmas with my Dad!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2014 17:33:10 GMT
Oh, one Canadian Thanksgiving anecdote. One year I was in Guelph, the family seat and my mother's birthplace. It was held in the house she was born in and attended by all my aunts, uncles and cousins (big Catholic family, and oddly enough, they never said grace. I guess it's a Protestant thing). There was a canned green bean/canned mushroom soup/canned fried onion dish, that dish of legend! My aunt brought out the turkey, put it on the platter and it collapsed, literally collapsed; it looked like an apartment block in Greece after a big earthquake. Levelled turkey-rubble. She had coooked it for soooo long that all of the connective tissue in the bird dissolved. I remember picking bits of vertebrae out of my meal. Fun times.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2014 18:12:42 GMT
That could almost make me like turkey. I have always hated fighting with its stiffness and dryness.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2014 18:21:07 GMT
The trick is to get a small bird - 12 lbs max. Brine it. Stuff it. Cook it, covered tightly, at 300F for a long time, adding liberal amounts of wine to the pan. At the end, uncover, boost the heat, brown. Even then, the wings and drumsticks are useless for anything but stock. Always eat the dark meat first, save the white for sandwiches.
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LouisXIV
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L'estat c'est moi.
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Post by LouisXIV on Nov 23, 2014 23:30:35 GMT
K2: "I have always hated fighting with its stiffness and dryness." anyportinastorm.proboards.com/thread/2855/finally-make-perfect-thanksgiving-turkey?page=1Over the years Thanksgiving has changed for me. As a child I remember going to my grand mothers home on a farm in mid Michigan. The whole family would meet, all my uncles and aunts and cousins. We would go out and play in the piles of hay in the barn and many times some of my uncles would go out late morning and early afternoon and hunt of pheasants on the farm. The women would be either sitting around talking or in the kitchen getting a huge meal ready. When I came time to eat all big people sat around a huge farm dining room table for the meal and the kids would be seated on two card tables in the living room. Of course there was a HUGE turkey and one of the men would get stuck with the task of carving the bird and none of them really knew what they were doing. My grand mother would always have a little glass of Mogan David concord grape wine for the adults. Mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweat potatoes and probably at least ten more dishes to pass that others would bring with them. For desert there was pie, not just pumpkin, but apple and mince meat pie that is really hard to find these days. AND REAL whipped cream. After dinner the adults had coffee and talked for a while and then the women would clear the table and all go to the kitchen wash all the dishes and catch up on all the gossip. Then the beer would come out and the adults would sit around the big table and play cards, their game at the time was called Schmire. TV was just coming to be and football games were not part of the experience. Later in life my mother would host the dinner and of course all the food and my mother made it a big presentation. The best dishes and silver serving pieces (Guaranteed to make the food get cold faster). About this time the Campbell Soup people starting marketing the green bean dish with the caned onion rings. If I remember correctly my mother kicked up the Mogan David wine up a notch, maybe a Rose, imported of course. My mother always made a big production of these meals and almost at the end of the meal she remembered the rolls that were still in the oven. After I moved to Traverse City I did not drive back down to Detroit for Thanksgiving, but did enjoy the typical family Thanksgiving dinner with friends in Traverse City. The last ten years or so I have been going out to my sisters home about 20 miles from me where she hosted the family dinner with her son and family, my mother and me. Another huge dinner with all the fix'ens. Since I have always liked to cook and also trained as an army cook I got the job of doing the turkey. I have made more turkeys than I care to remember, but a few years ago I finally learned how to make the perfect turkey, see above link. Every year we would all sit around the table that was over loaded with food and then someone would say a long prayer while the food got even colder. Then came the passing the dishes of food around the table that seemed take forever, some would pass right and some would pass left, confusion, yes. Then when all the passing was done we could now start to eat the cold food. But wait, now someone starts passing the dishes of food around again for seconds. My rule for Thanksgiving dinner would be "the boarding house reach". If you want it, you get it. Buy this time I had been to France a number of times and the wine selection had improved. Every year there is a huge amount of food left and every year we say that next year it will be less. Never is. Oh, yes, every pie you can think of and ice cream and whipped cream from a can. My next rule for Thanksgiving dinner would be to weigh each dish before the meal and weight it again at the end of the meal and if only 25% or less were eaten, it would not be allowed on the future Thanksgiving menus. This year is going to be different. My mother is 94 and has left assisted living and is now in superlative care and it is difficult to transport her to my sisters home so my sister, her husband and I will be having dinner with my mother where she is now and it looks like it will be a fine dinner. Looking back I have to say my child hood Thanksgivings were the best.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 24, 2014 4:40:23 GMT
I just love your description, Louis! I'd also say it's a close description to my family's Thanksgivings, so it made me smile nostalgically. We had a great T'day last year, but my mother is still in recuperation for a shattered elbow this year, so we're not all descending on her. I must say, my mother has no trouble turning out a beautiful moist turkey even if it's a 23-pounder. Our family classics: Turkey Dressing: oyster or cornbread Gravy, of course The green bean/mushroom soup/onion ring thing Peas & artichoke hearts baked together with butter & romano cheese Salad Other varying fresh vegetables Sweet potatoes Meatballs sometimes (in addition to the turkey) Cushaw -- very specific to my family, this is always served with everything else, even though it's quite sweet and it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without it. A selection of pies This year I got talked into going to a restaurant here that serves American-style Thanksgiving dinner. It's a good restaurant, but I'm not all that enthusiastic as I think of the traditional Thanksgiving meal as something to have with family, even though I've had some good & memorable T'days with friends. Today I went out with three friends to my favorite monster, very Mexican style buffet just outside town. One of the group said, " This is where we should have Thanksgiving dinner!" Amen to that.
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Post by htmb on Nov 24, 2014 12:58:01 GMT
A couple of weeks ago this tackiness sprouted up not far from my home. Fortunately, I haven't encountered more around town, though the other day I did notice the same people have now installed blow-up Christmas decorations in their yard next to the turkey.
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Post by htmb on Nov 24, 2014 13:11:51 GMT
Our Thanksgiving menu was finalized yesterday with everyone laughing after the fact because it's the same menu we've had for the past eight years.
Ham Pot roast with potatoes, carrots, and onions Sweet potato casserole with a sugar pecan topping Macaroni and cheese Broccoli casserole Chopped salad with cucumber, celery, onion, Greek olives, feta, etc. Pecan Pie
And probably a few more things I've forgotten to list. I'll eat mostly roast and salad. The rest tends to be too heavy for my taste, which is why I'm also not cooking.
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Post by lagatta on Nov 24, 2014 23:27:37 GMT
bixa, googling, the cushaw seems to be the same or a similar squash as the one pipian seeds are derived from? Or are my random sites out to lunch?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2014 6:47:07 GMT
If ever I become a superhero, I will be the one specialised in shooting arrows through inflatable holiday decorations.
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Post by bjd on Nov 25, 2014 9:17:35 GMT
Growing up in Canada, I never thought of Thanksgiving as anything other than a day off from school. Last year we were at our son's in Quebec on the Thanksgiving long weekend in October and they decided to invite some friends. My son made a turkey (which was fine and juicy), I did the cranberry sauce and I don't remember what else was served. Since nobody was of Canadian or Usanian origin, it was treated more as a friendly get-together than as a "Thanksgiving" thing.
A Chilean friend brought a store-bought pumpkin pie, which only confirmed my dislike of pumpkin pie.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2014 12:44:32 GMT
If ever I become a superhero, I will be the one specialised in shooting arrows through inflatable holiday decorations. I will gladly join you! I have a friend who lives next door, only about 30 feet away, from a family who display umpteen inflatable decorations on their front lawn every holiday; Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Mardi Gras, Easter, Halloween.... The worst part is the droning sound that the generator makes which can be heard from inside her home. I never would have tolerated this for as long as she has.
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Post by htmb on Nov 25, 2014 13:12:38 GMT
Fortunately for the neighbors of the turkey people there is no generator. The thing is just inflated in parts and sealed off like an inner tube.
With laser eyes you won't need arrows.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2014 13:19:53 GMT
These people "display" at least 30 of these things. I will try and get a pic of it (them) when Christmas rolls around and I hopefully have my photo posting issues resolved.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 25, 2014 16:13:04 GMT
In Htmb's pic, it looks as though darts, laser eyes, etc. won't be necessary. Just wait, & let a strong breeze & those nice sharp agaves do the job!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2014 12:55:59 GMT
In Htmb's pic, it looks as though darts, laser eyes, etc. won't be necessary. Just wait, & let a strong breeze & those nice sharp agaves do the job! Talk about a keen eye!! Wow, Bixa!
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Post by lagatta on Nov 26, 2014 14:02:04 GMT
Mogen David is truly terrifying...
I'd thought of taking a bottle of that horror as a joke for a Jewish friend in France, but wisely opted for the usual tin of maple syrup instead.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 26, 2014 21:41:23 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2014 23:17:24 GMT
EISCH!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE do! How repulsive. And, those are oysters not mussels or I'm delusional.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2014 23:42:30 GMT
The annual seafood gumbo has been executed, the house smells marvelous. Our house guest videotaped it from the making of the roux to it's completion. I haven't seen the video yet, but, it's bound to be brilliant and funny because of what a "ham" T is and his affection for my our guest.
I'm making a turnip au gratin early tomorrow a.m. I forgot how expensive gruyere cheese costs, Mon dieu!
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Post by mich64 on Nov 27, 2014 16:35:16 GMT
Oh my goodness Bixa! I hope we get to see a photo of your turnip au gratin Casi! Happy Thanksgiving to all Americans on APIS!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2014 16:44:17 GMT
Happy Thanksgiving!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2014 18:00:35 GMT
I hope to see the video on YouTube, casi!
I think I'm having dim sum for dinner. I have to root around in the freezer.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 27, 2014 19:19:10 GMT
Gotta go array myself like Solomon in all his glory so I can walk down to the gringo T'day feast at my local restaurant. Wish I were more enthusiastic!
Hope all of you to whom this applies have a lovely Thanksgiving with fun &/or beloved people & delicious food. Buen provecho!
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