Thanksgiving is perhaps one of the only American holidays with no commercial angle. It is a holiday where all you have to think about is food – no office parties and no wracking your brain to buy the perfect gift. On Thanksgiving all you have to do is eat.Celebrated on the last Thursday of the November makes it a 4 day weekend for families and friend to gather. The Wednesday before is the busiest travel day of the year. Airports, train stations and all the national highways are filled with 40 million people trying to get to their holiday destination.
Thanksgiving is all about turkey. Nearly 45 million turkeys will be on the dinner table estimates the National Turkey Federation – yes, of course there is a federation for turkey growers. The trimmings are just as important as the bird itself — mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, cornbread, heavily buttered vegetables, bread stuffing, gravy and the ever important cranberry sauce. After the dishes are clear, pecan and pumpkin pies are ceremoniously brought out. Everyone is quite full from the enormous meal, but there is always room for dessert.
History
The landing of the pilgrims from England at Plymouth Rock was the beginning of America. The group of one hundred men women and children landed after a long and difficult journey in the middle of winter. Their difficulties continued into the first months of their arrival, and by the end of the first year only half had endured the harsh winter months.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City was started originally to kick off the Christmas shopping season. Three million people brave the cold and stand on the 4 kilometre Manhattan route to view the parade. The parade also attracts viewers in 44 million homes across the country.
Presidential Pardons
Each year two turkeys avoid the dinner table, thanks to a presidential pardon—a longstanding Washington tradition. Since 1947 the National Turkey Federation has presented two live turkeys to the President. During the yearly photo opportunity with the press, the lucky turkeys are sent off to live peacefully to Disneyland’s Big Thunder Ranch in California.
Recipes(adapted from Southernfood.com)
- 1 roasting chicken, about 2 kilos
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed and finely minced
- 1 heaping tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- dash ground black pepper
- cut up lemon, for inside
- 4 whole basil leaves, optional
Preparation:
Line a roasting pan with foil. Heat oven to 176°C. Wash chicken and pat dry; set on a rack in the roasting pan. Or lay a few celery ribs or carrot sticks under the chicken to keep it off of the bottom of the pan and out of the pan drippings.
Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 medium sweet potatoes, cooked, peeled, and sliced
Preparation:
In a heavy skillet, combine brown sugar, water, butter, and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add sliced sweet potatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes, turning frequently.
Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 1.5 kilos potatoes
- water to cover
- salt
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup milk
- 6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Preparation:
Peel potatoes and cut into large pieces. Cover and cook in boiling salted water for 15 to 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Drain potatoes. Put potatoes through a ricer or mash in a large mixing bowl until no lumps remain. Add milk in small amounts, beating after each addition, until desired consistency is reached. Add butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper, beating until mashed potatoes are light and fluffy.
Gravy
Ingredients
- pan drippings from the roast chicken
- flour
- water
- salt and pepper
Preparation:
Pour the chicken pan drippings into a 2 cup measuring cup and skim the fat off. Put about 1/4 cup of the fat into a saucepan and stir in 1/4 cup of flour. Add enough water to the drippings (throw the rest of the fat away) to make 2 cups of liquid. Pour the 2 cups of liquid into the flour/fat mixture. Cook, stirring, until thickened and bubbling. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Pecan Pie(substitute walnuts for pecans, since pecans are not easily available)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup molasses(liquid gur/kakwi)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 large eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 heaping cup pecan halves
- 1 pie shell, unbaked, 9-inch (see below)
Preparation:
In a large bowl, combine molasses, brown sugar, salt, butter, and vanilla; mix well. Add slightly beaten eggs and blend well; stir in pecans. Pour into the unbaked pie shell. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 45 minutes, or until set. Cool pecan pie and serve with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Pie Crust
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup lard or vegetable shortening, or combination of shortening and butter, chilled
- 3 tablespoons ice water
Preparation:
Sift together the flour and salt; sift again. Cut in the shortening or lard with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add ice water a tablespoon at a time (approximately 3 tablespoons in all), stirring the dough around the bowl with a fork. As soon as it is moist enough to gather into a ball, wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Handle the dough as little as possible.
Published in Pune Mirror, November 24, 2011
Thanksgiving is perhaps one of the only American holidays with no commercial angle. It is a holiday where all you have to think about is food – no office parties and no wracking your brain to buy the perfect gift. On Thanksgiving all you have to do is eat.Celebrated on the last Thursday of the November makes it a 4 day weekend for families and friend to gather. The Wednesday before is the busiest travel day of the year. Airports, train stations and all the national highways are filled with 40 million people trying to get to their holiday destination.
Thanksgiving is all about turkey. Nearly 45 million turkeys will be on the dinner table estimates the National Turkey Federation – yes, of course there is a federation for turkey growers. The trimmings are just as important as the bird itself — mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, cornbread, heavily buttered vegetables, bread stuffing, gravy and the ever important cranberry sauce. After the dishes are clear, pecan and pumpkin pies are ceremoniously brought out. Everyone is quite full from the enormous meal, but there is always room for dessert.
History
The landing of the pilgrims from England at Plymouth Rock was the beginning of America. The group of one hundred men women and children landed after a long and difficult journey in the middle of winter. Their difficulties continued into the first months of their arrival, and by the end of the first year only half had endured the harsh winter months.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City was started originally to kick off the Christmas shopping season. Three million people brave the cold and stand on the 4 kilometre Manhattan route to view the parade. The parade also attracts viewers in 44 million homes across the country.
Presidential Pardons
Each year two turkeys avoid the dinner table, thanks to a presidential pardon—a longstanding Washington tradition. Since 1947 the National Turkey Federation has presented two live turkeys to the President. During the yearly photo opportunity with the press, the lucky turkeys are sent off to live peacefully to Disneyland’s Big Thunder Ranch in California.
Recipes(adapted from Southernfood.com)
- 1 roasting chicken, about 2 kilos
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed and finely minced
- 1 heaping tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- dash ground black pepper
- cut up lemon, for inside
- 4 whole basil leaves, optional
Preparation:
Line a roasting pan with foil. Heat oven to 176°C. Wash chicken and pat dry; set on a rack in the roasting pan. Or lay a few celery ribs or carrot sticks under the chicken to keep it off of the bottom of the pan and out of the pan drippings.
Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 medium sweet potatoes, cooked, peeled, and sliced
Preparation:
In a heavy skillet, combine brown sugar, water, butter, and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add sliced sweet potatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes, turning frequently.
Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 1.5 kilos potatoes
- water to cover
- salt
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup milk
- 6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Preparation:
Peel potatoes and cut into large pieces. Cover and cook in boiling salted water for 15 to 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Drain potatoes. Put potatoes through a ricer or mash in a large mixing bowl until no lumps remain. Add milk in small amounts, beating after each addition, until desired consistency is reached. Add butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper, beating until mashed potatoes are light and fluffy.
Gravy
Ingredients
- pan drippings from the roast chicken
- flour
- water
- salt and pepper
Preparation:
Pour the chicken pan drippings into a 2 cup measuring cup and skim the fat off. Put about 1/4 cup of the fat into a saucepan and stir in 1/4 cup of flour. Add enough water to the drippings (throw the rest of the fat away) to make 2 cups of liquid. Pour the 2 cups of liquid into the flour/fat mixture. Cook, stirring, until thickened and bubbling. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Pecan Pie(substitute walnuts for pecans, since pecans are not easily available)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup molasses(liquid gur/kakwi)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 large eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 heaping cup pecan halves
- 1 pie shell, unbaked, 9-inch (see below)
Preparation:
In a large bowl, combine molasses, brown sugar, salt, butter, and vanilla; mix well. Add slightly beaten eggs and blend well; stir in pecans. Pour into the unbaked pie shell. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 45 minutes, or until set. Cool pecan pie and serve with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Pie Crust
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup lard or vegetable shortening, or combination of shortening and butter, chilled
- 3 tablespoons ice water
Preparation:
Sift together the flour and salt; sift again. Cut in the shortening or lard with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add ice water a tablespoon at a time (approximately 3 tablespoons in all), stirring the dough around the bowl with a fork. As soon as it is moist enough to gather into a ball, wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Handle the dough as little as possible.
Published in Pune Mirror, November 24, 2011
