Thanksgiving Thoughts: Thanksgiving Wishes and Recipe Ideas

November 24, 2009

Family Thoughts on Thanksgiving and Food Thoughts on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving dinner is the one time no one in the family will ask me “What’s for dinner?”  Like families all over the country, we have a ritual dinner.  Every year I am tantalized by all the great and interesting recipes in the food magazines that find their way into my mailbox, but I am NEVER allowed to indulge in them. The only time I get to vary the menu is when we open our doors and include traveling waifs who can’t go “home” for Thanksgiving.  We want everyone at our table to have something that reminds them of home, so I get to expand.

Thanksgiving may be officially the fourth Thursday of November, but in our house, and I believe many houses, it’s really at least a four day affair.  This year, we will be having Thanksgiving at the beach, which sometimes means that all the Edwards gather and we have a large and noisy bunch. That’s when I get to try different things, we have multiples of everything, turkeys, stuffing , potatoes, pies – you name it.

Origins of Thanksgiving Dishes and Wishes

This year will be a smaller, quieter retreat.  The older the family gets, the more connections we have to other families, and the more we share the people, the customs and the time.  Traditionally, most Thanksgiving foods are those native to American soil.  Turkey is ubiquitous – over 91% eat turkey on Thanksgiving. They say if you look at your Thanksgiving table you can tell where your family originates within the U.S.

Click on the foods for some great ideas:

Sweet Potatoes – from the South

Corn Bread Stuffing – The South and New England

Creamed Corn – Pennsylvania

Dungeness Crab or Shrimp – The West Coast

Mole and Roasted Corn,  - Hispanic Americans of  Mexican heritage

Lefse and Green Beans – Midwesterners of Scandinavian  heritage (lefse is Norwegian  potato flatbread)

On our Table for Thanksgiving – In addition to the Cornucopia!

1. Shrimp Cocktail and Fresh Hot Rolls
2. Black Olives – lots!
3. Fresh whole Cranberry Sauce (is your family whole berry or strained?)
4. Turkey (don’t forget the Butterball Hotline!) link to other post.
5. Aunt Ida’s Sage and Sausage Stuffing (not sure who Aunt Ida was)
6. Giblet Gravy ( we had to wait till they were a little older for the giblets)
7. Mashed Potatoes
8. Pumpkin and Minced Pie

My Thanksgiving Wishes

What I love about Thanksgiving is that it is the most American of all holidays – everyone within our shores is invited to the table to celebrate.  It’s a day of peace and promise as we gather to be thankful for the blessings we have. It’s a little island of calm before the holiday rush. Food is one of the most fundamental ways of connecting.  I know at our table we will be thankful for family and friends (including those we don’t know yet).  We wish the same for you at this time and hope you will share the season…

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