Turkey and Romaine Lettuce recalls may be casting a shadow on Thanksgiving dinners across the U.S. today, but our American cousins can still be happily thankful for some traditional dishes that aren’t usually enjoyed at any other time of year…
The traditional Thanksgiving dinner centrepiece… A perfect Roast Turkey!
I say, ‘our American cousins’ because , of course, I’m Canadian, and we had our Thanksgiving holiday back on the second Monday of October, as usual. It’s my theory that we have ours earlier because the harvest comes earlier in the higher latitudes where cold temperatures also come earlier. Heck, Americans living under the threat of wildfires in the far west and floods in the south would be amazed to know we already have half a foot of snow on the ground. But that’s another story.
Ancient traditions manage to survive…
I’m not talking about Turkey and Mashed Potatoes with Gravy. I’m talking original Thanksgiving dishes that have been around as long as the feast itself. I’ll bet your family still puts at least one of them on the table every year on this holiday, just because…
For the Soup course…
Creamy Butternut Squash. This fall favourite has become synonymous with late-year holiday meals during the last century and no Thanksgiving menu should be without it!
Main dishes…
The first Thanksgiving feast, shared by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag First Nation at Plymouth Colony in 1621, included Waterfoul (Ducks and Geese), and a great variety of Seafoods, not the least of which were Lobster, Clams and Oysters. Ham and Venison were also featured. You might say, they cooked up a bit of everything they had available. You can Google recipes for these treats until the cows come home, but if you do, it will be too late to make them!
Nevertheless, as Wikipedia reports, contemporary diarist and Colony Governor William Bradford noted, “Besides waterfowl, there was great store of wild turkeys, of which they took many.” Which is probably why Turkey gets the lead role at Thanksgiving right down to today.
Sides…
Sweet Potato Pie is another dish that entered the traditional Thanksgiving menu early on. To be strictly traditional, this pie is served with the main course, not for dessert. Sweet Potatoes are also enjoyed widely in other forms – baked, en casserole and fried – on this big fall feast day.
Green Bean Casserole is usually served in a cream sauce with onions and Mushrooms and topped with Crispy Fried Onions. French’s makes pre-fried Onions especially for this popular dish. I don’t think anyone else still does.
Corn, itself – preferably on the Cob – is also a traditional favourite. But you can also do Creamed Corn or a savoury Corn Casserole to be more festive.
And don’t forget the most traditional Thanksgiving Corn dish of all: Corn Pudding.
A skillet full of fresh Corn Bread is also welcome at any Thanksgiving table. You can make it Sweet or Savoury…
Although it’s admittedly a new ‘tradition’, many Thanksgiving menus have adopted Roasted Brussell’s Sprouts as a standard. And, for many, this will be about the only time of year your family Chef will put them on the table. I don’t know about you, but they’re one of my favourite Holiday Feast sides. And they’re easy to make.
For Dessert, if you have room…
Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie is a must for Thanksgiving. It’s a tradition, for dessert, that goes back a long way, and many families may not enjoy it at any other time of year, except maybe Christmas.
Indian Pudding is said to have been served, in some form, at the very first Thanksgiving dinner. It’s made from Corn Meal, Milk, Eggs and Molasses. It’s still called ‘Indian Pudding’, though I thought the PC folks would have decreed you can’t say that anymore. Still, it’s a good dish made properly, and it’s high homage to tradition. This one’s also for dessert.
And there you have it!
Your quick guide to traditional Thanksgiving foods, both historic and contemporary. Whatever you make for today’s big dinner, enjoy it to the hilt! And be sure to give thanks for family, trusted friends, the roof over your head and, yes, the food on your table…
~ Maggie J.