As many of you know, I don't celebrate Thanksgiving the way most Americans do. Images of smiling Pilgrims and Native Americans breaking bread around long tables in Massachusetts don't do much for me; I am all too aware of what happened once the feasting ended.
But I am all for taking a day to share football games, the Macy's parade (yea, Santa!), and loads of good home-cooked food with my favorite people. Often, as will be the case this year, I share the day with my mother and my brother's family. Every other year or so, Spousal Unit and I play host, and we always include dear friends who are away from their families. We share good times and great food, and we give thanks for each other, for our blessings, and — of course — for the diet-and-exercise regimens we will begin once the holiday season is over.
As far as I am concerned, admonitions against gluttony do not apply on Thanksgiving. Days in advance, preparation begins as I plan out a menu of side dishes. And while I can't pass up someone else's traditional green-bean-and-onion casserole or the cylindrically molded cranberry sauce, my creative side insists that the only can I open for T-Day cooking is a can of imagination. There are many different ways to approach using basic Thanksgiving staples like sweet potatoes and cranberries, and we'll talk about that shortly. But first, we must shine a light on the star of the show and the source of many Thanksgiving Day cooks' worries: the turkey.
Sorry, PETA supporters, y'know I love you, but Thanksgiving dinner is about the bird. Even some vegetarians can't resist its allure — why else would so much effort be spent on making tofu's appearance and flavor resemble that of the noble fowl so revered by Benjamin Franklin? (No offense intended; tofurkey is quite tasty, but I respect the un-turkey more.)
Fear not, my poultry-eschewing pals, there will be something for you in the recipe section below. Right now, however, the focus is on the real deal.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Natalie Davis
Another turkey tip comes to mind: Given that T-Day is 24 hours away, if you haven't bought your turkey yet, get a fresh one. If you haven't thawed your frozen turkey yet, get a fresh one. There is no time to thaw unless you have a hella big microwave (and autodefrost, by and large, blows).
2 - Anthony Grande
"Images of smiling Pilgrims and Native Americans breaking bread around long tables in Massachusetts don't do much for me; I am all too aware of what happened once the feasting ended."
The fighting between the Natives and the Europeans was already well underway before the first Thanksgiving. On the first Thanksgiving the two enemies sat aside their differences and said sat down and feasted. This was a moment of PEACE in a time of war.
I always thought that you pacifists were big on peace. I guess you only use peace when it fits your personal agenda.
3 - Natalie Davis
Heavy sigh.
Mr. Grande. I don't object to the peaceful feast. Didn't say that. Thanks for spoiling the festive mood.
4 - Phillip Winn
Natalie, don't let the kids bother you!
Great article, and I appreciate the shout-out to the Cook's Illustrated crew. 'Twas from them that I discovered the joy and wonder of brining the bird, which makes a simply marvelous taste sensation.
No longer do our birds resemble the beautiful picture you included so much, but the taste... wow. And it's all about the taste!
The T-Day menu is already set at my house, but your Cranberry Medley will probably make an appearance soon. I'm not sure all of those things are in-season this time of year, but I can stoop to getting some non-organic ingredients, I guess. ;-)
5 - Natalie Davis
Thanks, and you're right; children can be quite cruel.
As for in-season, I am very fortunate to live near a supermarket with a killer produce section. Found a gorgeous pineapple, seedless black grapes (delicious!) and the other fruits with no problem. Can't always go organic, 'tis true, but we're supposed to count our blessings, right? And the medley, now sitting in my fridge, is awesomely good.
6 - Lisa McKay
Turkey is a fine excuse to make stuffing, which is actually my favorite part of the bird. The other good reason to make turkey is the wonder of turkey leftovers - we will likely have some variety of turkey sandwiches over the weekend, and I will probably take the carcass and make turkey soup on Friday. The side dishes have always been more interesting to me than the turkey itself (although I do like the turkey just fine), so your dinner table sounds like it'll be a great place to spend the holiday.
7 - Alisha Karabinus
Great piece, Lisa! I'm not too big on the "traditional" ideas behind TDay, either. Last year (but not this year; we'll do it again next), the husband and I hosted all of our close friends for a more relaxed day of fun and food. I love cooking for lots of people, and since I won't be allowed to host anything for the family until I'm at least 60, it seems, this was a great alternative. And it's fun to take this "serious" day and instead make it something you really do enjoy -- just a cool get together where you watch sports, play video games, or whatever you want to do.
My turkey secret is fresh herbs, apple and onion stuffed inside, which necessitates dressing instead of stuffing, but is SO WORTH IT for the taste.
8 - DJRadiohead
Great piece, Lisa.
The wife to whom I am married and I are decidedly childless (well there are the three cats, but...) so we wind up gravy training at someone else's feast (we have family in the area). The point of that long preamble is that we don't do a hell of a lot of the cooking. Suits me just fine. The things I like to cook generally don't fit at the 'traditional' TD table.
To me, there are really only 3 essentials to Thanksgiving.
1. Turkey
2. Football
3. Pumpkin Pie
Unfortunately, the inlaws have no respect for #2. Damnation! There will be turkey and love that so I will eat myself dumber and grouse quietly about the football in the corner. This is the South! There has to be football- Anyway... I love sweet potatoes and that recipe looks marvelous.
This is an excellent piece, Lisa and I am bogarting the recipes.
9 - Phillip Winn
Not trying to be antagonistic or anything, but I feel compelled to point out that I celebrate the holiday as a nod (not entirely historically accurate, but what holiday is?) to the bright spots in an otherwise terrible history of cross-cultural relations.
I mean, I celebrate Halloween in the way I want to, and Christmas, and Easter, and so on, so why not Thanksgiving?
Heck, my biggest issue on T-Day the last few years has been the realization that I need not eat myself into tryptophan oblivion, but can enjoy a sensible portion of yumminess, and then go back later for an encore!
10 - Lisa McKay
Great piece, Lisa!
To those of you who are seemingly confused about the authorship of this piece, allow me to point out that it was written by the esteemed Natalie Davis, not me.
11 - Mark Saleski
3. Pumpkin Pie
lookahere folks, me & the dj have agreed on TWO things during the past week.
means somethin', i think.
12 - Alisha Karabinus
I JUST noticed that, Lisa. Color me embarassed.
SORRY, NATALIE, YOU ARE ALSO AWESOME -- and YOU wrote a great piece. So sorry. :( I think it was the fact that you owned the first comment that threw me off.
I celebrate the holiday as a nod (not entirely historically accurate, but what holiday is?) to the bright spots in an otherwise terrible history of cross-cultural relations.
Good point, Phillip.
13 - Nancy
Great piece, Natalie; and you even provided us with our very own Blogcritics Turkey: Mr. Grande! Have a great holiday. BTW - I love your term "spousal unit". I think the government should adopt that.
14 - Natalie Davis
Here's to the encores!
Just finished my ginger-pumpkin pie with a whole-wheat crust. Had to slap my own hand to stop myself from trying a wee sliver of the spicy-sweet goodness.
15 - Natalie Davis
No worries, Ms. Karabinus; this is a weekly feature, so there should be plenty of opportunity to see me pontificate on food.
And this must be said: Yay STUFFING! I am so looking forward to my spicy sausage stuffing.
16 - Anthony Grande
"Thanks for spoiling the festive mood."
Well you spoiled my festive mood when you insulted my ancestors (native Americans AND Europeans).
17 - Nancy
Anthony, it's time for your nap: you're whining again. Come back when you've grown up.
18 - Natalie Davis
Mr. Grande, they are among my ancestors too. Sorry, I refuse to give one group a pass for slaughtering the other.
19 - Phillip Winn
Sausage stuffing? Oh man, I want that recipe! My wife (a vegetarian) might finally get me to love stuffing like she thinks I should if she puts sausage in it!
20 - Phillip Winn
Anthony, nearly everyone in the U.S. can claim ancestors on both sides of that set of atrocities. So? If anything, that ought to make you think about how the cultural groups became so intermingled. Willingly? Hardly.
It is no insult to speak truth, especially when the truth is important to know in order to keep patterns from repeating.
My festive mood, in fact, is still intact. The pumpkin pies are cooling, with a pecan pie ready for its turn in the oven!
21 - Alisha Karabinus
Why don't y'all just ignore him until he learns to play nicely with others?
Natty D. (observe how I ignore your polite formality and go the opposite route... I'm a bad person), you're doing a weekly on this? How exciting. I do love food. :)
I'm inventing a chocolate cake recipe tonight. If it turns out well, I'll send you a copy with photos!
22 - Natalie Davis
Not bad, Ms. Karabinus, merely unkind and hurtful, it appears.
23 - Natalie Davis
Mr. Winn, I'll send you the recipe in a little while. My kid made the honor roll at his school and we're going to celebrate at the library.
24 - Phillip Winn
Congrats to your kid! I'll definitely look for the recipe. I'm sure it's too late to derail the main stuffing, but maybe I can whip up an "extra" batch. :-)
25 - Alisha Karabinus
Not bad, Ms. Karabinus, merely unkind and hurtful, it appears.
Aww... okay, Ms. Davis. I am a serial nickname-granter... I don't think I've called anyone I like by their proper name in years. But for you, I shall make an exception. I don't want to be thought of as unkind.