Traditional Thanksgiving

Traditional Thanksgiving is an odd term, as pretty much the only things all Thanksgiving meals include are turkey and gravy. What is traditional at your house probably isn’t at your neighbor’s house. Most of us grew up eating the same things, or some variation on them year after year. Is there a  typical American Thanksgiving? Is there a Thanksgiving taking place here that isn’t American? 

Thanksgiving dinner is a reflection of who we are, and where we came from as well as who we have become. Here is a small list of things that you might find on someone’s holiday table in addition to the turkey: eggplant parmigiana, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, baked kibbe, green bean casserole topped with fried onions, collard greens, arroz con gandules, or any number of things you never considered. A far cry from the original meal of wild turkey, corn bread (of sorts) and venison. 

Most of my Thanksgivings were spent with my family. We had some things that would fall into the typical category like chestnut stuffing, sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows, and roast turkey. Eventually we outgrew our old menu. Over the years as our tastes matured, we settled on a menu that we’ve gently tweaked. We used to have soup, but decided it was just too much. I was happy to swap out the green beans with radicchio, for a different green bean dish, and the apple-sausage stuffing is too good to tamper with. We stick with three pies; apple, pecan and pumpkin, and we don’t have any bread or rolls. I have never eaten mashed potatoes at one of my family’s Thanksgivings.

Thanksgiving is the ultimate celebration of the melting pot that is America. It makes sense that we’d enjoy turkey, cranberries and corn dishes as these are indigenous North American foods. We (or you) have been eating the ubiquitous green bean casserole for over 60 years. Apple and pumpkin pie have been on the menu since the 1700’s, and puddings were served through the late 1800’s. A great article from the NY Times offers a sample of local Thanksgiving offerings from each of the 50 states, plus D.C. and Puerto Rico. If you want to shake things up this year it may offer some great suggestions that your family will enjoy.

Each year I search for a link to a radio program I heard years ago when a guest claimed he could tell the ethnic origins of your family based on your Thanksgiving menu. If you know what I’m referring to, please tell me! Until then I will reach my own baseless conclusions about you and what your Thanksgiving traditions indicate.