Thanksgiving dinner
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The centerpiece of contemporary Thanksgiving in the United States and Canada is a large meal, starring a large roasted turkey. All of the dishes in the traditional American version of Thanksgiving Dinner are made from foods native to North America, according to tradition the Pilgrims received these foods from the American Indians. However, many of the classic traditions attributed to the first Thanksgiving are actually myths introduced later.
A very similar dinner is often served on Christmas.
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[edit] Turkey
Because turkey is the most common main dish of a Thanksgiving dinner, Thanksgiving is sometimes colloquially called Turkey Day (USA). The USDA estimated that 269 million turkeys were raised in the country in 2003, about one-sixth of which were destined for a Thanksgiving dinner plate.
Most Thanksgiving turkeys are stuffed with bread crumbs and roasted. Sage is the traditional herb added to the stuffing (also called dressing), along with chopped celery and onions. Turducken, a turkey stuffed with a duck stuffed with a chicken, is becoming more popular, from its Cajun base in Louisiana. Deep-fried turkey is rising in popularity as well, requiring special fryers to hold the large bird, and reportedly leading to fires and bad burns for those who fail to take care when dealing with a large quantity of very hot oil. In more recent years it is also true that as the wild population of turkeys has rebounded in most of the US, some will hunt and dress their turkey in the woods and then freeze it until meal preparation.
The use of the turkey in the USA for Thanksgiving relates back to Lincoln's nationalization of the holiday in 1863. Since a turkey could feed more than a chicken, those were sent to the troops instead as a more cost-effective feast.
[edit] Alternatives to turkey
Foods other than turkey are sometimes served as the main dish for a Thanksgiving dinner. Goose and duck, foods which were traditional European centerpieces of Christmas dinners before being displaced by ham, are now sometimes served in place of the Thanksgiving turkey. On the West Coast of the United States, Dungeness crab is common as an alternate main dish, as crab season starts in early November. Sometimes a variant recipe for cooking turkey is used; for example, a Chinese recipe for goose could be used on the similarly-sized American bird. Vegetarians or vegans may try tofurkey, a tofu-based dish with imitation turkey flavor. In Alaskan villages, whale meat is sometimes eaten.[1]
[edit] Side dishes
Many other foods are served alongside the main dish—so many that, because of the amount of food, the Thanksgiving meal is sometimes served midday or early afternoon to make time for all the eating, and preparation may begin at dawn or on days prior.
Traditional Thanksgiving foods are sometimes specific to the day, and although some of the foods might be seen at any semi-formal meal in the United States, the meal often has something of a ritual or traditional quality. Many Americans would say it's "incomplete" without cranberry sauce, stuffing, and gravy. Other commonly served dishes include sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, dumplings, corn on the cob, green beans or green bean casserole, peas and carrots, bread rolls, and a Waldorf salad. For dessert, various pies are often served, particularly pumpkin pie, apple pie, mincemeat pie, sweet potato pie, and pecan pie, the latter two are particularly American.
There are also regional differences as to the "stuffing" (or "dressing") traditionally served with the turkey. Southerners generally make theirs from cornbread, while in other parts of the country white bread is the base. One or several of the following may be added: oysters, apples, chestnuts, raisins, celery and/or other vegetables, sausage or the turkey's giblets. The traditional Canadian version has bread cubes, sage, onion and celery. Rice is sometimes used instead of bread in Canada.
Other dishes reflect the region or cultural background of those who have come together for the meal. For example, many African Americans and Southerners serve baked macaroni and cheese and collard greens, while Italian-Americans often have lasagna on the table and Ashkenazi Jews may serve noodle kugel, a sweet pudding. It is not unheard of for Mexican Americans to serve their turkey with mole and roasted corn, and Irish-Americans have been known sometimes to substitute the turkey with prime rib of beef. Vegetarians or vegans have been known to serve alternative entree centerpieces such as a large vegetable pie or a stuffed and baked pumpkin.
While the turkey stemmed in the USA from Civil Wartime cost effectiveness, side dishes came soon after. The sweet potato was added to the "Traditional dinner" to let Southerners feel welcome into the activity, while cranberry sauce was for alienated Northeasterners.[citation needed]
[edit] Beverages
The beverages served at Thanksgiving can vary as much as the side dishes, often depending on who is present at the table and how many. Apple cider is often present (in the U.S. this drink is most often non-alcoholic), served either hot or cold, as is domestic wine, and cocktails occasionally may be served before the main meal. For children, soft drinks and/or grape juice are often favored at the table as it is generally frowned upon (or illegal in some countries, such as the United States) for the very young to consume alcohol. Sweetened pitchers of iced tea are common throughout the South.
