Thanksgiving around the world

[Kent Wang]

This Saturday, my girlfriend and I had Erin (nakji), her husband and a few others over to celebrate Thanksgiving. This is my first time doing Thanksgiving in China so some compromises were made.

Pressure-fried duck from Palace Duck - With turkey at $6/lb (imported from America), duck was the much more affordable option at only $5 for a whole duck.

Roasted mutton ribs from Friday Muslim market

Taro "pulling threads" - My friend made this. He was originally going to do candied yams but couldn't find them, only found taro.

Blue cheese mashed potatoes - Affordable good cheese is hard to find in China but this New Zealand blue was surprisingly cheap

Salad - Made by Erin.

Mulled cider - I tossed a bucket of apples into my electric juicer along with some ginger, heated it, then added a lot of dark rum, cinnamon, nutmeg, and bitters.

Walnut pie (not pictured) - Just like a pecan pie, except pecans are hard to find here, so I used freshly cracked walnuts from the Muslim market. Xinjiang province produces a lot of nuts. Included 6 oz of bourbon.

Any other expats celebrating Thanksgiving outside of North America?

[heidih]

That looks and sounds like a great meal for any occasion.

Here is an eGullet discussion about the ups and downs of doing Thanksgiving in France.

[Mjx]

Kent, that looks delicious.

I'm in Denmark, and unlikely to know for certain whether or not my boyfriend/his parents will want to do Thanksgiving until, well, the day before. So, I'm thinking in terms of food that represents it sort of iconically (they've never seen an actual US Thanksgiving spread in the flesh), but can be cooked in a single evening. This is no hardship, since Thanksgiving evokes no nostalgia for me: When I was growing up, nut loaf (if you don't know what that is, you're probably better off keeping your ignorance intact) was the centrepiece of this holiday, and what I'm most thankful for, as an adult, is that I'm not subjected to this annual ordeal (which also conjures up images of the disasters discussed in How Not to Die on Thanksgiving this Year).

I'm thinking in terms of venison, chestnuts, some sort of pumpkin/winter squash soup, and wild rice; pictures to follow, if this happens, and is reasonably photogenic.

[ambra]

Oh, ME! I'm in Tuscany, Italy. I've got expats coming from as far South as Sicily and as far North as Genova

(Michaela, why did I think you were Italian?)

I can pretty much get everything (off and on, that is) I want here, except for pecans and cranberries. Oh, I also can't find the right potato for doing twice baked potatoes.

so this is my spread:

Fettunta to try the new oil

A friend is bring pumpkin soup that she makes with coconut milk

Turkey,local, probably with that French method Heidi so kindly pointed out. although I am pretty freaked out about how it's going to turn out.) the turkey in Italy is often pretty dry and flavorless so this sounds like a great solution. But I am very confused as to how long it's supposed to poach.

Mashed potatoes and gravy (roasting some legs/wings for stock as we speak!)

Stuffing-outside the turkey with Tuscan sausage and mushrooms

green beans with garlic and almonds etc

Wild rice salad

Fennel, Augula, Orange, apple salad....

Pumpkin chocolate Tart

Apple crisp

Vin Santo with Cantucci (hey, I'm in tuscany, what can I tell you.)

There are no cranberries to be had, but there is some ocean spray "cranberry salsa" I'll put at the table.

While I was able to put together a traditional menu, I have to say that everything is still "different." It's ok. New traditions are just as fun as old traditions. Flexibility is what's important in every situation when you are an expat. My friend just saw a woman cryiing in a store in Milan because she couldn't find canned fried onions (for the green beans, I think.) We're doing ours Saturday. Everyone works Thursday.

Edited November 21, 2011 by ambra (log)

[Mjx]

Oh, ME! I'm in Tuscany, Italy. I've got expats coming from as far South as Sicily and as far North as Genova

(Michaela, why did I think you were Italian?)

I am Italian (and also American, but I've been intrigued by Denmark since I was a kid, and my boyfriend is Danish), grew up in Florence, in fact; at this time of year, I really miss the food... what's winter, without roast chestnuts and castagnaccio?!

. . . .

Turkey,local, probably with that French method Heidi so kindly pointed out. although I am pretty freaked out about how it's going to turn out.) the turkey in Italy is often pretty dry and flavorless so this sounds like a great solution. But I am very confused as to how long it's supposed to poach.

. . . .

Alternatively, if the turkeys there aren't so good, could you get hold of a capon? They're big, tender, and juicy, plus it will probably be easier to get lots of reliable advice about roasting them, there.

[ambra]

Capone? Isn't that what they use for Brodo? Or is that gallina. Yes, that's gallina.

Ma capone, is pretty dry too, isn't it? I've never actually made one.

Well, if you gew up in Florence then you surely understand the need for a course to taste new oil, am I right?

[Dakki]

Mexico here, with an early celebration later today since we have a holiday (yesterday was Day of the Revolution, which I properly celebrated as well). Going with turkey, dressing and gravy; the guests will bring the sides and desserts.

This is only my second year hosting Thanksgiving dinner and there's already a tradition associated with it. It goes like this:

T-day minus 14: One of my sisters will call and ask what to bring (and coincidentally informing me The Family has decided to hold the celebration). I refuse point blank to make the turkey and tell her to draft one of the other siblings. After some wheedling on her part, grudgingly accept, thinking to myself I'll take it easy this time.

T-day minus 13 to T-day minus 6: Read some eG threads, get inspired. Figure I have enough time to brine the bird, make brown stock for the gravy, etc.

T-day minus 5: Find "Semi-homemade" ethic has been discarded, replaced with "Martha Stewart Living."

T-day minus 3: Begin serious stressin'.

T-day minus 1: Skip sleep entirely, try to get ahead on prep.

T-day: Cook. Spend dinner in zombie-like trance due to sleep deprivation. Look in kitchen, estimate cleanup effort will require 48+ man-hours, decide to leave it for tomorrow. Or maybe next month.

[Jenni]

I know some Americans living here. I will ask them what they are going to do. I suspect it will be a fairly stressful day for them as the husband works and I know that he is unable to take a holiday on that day.

[Kent Wang]

Mmm... Tuscan sausage.

Is domestic turkey available where you are? Surprisingly, it doesn't seem to be in China, which you would think produces everything. Maybe it's available at the industrial level but not at retail.

Mexico: I think a mole would be a great alternative to gravy. I don't know how much you want to deviate from tradition.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

I did my T-day back in October - I'm originally Canadian and I tend to keep to our interpretation of the feast day's timing. We had tuna casserole, because we're starting to become Ecuadorians, and our harvest festivals are for Dia de los Difuntos and Semana Santa.

[Dakki]

Mexico: I think a mole would be a great alternative to gravy. I don't know how much you want to deviate from tradition.

I can make mole any day but Thanksgiving is arguably the definitive USA holiday so we're doing the Norman Rockwell thing as far as reasonable or there's no point.

Also the mere thought of making mole from scratch aside from all this other stuff makes me want a stiff drink.

As an aside, turkey in mole is actually pretty traditional. The meat is either shredded or in parts, and cooked in the sauce, just as you would for chicken or pork. Honestly I like pork in mole better than poultry and serving a large roast bird is more or less a necessity for "proper" Thanksgiving, isn't it?

[Mjx]

Capone? Isn't that what they use for Brodo? Or is that gallina. Yes, that's gallina.

You can make one from pretty much any creature (or combination), including capon.

Ma capone, is pretty dry too, isn't it? I've never actually made one.

Well, if you gew up in Florence then you surely understand the need for a course to taste new oil, am I right?

'Yes' on the olio nuovo (although I remember having it earlier in the year than this..?)

Every time I've had capon (admittedly, under half a dozen, that I can remember), it's been remarkable. It's big at Christmas, of course, and if I were roasting one I'd brine it, then roast 15-20 minutes on each side (depending on size) at about 190C°, and finish for 20-25 minutes on its back at 230C°.

How many people are you feeding?

[ambra]

Kent, I not only found domestic turkey but tuscan turkey. Last year I bought a turkey from one of those National distributors and it was disgusting. I have high hopes for this one. The only thing is, they won't guarantee me the size except ot say that it's not going to be more than 8 kilos. It's kind of freaking me out that I don't know the size of my turkey, but they won't know til they, um, butcher it! YIKES!

[ambra]

Mjx, I'm having 14 people. I think Capon might not be enough. Those that are available to me are aren't that big at all. I also can't brine since I don't have the fridge space. I remembered that my BIL made the Christmas brodo with one last year.

Yes, we got our oil a couple of weeks ago, however, Thanksgiving is this week. I realize the taste won't be quite the same, but c'est la vie.

Edited November 21, 2011 by ambra (log)

[Mjx]

Mjx, I'm having 14 people. I think Capon might not be enough. Those that are available to me are aren't that big at all. I also can't brine since I don't have the fridge space. . . .

Fourteen people to a capon (even one of the bigger ones) wouldn't work out, unless everyone is on some sort of diet

I'd forgotten about the size of Italian refrigerators (and I doubt it's cold enough there to dry-brine your turkey overnight on the kitchen counter).