Celebrating a Western Canadian Thanksgiving

[newbie]

As my family is back in New Brunswick, I am the designated cook for all holiday meals with my husband's family. They are not big on being in the kitchen and I love to cook so it works out well. This year's feast will look alot like the ones I have done over the past couple of years as it has been very popular with the in-laws. Growing up though, my mom was a very good but basic cook with the regular turkey, gravy, bread stuffing, mashed potatoes and carrots. I like to spice things up so I take her basic menu and jazz it up and add a few more things to it.

I start off with a Roasted Winter Squash Soup with Gruyere Croutons. My MIL was very skeptical when I first made it, thought that she wouldn't like it because she claims that she doesn't like squash. However, it was loved by all at the table, even the kids. The main meal is the traditional Roast Turkey with a Herb Butter and Caramelized Onion-Balsamic Gravy. I was skeptical about adding balsamic vinegar to the gravy but it tastes amazing and I have been making it this way ever since. I made sure the MIL was nowhere near the kitchen when I first made this for her and told her after the fact what was in when she exclaimed how much she loved the gravy. For accompaniments, I make a Caramelized Onion & Chestnut Stuffing, a mashed potatoe casserole, Maple Glazed Carrots, Green Beans and Fresh Buns. For Dessert this year, I am thinking of going with a Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake with Caramel and Pecan Sauce but I may cop out and go for the standard pumpkin pie.

[fud]

Thanksgiving starts with a social call from my Aunt who usually calls about 1 week before thanksgiving. She chats with my mom and talks about all sorts of great food and how "we" should all make this and that and how yummy it would be.

Usually the conversations ends with my Aunt saying something like "ok then it's settled we'll all have a big family dinner at YOUR place <points to my mom>. You make all the food and I'll bring the guests and wine".

Hilarious. My mom is dupped every year. She ends up looking shell shocked every time and then gets to work on preparations. I'm not sure how many years this has happened but every time she seems to not realize why my Aunt is visiting - always in October

We go for the turkey/gravy route. I sometimes make my Foccacia bread as well as sushi (yeah not so traditional). My mom makes Turkey and throws in something very ethnic like Afghani food or Curry or Malaysian Lhaksa mmm.

Edited October 3, 2005 by fud (log)

[lauraf]

My in laws are quite traditional, and serve up a lovely Thanksgiving feast for about twenty of us. The turkey is always cooked in the BBQ and served with a fantastic Riesling. My MIL makes brussel sprouts, mashed squash, and roast potatoes. There is never enough stuffing! She makes a wonderful uncooked cranberry-orange relish. I usually make a pumpkin cheesecake with pumpkinseed brittle on top. Besides all this, we usually start with bubbly and end with some form of dessert wine, so you know where I get my love of alcohol from!  ( I married into a good wine cellar--single eGullet grrrls take note!)

Vancouver Lee, I'd love the recipe for your gravy--sounds delicious! Maybe we'll make that for our Rocky Mountain Christmas.

Yes, everyone post photos please. Thanksgiving food porn is the best!

Zuke

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Why is it, that every Thanksgiving dinner I have ever been to or hosted, there is NEVER ENOUGH STUFFING? It's cruel.

[jamiemaw]

Why is it, that every Thanksgiving dinner I have ever been to or hosted, there is NEVER ENOUGH STUFFING?  It's cruel.

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Laura,

In a bid to keep the peace, Mum used to roast extra drumsticks so that our turkeys loooked as though they'd wandered in from the Love Canal.

But a more recent solutions for the stuffing dilemma? Two turkeys. One for dinner, one for sandwiches. From the latter, decant the extra stuffing into two bowls, yes, one for extra that night, and one (well hidden), for the sandwiches.

[lauraf]

Why is it, that every Thanksgiving dinner I have ever been to or hosted, there is NEVER ENOUGH STUFFING?  It's cruel.

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Laura,

In a bid to keep the peace, Mum used to roast extra drumsticks so that our turkeys loooked as though they'd wandered in from the Love Canal.

But a more recent solutions for the stuffing dilemma? Two turkeys. One for dinner, one for sandwiches. From the latter, decant the extra stuffing into two bowls, yes, one for extra that night, and one (well hidden), for the sandwiches.

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Jamie:

There are some who argue - in fact, I think a food columnist from Vancouver Magazine once did - that the turkey should not be stuffed, but rather dressing should be prepared ins a separate casserole and basted with turkey drippings. I LOVE the stuffing from inside the bird, and like to use all the drippings for a mean gravy - again, always fearful of the second most cruel disappointment at Thanksgiving - NOT ENOUGH GRAVY.

[canucklehead]

After hemming and hawing - my brother is going to provide an clear alternative to Turkey and the fixings - a Chinese Hot Pot! His friends love it and it is a nice change from the usual. When the weather gets cool - Hot Pots are so warming.

I am not sure if I will be home.

[fud]

After hemming and hawing - my brother is going to provide an clear alternative to Turkey and the fixings - a Chinese Hot Pot! His friends love it and it is a nice change from the usual.  When the weather gets cool - Hot Pots are so warming.

I am not sure if I will be home.

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I'd love to have a hot pot on the roof of my building.maybe next no non rainy fall day i should get some foodies together

[Zucchini Mama]

After hemming and hawing - my brother is going to provide an clear alternative to Turkey and the fixings - a Chinese Hot Pot! His friends love it and it is a nice change from the usual.  When the weather gets cool - Hot Pots are so warming.

I am not sure if I will be home.

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I'd love to have a hot pot on the roof of my building.maybe next no non rainy fall day i should get some foodies together

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So do you guys use the traditional charcoal hotpot that sits in the middle of the table? My Malaysian Auntie used to do that for special occasions. I love the smell of the burning charcoal.

Is there a restaurant in Vancouver that does this, or is it more of a home cookin' kind of thing here?

Zuke

[fud]

So do you guys use the traditional charcoal hotpot that sits in the middle of the table? My Malaysian Auntie used to do that for special occasions. I love the smell of the burning charcoal.

Is there a restaurant in Vancouver that does this, or is it more of a home cookin' kind of thing here?

Zuke

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Actually we just use the portable stoves and the split sided pot (one side for satay sauce and the other with a broth of sorts). Hmm I don't think I've ever used the charcoal hotpot!

[CanadianBakin']

For Dessert this year, I am thinking of going with a Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake with Caramel and Pecan Sauce but I may cop out and go for the standard pumpkin pie.

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Oh you've got to make Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake. It tastes amazing! Much better than pumkin pie in my mind. My husband's family doesn't like pumpkin but there will be a few outsiders this year so I'm going to make a 6" one in hopes someone will share it with me as well as a pear tart of some kind.

My husband's family also doesn't like turkey so roast pork is usually made but this year I'm vetoing(sp?) that since I haven't had turkey for years. I haven't told my husband and he hasn't asked... I did check with my sister-in-law and she said she likes the breast and as long as there was lots of potatoes and gravy she figured it would be fine. Also, my mother-in-law's sage & onion stuffing, glazed carrots, brussel sprouts with a cream and pinenut sauce, roasted cauliflower, broccoli and red pepper for colour as well as cranberry sauce.

Edited October 4, 2005 by CanadianBakin' (log)

[canucklehead]

[so do you guys use the traditional charcoal hotpot that sits in the middle of the table? My Malaysian Auntie used to do that for special occasions. I love the smell of the burning charcoal.

Is there a restaurant in Vancouver that does this, or is it more of a home cookin' kind of thing here?

Zuke

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When I was a kid - we used to have a brass charcoal mongolian hot pot. The first time we set it up - we did inside the house (cause it was too cold outside). Not sure if this was such a smart move - I am sure that I still have some carbon monoxide damage issues.

One of my favorite food memories was having an outdoor lamb hot pot in Beijing (I think that it was during Thanksgiving). My friends and I had just returned from the Great Wall - and it was snowing. We sat outside on a low rooftop. There was a charcoal hot pot and the broth was boiling and steaming - it was like a little steam engine. We sat there under the cover of night with snow drifting down - dipping thinly sliced lamb into hot broth and then selection of sauces. It was like something out of a movie.

My Vancouver Thanksgivings tend to be like the ones Ling describes - a mixture of West and East. My mother's side of the family is huge - so there was always a huge spread. Turkey and Roast Beef, mashed potatoes, vegetables, fried rice and noodles. I've read about people stuffing their birds with sticky rice and chinese sausage - that sounds soo good it makes my head swim...

[Zucchini Mama]

[so do you guys use the traditional charcoal hotpot that sits in the middle of the table? My Malaysian Auntie used to do that for special occasions. I love the smell of the burning charcoal.

Is there a restaurant in Vancouver that does this, or is it more of a home cookin' kind of thing here?

Zuke

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When I was a kid - we used to have a brass charcoal mongolian hot pot. The first time we set it up - we did inside the house (cause it was too cold outside). Not sure if this was such a smart move - I am sure that I still have some carbon monoxide damage issues.

One of my favorite food memories was having an outdoor lamb hot pot in Beijing (I think that it was during Thanksgiving). My friends and I had just returned from the Great Wall - and it was snowing. We sat outside on a low rooftop. There was a charcoal hot pot and the broth was boiling and steaming - it was like a little steam engine. We sat there under the cover of night with snow drifting down - dipping thinly sliced lamb into hot broth and then selection of sauces. It was like something out of a movie.

My Vancouver Thanksgivings tend to be like the ones Ling describes - a mixture of West and East. My mother's side of the family is huge - so there was always a huge spread. Turkey and Roast Beef, mashed potatoes, vegetables, fried rice and noodles. I've read about people stuffing their birds with sticky rice and chinese sausage - that sounds soo good it makes my head swim...

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I've always had the charcoal inside-at my aunt's house and in restaurants in Saskatoon.

Love the story of you and your mom-I can just picture it. And I want to try the sticky rice stuffing idea-we're going to have to do it ourselves, since I just found out MIL is NOT making a turkey this year. She wants her roast beef. As long as there's Yorkshire pudding, I say. This means the wines will be serious.

Zuke

[Paul B]

I'm a bit stymied about this year's Thanksgiving. Normally we have my in-laws and other friends over and I roast a huge turkey. This year no one is going to be around so it's just me, my wife, and the boys. I've ordered a small organic turkey from Windsor Meat, but can't imagine that I'll make the full meal I usually crank out: roasted turkey (brined before hand); stuffing with dried cranberries; garlic mashed potatoes; glazed carrots; lots of gravy; and my wife's pumpkin pie. On the other hand, if I don't make it the kids will be bitterly disappointed so I guess I had better stock up on freezer bags.

Interesting side note: some years ago I found a recipe (since lost) for a turkey that was brined overnight in oriental spices. This made for a delicious and unusual meal that brought east and west together in an interesting poultry detente, but my kids prefer the traditional style so I've put that recipe to bed.

[Ling]

I've read about people stuffing their birds with sticky rice and chinese sausage - that sounds soo good it makes my head swim...

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Yup my mom does that. I make the artichoke/sausage/sourdough bread stuffing, well dressing, in the big Pyrex. She has the turkey stuffed with sticky rice and lap yook, chinese sausage, cilantro, shittake, those little dried shrimp, etc., and she also does another batch to keep warm in the rice cooker, b/c there's never enough in the turkey.

[Ling]

Paul B: Do you really taste a difference in the brined turkey? I used Alice Water's brining recipe (well, the Chez Panisse recipe) a few years ago, and I couldn't tell the difference. My family couldn't either.

[BCinBC]

Last year I was coerced into making a "traditional" Thanksgiving dinner for 7 people, including 2 Japanese exchange students and 1 from Mexico. I skipped the whole bird, though, instead opting for a large breast (even this was 4 kg) stuffed with breadcrumbs, celery, onions, dried cranberries, etc. Accompanied by garlic mashed and veg (broccoli, carrots, green beans, probably cauliflower too), with pumpkin pie for dessert. But I forgot the cranberry sauce!! Oops. Come to think of it, I forgot brussel sprouts too (cooked with bacon as my Mom does, sooo good. Really). Well, now I've corrupted 3 innocent people on their idea of Thanksgiving.

Anyway, I wanted to chime in that stuffing absolutely must be stuffed into the bird in order to be traditional - and great (IMO the unstuffed side stuffing can be good, but without the internal drippings soaked in, can only top out at good).

Also, Canuckle and Ling, my Mom also does the sticky rice, but as a side and not as stuffing; and, only at Xmas. But that is a great idea, talk about fusion. With the lap cheung soaking into the turkey and vice versa... Oooooh baby.

[Vancouver Lee]

I'm a bit stymied about this year's Thanksgiving.  Normally we have my in-laws and other friends over and I roast a huge turkey.  This year no one is going to be around so it's just me, my wife, and the boys.  I've ordered a small organic turkey from Windsor Meat, but can't imagine that I'll make the full meal I usually crank out: roasted turkey (brined before hand); stuffing with dried cranberries; garlic mashed potatoes; glazed carrots; lots of gravy; and my wife's pumpkin pie.  On the other hand, if I don't make it the kids will be bitterly disappointed so I guess I had better stock up on freezer bags.

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We had the same situation last year. We were new in town (I hadn't even discovered eGullet yet!), and Thanksgiving was just Mrs Vancouver Lee and our son. After dozens of years of huge family gatherings we thought it might feel a little sad. To counteract this, we kept the same menu as usual but everyone got involved in the cooking. With dinner we decided to create some new family traditions, and the one that seems to have stuck was going around the table and having each person say what they are most thankful for. Our 6 year old got right into the swing of it, and even insisted on doing it each night before bed for a few weeks afterwards. This year, the first thing he asked us when we told him thanksgiving was next weekend was "can we all say the things we are thankful for this year?".

It was different from the usual thanksgiving celebrations we're used to, but the little things like cooking together and finding new ways to celebrate carried the day. YMMV, but best of luck.

[sanrensho]

After hemming and hawing - my brother is going to provide an clear alternative to Turkey and the fixings - a Chinese Hot Pot! His friends love it and it is a nice change from the usual.  When the weather gets cool - Hot Pots are so warming.

In the same vein, turkey/ham/roast meat is out this year and we'll be having Korean-style grilled meat and veggies (yakiniku) on the electric hot plate. The kids and adults will all have more fun this way, plus yakiniku is always better with more people to share duties at the hot plate.

We're invited to a friend's place the day after, where we'll get our fill of turkey.

[sanrensho]

With dinner we decided to create some new family traditions, and the one that seems to have stuck was going around the table and having each person say what they are most thankful for.  Our 6 year old got right into the swing of it, and even insisted on doing it each night before bed for a few weeks afterwards.  This year, the first thing he asked us when we told him thanksgiving was next weekend was "can we all say the things we are thankful for this year?".

What a great story.

[kurtisk]

The usual place we have Thanksgiving at won't be happening this year, as our usual hostess has just come back from a whirlwind trip through Europe and has no time to set up. To another friend's place we go... Generally we have the same group of people for holiday meals, us all being transplants from other Canadian cities. What used to be an "Orphans' Dinner" over a decade ago is now simply Thanksgiving Dinner, being fortunate enough to have a solid group of friends who are now pretty much family, except without all the bullshit. We're now sprouting grey hairs here and there, babies are now in our circle and unfortunately some long-term relationships have come to a close, resulting in glaring omissions at the table. Once the wine is poured and the table is set, it's all about the food.

We eat ham for Thanksgiving. This is a result of a few vegetarians in our group, and the simplicity and ease of preparation. A nice lashing of a fresh dill mustard or the like makes it all-out scrumptious. Traditional seasonal accompaniments are always present, including lightly-seared pine mushrooms, done with garlic, white wine, salt & pepper. This makes the vegetarians happy because it's practically meat. For dessert, my wife always makes Pavlova. Her Aussie background gives her the DNA to execute it perfectly, and it's a light, bright way of finishing a heavy meal. Pomegranate and kiwi generally top it, keeping a fresh aspect of things present as we slide deeper into October.

[mamacat]

Only one day to go until turkey time....yahoo!! Thanksgiving is a big, boisterous meal always held at the home of Snacky-cat's dad. He has turned into an amazing cook over time (last weekend he made a ciaopinno [spelling?] that was the best I've ever had) and his turkeys have become masterpieces. He does one batch of traditional sage & onion stuffing and one "experimental" batch of something new each year. There is also the traditional mashed potatoes, usually some kind of yam dish, other veggies, cranberry sauce and really yummy gravy. Dessert is always pumpkin pie made by either his partner or me, both our versions being equally yummy. Snacky-cat, who is normally very careful about what she eats, throws caution out the window when a turkey dinner is to be had...it is the only thing (aside from GBP) that can make her overindulge.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

[mtigges]

Leaving on the ferry to my parents shortly. We will celebrate one day early. Normally, we gather at their place and eat and drink too much. My mom is an excellent cook, aren't everybodies? And I love her turkey, but her roast goose (xmas) is better. Unfortunately, this year is not normal. While they were in Argentina in Febuary, some a$$hat decided to try and burn their house down. It's in the middle of the rebuild, and we will be trying to somehow fit a turkey in the tiny oven in an RV. We'll see. I thought we should dig a pit and fire roast it on a spit, but she didn't go for that. Should be fun regardless.

Happy Tryptophan Day!

[chromedome]

Since Thanksgiving falls right after Rosh Hashana and just before Yom Kippur I think my family will probably go out for Chinese food.  Isn't that a Western Canadian Thanksgiving tradition?

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Yes.

I don't often do a traditional roasted turkey, unless I'm hosting a get-together with family (I'm not, this year). I don't have anything much against turkey, but it's not one of my favourite meats...especially a whole roasted bird. Even when done perfectly (a rare occurence), roasted turkey gives me a wicked case of drymouth for about three days afterwards.

Sometimes, if I can get a nice fresh turkey, I'll break it down to make multiple meals out of, and roast one or both breasts for the Day Itself. One stuffed with fruit and nuts, one stuffed with a traditional savoury stuffing; this way the stuffing cooks to a food-safe temperature before the turkey turns to sawdust. When I'm doing this I roast the carcass and wingtips for drippings and then make stock, so running out of gravy is never an issue. If you make stock with your current turkey, then you'll always have enough gravy for the next one; avoiding the heartbreak of running out.

I kicked off this weekend by cooking a piece of pork sirloin, stuffed with coarsely-chopped prunes. I served it with orange-saffron rice, glazed baby carrots from my garden (I deliberately overseed, so they stay small right up 'til fall), and some escarole sauteed in butter with toasted walnuts, then deglazed with fresh-squeezed orange juice...sort of a warm "vinaigrette" effect. I deglazed the pork pan with a splash of LBV port, finished the sauce with butter, and that was dinner.

For tomorrow I've got a piece of ham. Normally I'd roast that and make gravy with the drippings, but I'm thinking just this once maybe I'll do the ham "en croute," like a German friend of mine in Nova Scotia used to do. Wrapped in bread dough and then baked, and the bread soaks up all the lovely juices. If I do that, then I'll have to come up with something else in the line of a sauce. Buttermilk "gravy," perhaps, with a bit of the ham's fatcap diced and rendered and sprinkled into it for some extra umph.

I've got a "Sweet Dumpling" squash and a "Delicata" that I want to use up, so I'll probably use the Sweet Dumpling to bookend my Thanksgiving meal. I'm leaning towards little ramekins of soup for a starter, and then with the remaining squash individual souffles for dessert. Maybe with a ginger creme anglaise. Or perhaps squash creme brulees, I haven't decided yet.

I have new potatoes, baby carrots, and pretty little beetroots from my garden, and at present I'm still deciding how I'm going to put it all together. That's the fun part.

[francie]

This year the BF and I are all alone; often we'll head out to Chilliwack and have a feast with my parents and sister, but this year they made "other plans"

So, rather than do the turkey thing (which, frankly, I'm a little sick of. My father has worked for Lilydale for almost thirty years. That's a lot of free turkey), I decided to do a roast beef. The butcher at Windsor was so suprised I wasn't wanting turkey he declared he was giving me a discount non-turkey rate on my beef. (*note to self-- stock up on meats other than turkey two days before Thanksgiving)

AND, I decided to bake my first pie, pumpkin of course. I'm not a huge sweets girl, so this was mostly for the BF's sake. For some ridiculous reason I decided to use the Cook's Illustrated method for pastry and filling, although I did make the recipe extra tedious by roasting and pureeing a pumpkin rather than using canned. Big whoop. I just put the pie into the oven NOW, having started this whole stupid thing at 11:00. grrr. This is why I do not like baking. We'll see if it was worth it.

So. Roast beef, garlic mash, green beans, Nigella Lawson's onion gravy, some sauteed mushrooms, pumpkin pie. Oh, and either the 2003 Mouton Cadet Bourdeaux, or the 2003 Township 7 Syrah. The only two bottles we've got. I am a poor student, after all. Any opinions on either?

Shepard's pie tomorrow.

[Ling]

I had Thanksgiving dinner last night. I love pouring ladles of turkey gravy all over the Chinese sticky rice. All that turkey, plus almost a whole bottle of Rosemont Chardonnay to myself--I was so out of it, I couldn't even follow the Adam Sandler movie I watched at my friend's house afterwards.