American Holidays | Thanksgiving Tips
What time do you eat Thanksgiving dinner? Many families have traditions that seem written in stone – from who’s invited, to the menu, to the timing. Over the last 35 years, no matter where we lived, we always found that Thanksgiving is the hardest holiday to invite guests. It seems everybody has something they always do or someplace they always go.
What time do you eat Thanksgiving dinner? Many families have traditions that seem written in stone – from who’s invited, to the menu, to the timing. Over the last 35 years, no matter where we lived, we always found that Thanksgiving is the hardest holiday to invite guests. It seems everybody has something they always do or someplace they always go.
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I never realized how many people go out for Thanksgiving, until I worked in a restaurant, almost 40 years ago. It was a busy day with great tips.
The year my oldest child was just 10 weeks old, we went to a beautiful old-style tavern with a huge brick fireplace – the only time we ate out and it was lovely. For several years, we celebrated with cousins in Boston, who served an authentic seafood meal in the afternoon; turkey was eaten as sandwiches later in the evening. Some years we volunteered at soup kitchens. We’ve been invited and hosted with more different people than I can remember. More recently, in the food business, I worked on Thanksgiving Day and hosted a large Black Friday Turkey Slam the day after – an open house of sandwiches and salads that include all the traditional ingredients, but cold. So if your Thanksgiving is stressful or boring, consider changing the schedule or menu to refresh. Maybe a progressive dinner – appetizers, turkey, and dessert at three different houses. With this model people can come and go, which helps families that have multiple obligations. Football fans will want to eat at 4 pm, between the first and second games. Serve dessert before the last game, around 7:30. That gives you time to clean up, put leftovers away, and relax between the meal and dessert. A couple of times, I skipped the main meal altogether and we enjoyed a rolling buffet of “snicky snacks” – finger foods, dips, little sandwiches and cups of soup – all day long. So, don’t feel tied to old habits; feel free to change up the day and surprise your family with something new. If you’re kosher, you might feel frustrated with all the Thanksgiving magazines and TV specials that offer recipes with butter, cheese, and bacon. I’m here to tell you that a little creativity can turn out parve (dairy free) sides that rival anything your neighbors are serving. Turkey The trick to keeping your bird moist is not slathering it in butter. It’s cutting it into quarters BEFORE cooking. Roast the dark thighs & legs separately from the breasts; they’ll each get done correctly and neither will dry out. If you use a kosher bird, don’t brine; it will be too salty. And please, use a thermometer. The only way to know for sure that the bird is thoroughly cooked is with a thermometer. You can’t tell by poking or wiggling a leg. Make sure a full inch and a half of the probe is in meat, not touching bone, and registers 165 degrees. Mashed Potatoes Mayonnaise. When your potatoes are done boiling, drain, then throw them back in the pot over a hot burner, and shake until the steam stops rising, to dry them out. Mash with mayonnaise and you’ll have the creamiest potatoes ever. Stuffing There are plenty of kosher and plant-based sausages available for that sausage stuffing you always hear about. Add a diced apple for a little sweetness and don’t skimp on the broth. Pies Store-bought pies usually contain either butter or lard in the crust, but you CAN find frozen parve pie crust. Pie filling is easy to, so consider making your own to keep it parve – or buy it in a can. Puff pastry is also parve, so instead of laying your fruit in a pie shell, roll it up in a strudel. Punch Punch is so festive. Mix equal parts dark cherry juice & apple cider; top each cup with club soda. Virgin for the kids; add your favorite libation if you like. |