Right off the bat, this blog entry is not meant to discount the merits
of non-traditional feasts! Disclaimer aside, sorting out a traditional
Thanksgiving overseas can be a challenge, one I've been tackling for the
past five years. This year, with our whole turkey, stuffing, corn
bread, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and even a pumpkin (pi) pie,
turned out to be the most authentic and successful thus far. With some
experience under my belt, I figured I could share the essentials of just
what goes in to taking Thanksgiving with you when you leave American
borders.
Give up on the Thursday celebration. Let's face it: outside of the US, Thanksgiving Thursday and Black Friday are regular workdays. You simply won't get to enjoy yourself cooking nor will you get to sleep in to recover from the subsequent food coma.
For a full turkey, think ahead. For years I'd been thinking I just didn't know the right places to look for a turkey. Each year I found myself deciding between a full chicken and a turkey breast. Turns out my problem was *when* to look, not where: In Paris any butcher will be happy to sell you a turkey, but you've got to order a couple of weeks in advance. (In a related note, you might need to do some hunting for pumpkin as well depending on where you are outside of the US. Luckily, it's not too hard to acquire in France and even in Italy.)
Stock up on non-perishables while in the US. Stuffing, cornbread mixes, and cranberry sauce store perfectly well on your kitchen shelves and aid greatly in the assembly of traditional Thanksgiving supplies. This year, my Aunt Marie was thoughtful enough to bring over a stash of supplies when she visited back in August, and we were all very grateful!
"The more the merrier" holds but demands some creativity. When it comes to Thanksgiving, more than perhaps any other time in the year, the more the merrier. But for this festivity you need to squeeze not only your guest, drinks, and snacks, but also a massive meal in a apartment which, as a young person in a large city, may not be very large. My final solution was to place all the dishes out in the hallway between my main room and the bathroom, where guests could file in to serve themselves, leaving my dining table free for drinks and plates. Then came the next problem: how to arrange these plates in a narrow hallway? Solution: a bookshelf and an ironing board covered in make-shift tablecloths (Christmas placemats and Peter's fancy scarf). It may sound goofy, but when covered with an array of Thanksgiving goodies I don't think most people even noticed the former identities of the serving tables. Or if so, it certainly didn't hurt their appetite.
Doodle is your friend. I just don't know how potlucks were organized before the internet!
Feel free to build up some hype about the holiday. In general, being an overly proud American is a great way to get labeled with some fairly negative stereotypes. Thanksgiving, however, is something we can take full credit for. I'd encourage you to invite your international friends to share one of the best parts of American culture (and to demonstrate that American cuisine extends beyond the Big Mac). And who really is going to pooh-pooh a holiday all about good food and friends?
And just because I am a nerd and love my numbers...
2012 Thanksgiving stats
The guests
14 people from 8 (or 10) different countries squeezed in 28 meters squared (~300 feet squared). The breakdown: 5 Americans (1 of whom was raised in Japan), 3 Bulgarians (1 of whom was raised partly in Libya), 1 Croatian, 1 Portuguese, 1 Russian, 1 Italian, 1 Brit, and 1 token Frenchman who also has Swiss nationality.
The Thanksgiving dinner
1 turkey (the first time I've managed to get one overseas!)
2 cans of cranberry sauce
1 salad
1 green bean casserole
1 mashed potato and carrot dish
1 sweet potato casserole
5 baguettes
3 packs of cornbread mix (baked in muffins and a loaf)
2 boxes of stuffing
5(ish?) bottles of wine, (1) 6-pack of beer, and (1) 6-pack of Coca-cola
1 pumpkin (pi) pie, 1 apple pie, and 1 panettone
1 tin of cookies
1 ice cream log
5 root beer floats
And to wrap things up
(1) 11-player game of Apples to Apples
With that, if you've made it this far, it's my pleasure to wish you Happy Thanksgiving from France!
Give up on the Thursday celebration. Let's face it: outside of the US, Thanksgiving Thursday and Black Friday are regular workdays. You simply won't get to enjoy yourself cooking nor will you get to sleep in to recover from the subsequent food coma.
For a full turkey, think ahead. For years I'd been thinking I just didn't know the right places to look for a turkey. Each year I found myself deciding between a full chicken and a turkey breast. Turns out my problem was *when* to look, not where: In Paris any butcher will be happy to sell you a turkey, but you've got to order a couple of weeks in advance. (In a related note, you might need to do some hunting for pumpkin as well depending on where you are outside of the US. Luckily, it's not too hard to acquire in France and even in Italy.)
Stock up on non-perishables while in the US. Stuffing, cornbread mixes, and cranberry sauce store perfectly well on your kitchen shelves and aid greatly in the assembly of traditional Thanksgiving supplies. This year, my Aunt Marie was thoughtful enough to bring over a stash of supplies when she visited back in August, and we were all very grateful!
"The more the merrier" holds but demands some creativity. When it comes to Thanksgiving, more than perhaps any other time in the year, the more the merrier. But for this festivity you need to squeeze not only your guest, drinks, and snacks, but also a massive meal in a apartment which, as a young person in a large city, may not be very large. My final solution was to place all the dishes out in the hallway between my main room and the bathroom, where guests could file in to serve themselves, leaving my dining table free for drinks and plates. Then came the next problem: how to arrange these plates in a narrow hallway? Solution: a bookshelf and an ironing board covered in make-shift tablecloths (Christmas placemats and Peter's fancy scarf). It may sound goofy, but when covered with an array of Thanksgiving goodies I don't think most people even noticed the former identities of the serving tables. Or if so, it certainly didn't hurt their appetite.
Doodle is your friend. I just don't know how potlucks were organized before the internet!
Feel free to build up some hype about the holiday. In general, being an overly proud American is a great way to get labeled with some fairly negative stereotypes. Thanksgiving, however, is something we can take full credit for. I'd encourage you to invite your international friends to share one of the best parts of American culture (and to demonstrate that American cuisine extends beyond the Big Mac). And who really is going to pooh-pooh a holiday all about good food and friends?
 |
| Thanksgiving 2012! |
And just because I am a nerd and love my numbers...
2012 Thanksgiving stats
The guests
14 people from 8 (or 10) different countries squeezed in 28 meters squared (~300 feet squared). The breakdown: 5 Americans (1 of whom was raised in Japan), 3 Bulgarians (1 of whom was raised partly in Libya), 1 Croatian, 1 Portuguese, 1 Russian, 1 Italian, 1 Brit, and 1 token Frenchman who also has Swiss nationality.
The Thanksgiving dinner
1 turkey (the first time I've managed to get one overseas!)
2 cans of cranberry sauce
1 salad
1 green bean casserole
1 mashed potato and carrot dish
1 sweet potato casserole
5 baguettes
3 packs of cornbread mix (baked in muffins and a loaf)
2 boxes of stuffing
5(ish?) bottles of wine, (1) 6-pack of beer, and (1) 6-pack of Coca-cola
1 pumpkin (pi) pie, 1 apple pie, and 1 panettone
1 tin of cookies
1 ice cream log
5 root beer floats
And to wrap things up
(1) 11-player game of Apples to Apples
With that, if you've made it this far, it's my pleasure to wish you Happy Thanksgiving from France!
Glad to see Apples to Apples made another party appearance! I have to say, I was a mess on the Thursday because I wasn't able to celebrate (ended up having dinner with my bosses in the end, which was nice) so I will never again pass on a Thanksgiving Thursday celebration!
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