What makes a Thanksgiving meal?

Discussion, in general

What makes a Thanksgiving meal?

Postby cmsellers » Thu Nov 23, 2017 2:32 am

So FiveThirtyEight has this article on what sides and desserts people in different parts of the country prefer for Thanksgiving. As a kid I sometimes ate at my grandmother's house, but as an adult we developed a Thanksgiving tradition with relatives in Miami (and my aunts' friends) which we've partially transferred to my cousin's in Colorado after my aunt refused to host this year.

With sides, the two things that struck me were the Southeast's love for canned cranberry sauce and the Northeast's love of squash. My aunt's longterm boyfriend makes a cranberry sauce with two kinds of canned cranberries, pineapple, and pecans. I don't like it, but when I made fresh cranberry sauce nobody ate it except me. I don't like squash, but my mother brought a butternut squash to Florida every year so people could have proper squash instead of yams, which seems to be the non-New England equivalent. We're not involved in the sides this year, so it will be interesting to see what they have. Mashed potatoes and gravy also seem like an essential Thanksgiving side, though I don't like them.

Another thing that stuck out to me is that apple, pecan, and cherry pie all seem like essential Thanksgiving pies, but sweet potato pie seems kind of redundant for pumpkin pie. Sadly, we never do cherry pie, usually because my mother insists that five kinds of pie is enough (it's Thanksgiving, Mom!) and vetoes it every time I suggest it. This year she didn't veto it, however I told my cousin and his wife I could make cherry pie and key lime pie if they found key lime juice and canned or frozen cherries; my cousin's wife found the juice but not the cherries. Don't know if she couldn't find them or they just didn't want cherry pie.

This year we're not doing pumpkin pie (I assume someone else will bring it) but are doing apple pie, pecan pie, Tollhouse cookie pie, and key lime pie, all of which we've developed a reputation for. (My brother has special recipes for pecan and cookie pies, I have one for key lime, and we use Northern Spy apples for our apple pie, which you can't get in most of the country.)

Also, in Miami I was the only person who insisted on having a turkey leg, it will be interesting to see if the same pattern holds in Colorado and I'm a little worried.
  • 4

User avatar
cmsellers
Back-End Admin
Back-End Admin
 
Posts: 9316
Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2013 7:20 pm
Location: Not *that* Bay Area
Show rep
Title: Broken Record Player

Re: What makes a Thanksgiving meal?

Postby Deathclaw_Puncher » Thu Nov 23, 2017 2:38 am

Turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, gravy, green bean casserole,a variety of pies, and copious amouts of alcohol. My Great aunt also makes this amazing rum cake for Thanksgiving every year.
  • 4

Image
User avatar
Deathclaw_Puncher
Knight Writer
Knight Writer
 
Posts: 12452
Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2013 9:42 pm
Location: Fair Oaks, CA
Show rep
Title: Queen of the Furrets

Re: What makes a Thanksgiving meal?

Postby jbobsully11 » Thu Nov 23, 2017 4:32 am

Different people are in charge of different things, but the complete list includes turkey, sweet potato pie (my sister has been making it since she was in high school), mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce (strictly from a can, in the shape of the can), string bean casserole (an aunt makes that), homemade stuffing (not inside the turkey; my immediate family has made it since at least the mid-‘90s, but only my brother makes it now), various desserts (usually at least an apple pie and a pumpkin pie), and coffee. At most there have been around 20 people.

This year, we expect a total of (maybe) eight people, and have entirely too many an appropriate number of bottles of alcohol on hand for various cocktails.

I’m really not sure what kind of squash people from around here are supposed to be into, according to that article.
  • 2

Crimson847 wrote:In other words, transgender-friendly privacy laws don't molest people, people molest people.

(Presumably, the only way to stop a bad guy with a transgender-friendly privacy law is a good guy with a transgender-friendly privacy law, and thus transgender-friendly privacy law rights need to be enshrined in the Constitution as well)
User avatar
jbobsully11
TCS Moderator
TCS Moderator
 
Posts: 3644
Joined: Mon Apr 15, 2013 10:22 pm
Location: not the outskirts of nowhere anymore, NJ, USA
Show rep
Title: The Chronically Underemployed

Re: What makes a Thanksgiving meal?

Postby Australia » Thu Nov 23, 2017 4:37 am

The oven.
  • 19

YamI JamesT Eyebrows Edgar Logan Eric Michael Tess Sunny Notch Kate Jamish Lao Carp Moo FaceCitizen Aquila Nisi Qinglong Chaise Nullbert NotCIAagent JackRoad Delta MURDA Bert Czar Ambi JulyJack Adric Marcuse SilverMaple Nudge 52xMax Damiana Doma Pumpkin Toy Fry Andro Carrie Snarky Royal RLG Pikajew Windy skooma Kleiner Java Sellers Piter Gisarmbards Grimstone Recluse Esteban Syrup Krashlia Twistappel MacReady Funkotron mcfooty Pseudoman Creepy Kivutar nerd Ladki Jim Youghurt satan GL Angler
Scari
User avatar
Australia
Resident Dickhead
Resident Dickhead
 
Posts: 4227
Joined: Sun Apr 21, 2013 6:15 pm
Location: Take a wild guess
Show rep
Title: Kentucky Fried Colonel

Re: What makes a Thanksgiving meal?

Postby IamNotCreepy » Thu Nov 23, 2017 4:44 am

Turkey, ham, cranberry sauce (both homemade and canned), mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole (with melted marshmallows on top), my famous mac & cheese, usually some kind of vegetable like Brussels sprouts, and of course the best part -- my my mom's stuffing (technically dressing since it's served on the side)

For dessert, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, mincemeat pie, other assorted fruit pies
  • 5

User avatar
IamNotCreepy
TCS Admin
TCS Admin
 
Posts: 1521
Joined: Fri Dec 18, 2015 5:00 am
Location: Inside the "Cone of Uncertainty"
Show rep
Title: Chasing after the Wind

Re: What makes a Thanksgiving meal?

Postby Matt the Czar » Thu Nov 23, 2017 5:08 am

Turkey with gravy. Perhaps a side of pie.
  • 3

"Operation Prepare Your Anus is considered to have been the most thoughtfully planned and masterfully executed humanitarian intervention in American history."-DTanza, alternatehistory.com

Now as a very moral person, I would never sell a pot brownie to a toddler.
I.. I would just GIVE it to them.- CMSellers.
User avatar
Matt the Czar
TCS Sithlord
TCS Sithlord
 
Posts: 860
Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2015 8:25 pm
Show rep

Re: What makes a Thanksgiving meal?

Postby Tesseracts » Thu Nov 23, 2017 5:27 am

My family is weird and doesn't really do traditions, so we don't really have something we eat every year. Except my Dad keeps buying Tofurky for Thanksgiving, which I hate. We do eat a lot of squash though. Not on Thanksgiving but just in general.
  • 3

User avatar
Tesseracts
Big Brother
Big Brother
 
Posts: 9653
Joined: Sat Apr 13, 2013 5:31 am
Show rep
Title: Social Media Expert

Re: What makes a Thanksgiving meal?

Postby Kate » Fri Nov 24, 2017 2:03 am

My family used to eat pasta every Thanksgiving. Nana made a big pan of baked ziti, at the very least. You know, the traditional Thanksgiving dish. Since my grandparents have been gone, Thanksgiving has gone back to being turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, apple pie, stuffing, mushrooms, cranberry sauce (from scratch), and assorted vegetables (green beans, peas, onions, sprouts, etc.). Oh and cranberry bread and pumpkin bread. And roasted chestnuts. And of course antipasto - cheeses, meats, crackers, and of course cheese doodles.

Plus the drinks - wine, champagne, beer. Sparkling cider for me.

Honestly, I think the date makes a Thanksgiving meal. Are you thankful? Is there food? is it the last Thursday in November, and are you American or in America? Congratulations! It's a secular holiday that is family-oriented and pretty much everyone agrees is mandatory to let you celebrate even though plenty of people absolutely do not get to take off work anyway!
  • 6

JT's Art Thread - JamesT's awesome stuff.
User avatar
Kate
Gul DuKate
Gul DuKate
 
Posts: 2961
Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2013 10:08 am
Location: Assembling Future Kate
Show rep
Title: Sheepwoman

Re: What makes a Thanksgiving meal?

Postby BROWNRECLUSE » Fri Nov 24, 2017 2:26 am

I came to the realization today that I would be perfectly content to gorge on stuffing next Thanksgiving.

Just stuffing. Preferably Stove Top brand.
  • 5

Tesseracts wrote:In this age of falsehoods and lies, it's comforting to know some people are genuinely idiots.
User avatar
BROWNRECLUSE
Jedi Knight
Jedi Knight
 
Posts: 4142
Joined: Sat Mar 07, 2015 8:55 pm
Location: Inside your ear canal
Show rep

Re: What makes a Thanksgiving meal?

Postby ghijkmnop » Fri Nov 24, 2017 2:57 am

Redacted
  • 3

Last edited by ghijkmnop on Thu Mar 14, 2019 4:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Delete my account
ghijkmnop
Time Waster
Time Waster
 
Posts: 1962
Joined: Thu May 28, 2015 8:22 am
Show rep
Title: Prisoner of TCS

Re: What makes a Thanksgiving meal?

Postby mancityfooty » Fri Nov 24, 2017 4:06 am

my parental units and I had spaghetti, and garlic bread.
we don't like the turkey that much.
so, ribs, and anything that can be cooked bbq style.
  • 3

72% Vanilla
User avatar
mancityfooty
Time Waster
Time Waster
 
Posts: 1481
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2015 10:16 pm
Location: Olathe, KS
Show rep
Title: Duke Mix a Lot

Re: What makes a Thanksgiving meal?

Postby sunglasses » Fri Nov 24, 2017 4:05 pm

Turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, stuffing and pumpkin pie keep me happy.
  • 7

TCS Etiquette Guide

Rules and FAQs

Zevran wrote:Magic can kill. Knives can kill. Even small children launched at great speeds can kill.
User avatar
sunglasses
TCS Moderator
TCS Moderator
 
Posts: 11541
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 2:52 pm
Show rep
Title: The Speaker of Horrors.

Re: What makes a Thanksgiving meal?

Postby tinyrick » Sun Dec 03, 2017 10:38 am

sunglasses wrote:Turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, stuffing and pumpkin pie keep me happy.


Add in deviled eggs made with Miracle Whip. I usually like plain Mayo, but when it comes to deviled eggs, Miracle Whip is the bomb. As for mashed potatoes, do you prefer white, beef, or chicken gravy?
  • 1

YEEEEEEAAAHHHHH!!! Tiny Rick!
User avatar
tinyrick
TCS Regular
TCS Regular
 
Posts: 442
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 7:37 am
Location: Underground Bunker, USA
Show rep

Re: What makes a Thanksgiving meal?

Postby sunglasses » Mon Dec 04, 2017 3:55 pm

tinyrick wrote:
sunglasses wrote:Turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, stuffing and pumpkin pie keep me happy.


Add in deviled eggs made with Miracle Whip. I usually like plain Mayo, but when it comes to deviled eggs, Miracle Whip is the bomb. As for mashed potatoes, do you prefer white, beef, or chicken gravy?


No gravy.

I prefer to mix my veg with my mashed potatoes and if I'm super lucky, someone will have made creamed corn and I'll pour that over them.
  • 0

TCS Etiquette Guide

Rules and FAQs

Zevran wrote:Magic can kill. Knives can kill. Even small children launched at great speeds can kill.
User avatar
sunglasses
TCS Moderator
TCS Moderator
 
Posts: 11541
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 2:52 pm
Show rep
Title: The Speaker of Horrors.


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 23 guests

cron