The ‘must haves’
23 November 2009

Many thanks to all of you who felt compelled to contribute your thoughts and memories of your Thanksgiving Must Haves. I received input from not only my own generation, but also from many of you a generation or two ahead of me.

Some of the most sentimental, nostalgic foods we come to expect at our tables are incredibly dated - as in foods having their origins being served on tables during the 1930’s, 40’s, and 50’s. There are of course the updated twists on vegetables and side dishes, preparations of the bird itself, and preferences over pumpkin pie, apple pie, pecan pie. Yet, so much of what you all forwarded to me was not what I expected. Things were simpler and unassuming, and conveyed a sense of place rather than grandeur.

Numerous responses echoed each other, several of them referencing the sweet, molded salads, fruit courses, or aspics so reminiscent of what would have been served on my grandparents’ and great-grandparents’ tables. These were things I had thought long gone, perhaps locked in an imaginary vault of foods representing a few decades of Americana. This brought about a realization that so many of us yearn for those idealized times. As if for one or two days out of the year we allow ourselves to be enveloped by a sense of happiness we imagined may have been more genuine or pure than what too many of us fail to realize or believe our current lives encompass. These foods represent a link to times and loved ones long since passed. No matter the take on it, such a grand holiday as Thanksgiving gives us an opportunity to take in the love surrounding us, regardless of any adversity within our families since the last Thanksgiving celebrated together.

The most popular item (although variations existed) was a molded fruit salad - The kind I associate with a 1940’s or 50’s Easter dinner. I almost envision a Donna Reed type of hostess presenting it to her guests (and the pearls are not to be overlooked!) Most of them included gelatin, of course, and marshmallows, coconut, and some sort of canned fruit. I had truly thought this type of thing had been locked in that vault mentioned above, but the emails I received have proven me wrong. I was not wrong in attributing this sort of thing with Southerners, but what I did not anticipate was how many people from the North and the Mid-west also include such a salad.

Going along the lines of sweet dishes, there is the ubiquitous sweet potato casserole (with the marshmallows on top.) Perhaps the likes of Paula Deen have encouraged a bit of a resurgence of this sort of presentation, but I doubt that it‘s all to be attributed to her. Old habits die hard, especially when something like Thanksgiving is concerned. The sweet, orange in color starch so many of us consume this time of year is, without a doubt, a sweet potato! (They’re not yams!) A favorite way of mine to serve them is not only in a casserole (substituting a sprinkling of praline pecans for the usual marshmallows), but more so as individual, twice baked sweet potatoes. I began preparing them that way some time in the 90’s, and they have been popular sellers when catering for the holiday.

I was interested to see how similar tastes were in regard to vegetables. We have come to expect broccoli and cheese casserole, and there are of course the fans of green bean casserole. A couple of you told me how much you enjoy Brussels sprouts done the old fashioned way just simmered and served with butter. I have my own favorite take on those, and use no more water than to rinse them before preparing is required. Roasting them with some olive oil and pancetta and salt and cracked pepper, then sprinkled with shaved parmesan cheese is surprisingly wonderful. People normally expressing an aversion to them have tried these and become converts.

Cranberry sauce is a staple. I prefer the simple preparation of it from fresh berries (canned isn‘t half bad, though.) A friend commented that she has had the cranberries every year the same way; prepared quite simply, then passed through a food mill to remove the skins and seeds. I am a huge fan of my food mills (I have varying sizes) and got a chuckle out of hearing how my friend has one specifically for this one holiday preparation.

Now for the turkey. Only one person commented about growing up eating goose instead of turkey. Goose works for me, but it would not have been my first choice. Truth be known, until I began brining my turkey some years ago, I would have much preferred a roast chicken instead of a turkey. Brining is my favorite way to get my bird ready to roast. You may be surprised, but I have yet to try a fried turkey. (I’ve heard of too many SNAFUs associated with turkey fryers.) Several people indicated they have taken a liking to brining, although for the most part, the no-frills rubbing of the bird with butter and seasoning before roasting is what gets done. If there is anyone out there reading this who relies upon roasting bags, it was not brought to my attention.

Stuffing won out in respect to what to call it. Southerners prefer to call it dressing. Most everyone mentioning it did acknowledge serving some stuffed (wet) in the bird, and having another dish of it (dry) baked on its own. The variations are innumerable, and I won’t even attempt to list any.

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