Whether you make it from scratch, from a can or you buy it from a store, no Thanksgiving dinner is complete without a pumpkin pie.
This one, from Flickr user maggiejane, is a little bit store bought, a little bit from a can and a little bit homemade. On her blog, Pithy and Cleaver, she writes that while she uses a premade frozen pie crust, the filling is canned pumpkin mixed with eggs, sugar, molasses and spices like cinnamon, ginger and clove.
Sounds to us like a little bit of work for a whole lot of Thanksgiving flavor.
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One of the biggest secrets of the baking world is that some of the most impressive treats are often quite easy to make -- especially when marzipan is involved. That thick and nutty almond paste offers a flavor perfect for Thanksgiving treats, and can easily be molded into any number of holiday-specific nibbles, whether you're an old sculpture pro or feel that you have two left hands.
The classic Thanksgiving menu -- which has become so standardized that nearly 90 percent of Americans report eating turkey to celebrate the holiday -- is a virtual parade through the food pyramid, with nearly every known food group admirably represented. Looking for grains? Try the cornbread stuffing. Craving fruit? Have some cranberry sauce. In a vegetable mood? You've got your pick of mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and green beans (mixed with mushroom soup, for an extra veggie bonus).
But, for the last half-century, one food group has been conspicuously missing from the typical Thanksgiving table. Confronted by the usual festive spread, a Pilgrim would no doubt ask: "Whither the shellfish, Prudence?"
Lobsters, clams and mussels were almost certainly served at the 1621 feast that's come to be commemorated as the First Thanksgiving. While the Pilgrims weren't especially fond of seafood -- Plimoth Plantation's culinarian Kathleen Wall says the community considered shellfish "the last of God's blessings" -- the settlement's proximity to the sea meant waterborne creatures were a staple of harvest meals, alongside earthy corn porridges, turnips and grapes. Pilgrims and Wampanoags supped on seal, swan and extravagantly large crustaceans.
"They talk about these lobsters that fed three sailors," Wall marvels.
Each Tuesday until Turkey Day, we're bringing you preparation tips to ensure your Thanksgiving is as smooth as your gravy (should be). And guess what? There are only two Tuesdays to go! If you've been following our advice, there's no need to freak out, but even if you haven't, there's still no need to freak out -- just, uh, expedite.
Although cranberries usually reign supreme around Thanksgiving, the ruby pomegranate seems to be stealing some of the classic berry's thunder this season -- and understandably so, with its unique tart, fruity edge.
Flickr user Norwichnuts created this vegan Pomegranate Ice Kreme by simply combining two juiced pomegranates, two cups creamer, one cup powdered sugar and an added layer of pomegranate jelly and freezing it in an ice-cream maker. The "kreme" appears remarkably luscious and creamy, despite its vegan preparation. Topping the simple dessert with glazed pecans adds a salty complexity, as well as interesting texture and crunch.
Do you enjoy pomegranate? Have you been integrating it into your holiday cooking? Divulge how you've been using the fruit this season in the comments.
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Thanksgiving is about turkey, stuffing and sweet potatoes (or yams, depending on who you ask). But it's also about finding an affordable wine to go along with such a feast -- especially if the host is calculating a pound of turkey and a bottle of wine per person (as any good Turkey Day host or hostess should).
This beautiful bottle of 2005 Sauvignon Blanc, captured by Flickr user stevesteve8383, would certainly do the trick ... though we might have to do a little taste test just to make sure.
When we think of Thanksgiving, thoughts usually turn to lavish feasts and a celebration of all things savory. But just as much as this November holiday is a time to come together for massive meals, it's also the perfect time to infuse fall flavor with a dollop of sweetness. Over the next few weeks, I'll be dipping into some fun and easy ways to sweeten up your Thanksgiving, and first up: Hard Maple Syrup Candy.
Maple syrup is the perfect ingredient for Thanksgiving. The turning maple leaves are a staple of fall decorating, the flavor of the syrup is sweet, natural and divine, and the dark and rich brown hue is perfect for the holiday table.
Yet most recipes out there insist on turning that syrup into a crystallized Maple Sugar Candy. Of course, those are great nibbles, but simplifying the recipe and letting that syrup harden offers an equally sinful snack that melts on the tongue and is as decorative as it is tasty.
'The Thanksgiving Table: Recipes and Ideas to Create Your Own Holiday Tradition'
By Diane Morgan
Photography by John A. Rizzo Chronicle Books -- 2001 Buy it on Amazon
Though Thanksgiving may be conceptually about unity and giving thanks, the feast is often anything but -- be it from menus predominantly meat-centric or overwhelmingly vegetarian that rely upon traditional recipes or adventurous ones, to lively affairs or smaller, more austere gatherings prone to the usual family quibbles.
But with the help of this book and guide, the meal itself is at least guaranteed to go smoothly, with preparation and decoration ideas as well as recipes to suit eaters and appetites of all kinds. Catering to the variety of the holiday's staples -- the smells, the anticipation, the flavor, the feel -- this book is virtually all you need to host the most perfect, memorable Thanksgiving.
See what we tested and find out whether the book's worth buying after the jump.
Technically there are only two weeks and two days until Thanksgiving, but each Tuesday until Turkey Day, we're bringing you preparation tips to ensure your Thanksgiving is as smooth as your gravy (should be).
By this point, you should have a head count and have already placed an order for an appropriately sized turkey. You may have made an outline of your menu. Now it's time for the heavy lifting. 1. Finalize your menu. You should have a rough idea of what you're going to serve for the holiday meal. Now it's time to decide how many pounds of Brussels sprouts you'll need and how you're going to prepare them. Are you going to brine your turkey? What kind of rolls are you serving? Salted or unsalted butter? Are you making pies or asking someone else to bring them? Now is the time to make all of those decisions, and then make a shopping list based on the recipes for each dish.
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