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Thanksgiving With Sheryl Underwood
episode • In the Spirit with Lindsay & Curtis • cooking • 26m
G
episode • In the Spirit with Lindsay & Curtis • cooking • 26m
G
Although my family rarely celebrated Thanksgiving in Australia when we migrated here in the '60s, traditional somehow always found their way to our Christmas table.
Maybe if we knew we were descendants of both Pilgrims and Native Americans, my mother might have been more into ‘Turkey’ day.
The history of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving has been celebrated in the US since the 17th century. The origin story goes, 102 Puritans sailed from England aboard the Mayflower in 1620, seeking religious freedom in the New World.
They arrived on the land of the Mashpee Wampanoag people near what is Plymouth, Massachusetts today. The Wampanoag showed them how to grow corn and where to hunt and fish, and not long after, in 1621, the pilgrims enjoyed a bumper harvest. The holiday recognises a feast held to celebrate this harvest, and in 1863, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed it a national holiday which is to date, celebrated on the last Thursday in November. The celebration has food at its heart.
A reproduction of a Jean Louis Gerome Ferris painting depicting the first Thanksgiving Credit: Wikimedia Commons
What is traditional Thanksgiving food?
usually revolves around turkey, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, cranberries, pecans, blueberries and potatoes. Many of these foods, as well as wild rice, were first cultivated by Indigenous people in the New World thousands of years before.
When Thanksgiving became a national holiday, turkey was plentiful and cheap, especially in New England. The large birds are also good for feeding a crowd and quickly became the traditional centrepiece dish.
The cornerstone of Native American cuisine — the ‘Three Sisters’, corn, beans and are also starting to show up on more Thanksgiving menus, and rightfully so. I’ve always found this the simplest way to acknowledge both groups who were at the first Thanksgiving.
Some of the more modern Thanksgiving foods can have questionable provenance (Yes, I’m looking at you, sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and green bean casserole made with tinned Cream of Mushroom soup).
The cornerstone of Native American cuisine — the ‘Three Sisters’, corn, beans and squash are also starting to show up on more Thanksgiving menus.
The stress associated with getting 'Thanksgiving right‘, often exacerbated by pop culture, has led to brands such as Butterball Turkey, Betty Crocker and even the New York Times actually offering helplines to calm frustrated hosts and guide them through their turkey trauma, lumpy gravy or dessert disasters.
How we celebrate Thanksgiving in Australia
Once my own children were old enough to appreciate the concept, I started hosting Thanksgiving in Australia. And as I’ve learnt from years of doing that, it really doesn’t have to be that hard. Like any festive feast, it takes organisation and a little bit of time.
Over the years, I’ve baked pumpkin pies, brined and cooked turkeys with and without stuffing or dressing (stuffing outside the turkey) and made real gravy, cornbread and cranberry jelly.
One recipe that epitomises Thanksgiving food for me is mashed potatoes. Not just any old mash but an outrageous Martha Stewart recipe that combines riced spuds with cream cheese, bacon, cream, cheddar, sour cream, onion, and butter. Cornbread is another must for our Thanksgiving table. It’s a dish that has its roots in both Indigenous and African American cultures. As a loaf or as a muffin, it is just what’s needed to soak up the last of the gravy. And when it comes to dessert, nothing beats a classic pumpkin pie.
One way to honour the truth around Thanksgiving is to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land you are gathering on.
When we come together as a family to chop, slice and cook for Thanksgiving, we are thankful for family, and countless other things we are grateful for here in Australia.
Even if the origins of this holiday may be stained by a difficult history, the opportunity to pause, come together with family and community over good food, and express gratitude can translate into a positive thing.
One way to honour the truth around Thanksgiving is to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land you are gathering on, before starting your feast.
So, while Thanksgiving is not an official holiday in Australia, many Americans take time over the weekend to celebrate. And best of all, we get to do it all again in a month or so!
