Thanksgiving for Brits

Bit tricky to debone though, at that size.

Mr Flibble said:

And turkey is OK once a year -- we often don't even have it at Christmas as almost no one likes it in the family -- but twice in a month seems a bit much. You'd only just be finishing up the leftovers when Christmas starts...

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Christmas and turkey don't go together quite as exclusively in the US as they do in the UK. My family usually has a ham for Christmas. Sometimes a turkey, too (we have a big family). Americans eat turkey a lot more year round, though. It's by no means just for Thanksgiving or Christmas. For me, I fix it at least once a week or whenever I get tired of chicken


On another note, I would never expect Brits (or anyone else) to celebrate Thanksgiving, I was just really touched when they did. I loved your November holidays, though! Especially Bonfire Night...

Lol yeah, here it's "traditional" to have a turkey big enough to feed you and your family for the next month on leftovers. Perhaps why it's not so popular year round!

We tend to have a really good joint of beef (Rib of Aberdeen Angus, properly aged etc. I'm drooling just thinking about it) because turkey is pretty meh in this house. My parents tend towards duck.

But I know plenty of people who, while they may not love turkey, would complain bitterly if it didn't appear on the Christmas table because "traditional" (although, that should be goose I'm thinking....)

Bit tricky to debone though, at that size.

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Nah, you crunch the bones. Like with quail. Gives it texture.

ETA Just reminded me of an ad in the eighties all about turkey leftovers (can't find the one where she announces turkey as "giraffe pie") RIP Linda Bellingham

Goose is way more traditional as it's been eaten at Christmas since Christianity first got here.

Whereas turkey was centuries later.

All Henry VIII's fault

It says 'ere anyway. Before that it was peacock or boar. Hmm boar sounds like it could be doable...

Really? Weren't we still eating goose in the 19th century?

Turkey and/or goose apparently

But turkey caught on in the 15th and 16th centuries (again, it says 'ere, but it's saying it in multiple places). Cheap, see? And a goose might not be big enough for the bigger families they tended to have back then. Didn't Scrooge get a turkey for the Cratchetts?

Well I thinking more the poor end of the market. Doubt many of my ancestors could afford peacock or boar! LOL!

I want to bring Guy Fawkes Night to America. I'm confident that most Americans would be supportive of a holiday for a fellow who tried to blow up Congress Parliament.

Haggis said:

I want to bring Guy Fawkes Night to America. I'm confident that most Americans would be supportive of a holiday for a fellow who tried to blow up Congress Parliament.

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Right on! Where do I sign up. We need more holidays.

MM

Would we have to draw and quarter someone, because I have several candidates.

A_Read said:

Christmas and turkey don't go together quite as exclusively in the US as they do in the UK. My family usually has a ham for Christmas. Sometimes a turkey, too (we have a big family).

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Yeah, we never had turkey at Christmas (come to think of it, I never really even knew anyone who had turkey at Christmas until I was in high school). My mom would usually do a crown roast (sometimes beef, sometimes pork) and while Stephen and I had goose for Christmas the first few years we were married, for the past six years or so I've done beef bourguignon--the particular recipe I use came from a French cookbook that's about sixty years old at this point, and involves overnight marinading and several different steps (and does not include carrots) so it's more special-occasion-y than the quick cheater bourguignon I make the rest of the year.

Turkey is Thanksgiving-only in our house, largely because I don't especially care for turkey. I make it because it's tradition, really, although the turkey from my local butcher here are good enough that I eat a little more than my usual few ceremonial bites.

On another note, I would never expect Brits (or anyone else) to celebrate Thanksgiving, I was just really touched when they did. I loved your November holidays, though! Especially Bonfire Night...

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See, I wish I could find someplace that did an actual bonfire Bonfire Night. None of the places we've lived or been did more than just fireworks--although here, we're close enough to the park that we can watch those from our backyard, which the girls really like. I've never been somewhere that does a real bonfire with all the lovely foods I see in the "Bonfire Night celebration" features in cooking magazines (roast meats and such). I was really excited about seeing a Bonfire Night celebration when we moved here, but...nope.

Oh there's plenty of "bonfire" Bonfire nights around here. But it's probably place specific tbh. The Scouts is a good place to start (they love doing the whole thing, and especially all the food!)

the "Bonfire Night celebration" features in cooking magazines (roast meats and such)

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Huh? Bonfire nights include roasts? News to me! Never seen one. Ever. Things you can cook in a big bonfire, yes - baked spuds, sausages etc (and that exciting bike rally where someone added a tin of beans which exploded...) It's real basic stuff which happens to be really yummy if you do it right

Roasts is possibly for the upper middle class version of, which...isn't really the real thing? I can't see doing a roast on a bonfire tbh. I mean it's possible...but when you have baked spuds and sausages, why bother with the trickery it would be?

PS Sounds like a newspaper "what the hell do we put in this section" thing. Not something that actually happens

Roasts? lord no. Spuds and sausages. Things that can either wrapped in foil and shoved in the ashes around the edge or held on the end of a sharp stick or long fork.

Roast is a very posh idea. Started by people who had servants in the kitchen who would bring out the meat to the posh people standing around the fire.

We have lamb for Christmas Dinner - It's the only meat that all the family really likes. We finally ditched turkey in '05 when I screwed up the courage to utter the heresy 'does anyone actually like the thing?' and got a chorus of agreement. In true British tradition, most of the resistance to my plan was on the grounds 'it's tradition to have turkey'. But I got my way in the end, and once it holds for another couple of years, I'll know it's stuck for good.

Thanksgiving? Oh no, no, no. I will fight the concept being introduced to this country on the beaches, in the shops and in the kitchen. I'll never surrender!

I like the irony of paraphrasing the words of a man who possibly celebrated Thanksgiving himself, what with his American mother...

Thanksgiving for Brits

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Indeed, we should all give thanks for the Brits

Finally!

Be grateful. That sort of concession is physically painful for an Aussie.

I know! I'm amazed anyone has finally said it. It's only taken 300 years....

Now, if you'd just take back our PM, we'd be delighted.

whenever I reflect on the meal pilgrims and indians shared, together, after laying aside their weapons and making peace I am gladdened and rejoice in the festive occasion. so, a time for fun, and maybe as well a time for those not on good terms to forgive one another and be friends ... at least for a day

Helix said:

Now, if you'd just take back our PM, we'd be delighted.

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Only if we swap for Cameron.

We might settle for swapping with Piers Morgan

Ken said:

whenever I reflect on the meal pilgrims and indians shared, together, after laying aside their weapons and making peace I am gladdened and rejoice in the festive occasion. so, a time for fun, and maybe as well a time for those not on good terms to forgive one another and be friends ... at least for a day

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And I'm sure the Indians feel exactly the same, considering what that meal led to.......

Mr Flibble said:

Only if we swap for Cameron.

We might settle for swapping with Piers Morgan

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Damn it! I knew there would be a catch!

We'll take Cameron, but only because he couldn't do much damage here.

As for Piers Morgan...you've seen the footage of Brett Lee using him for bowling target practice?

mirandashell said:

And I'm sure the Indians feel exactly the same, considering what that meal led to.......

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My 2nd grade teacher must've skipped that part.