It’s Thanksgiving time!
Every third Thursday of November, Americans gather around their dinner tables and have a meal like no other.
The non americans might ask, what exactly is Thanksgiving? Well, it is a a North American tradition that can be traced back to the Spaniards. This tradition dates back to 1541, when the Spanish explorer, Francisco Vázquez de Coronado led a successful expedition looking for gold. He and his men celebrated with a thanksgiving feast in the Duro Canyon (located in Texas). Despite this fact, only Americans and Canadians celebrate this holiday today. Most Americans recognize the Pilgrims feast of 1620 as the “first Thanksgiving”.
Today this meal has become even more important than Christmas dinner for Americans. Children do not have school for the week, and many people fly or drive to their family´s house. This causes delays at airports and major traffic in big cities. There are a few big events that families all over the United States sit down and watch together. One is the presidential pardon of the Turkey. Where the president spares one Turkey from its ultimate fate. The second is the Macy’s annual Thanksgiving Day Parade that takes place in New York City. The third, and what most Americans would argue is the most important, is the broadcasting of the annual NFL Thanksgiving football game.
What exactly does a Thanksgiving dinner consist of? Get out a pen and paper, Cinnamon Events has a list of must have dinner items for this holiday.
Turkey
No Thanksgiving is complete without a turkey. This is the staple of any Thanksgiving meal. In Spain, you must reserve one a few days before in a butcher shop to insure you have one available. This part of the meal involves the most preparation time, as it usually takes 4-6 hours to cook. Every hour one needs to take the turkey out of the oven and bathe it with a special sauce. Inside the turkey, many people put stuffing (see the details in the next paragraph) so that the extra sauce and juices give the stuffing an extra flavor.
Stuffing
Stuffing is another Thanksgiving classic. This dish mainly consists of breadcrumbs, celery, pork meat, and salt. And, as mentioned before, it is usually cooked inside the Turkey and served as a side dish.
Mashed Potatoes
It’s a good thing that this next dish is easy to make, unlike the turkey. Mashed potatoes consist of potatoes, butter and salt and the end result is absolutely delicious.
Sweet Potato Casserole
Another scrumptious dish for the sweet lovers! This is also fairly easy to make, the only ingredients necessary are: yams, brown sugar, butter, and marshmallows! It takes only 10 minutes to prepare, making this dish quick, simple and delicious.
Pumpkin Pie
What better way to finish off a hearty meal than with a delicious piece of creamy American pie? The traditional pie is made with pumpkin, however, it also includes other ingredients like eggs, cinnamon, milk, sugar, and nutmeg. An excellent and equally delicious substitute is apple pie.
Other easy side dishes for this meal include corn, salad, ice cream, and bread. We hope we have convinced you to celebrate this American holiday. And if you want to celebrate, but do not want to indulge in the process of cooking, there a many restaurants in Madrid and other parts of Europe that prepare amazing Thanksgiving dinners, you’ll feel as if you’re in the US no matter what part of the world you find yourself in. What a better way to give thanks than by enjoying a delicious meal with your loved ones?