Taking Stock of Thanksgiving Traditions: Celebrating the Old and the New
With Thanksgiving a mere two days away, I can almost taste the succulent turkey, the tart cranberry sauce, my mom's savory stuffing (as well as my aunt's sweet, tropical guava stuffing), and my all-time favorite, pumpkin cheesecake!
What is so exciting to me about Thanksgiving, however, is that fact that many families have special dishes that are unique to how they celebrate the holiday. From a quick survey of the KOREH L.A. staff, cinnamon apples, apple pie, green bean casserole, deviled eggs, and tamales are some of the dishes that we can't imagine Thanksgiving without.
But where did these Thanksgiving traditions come from in the first place?
For young readers, an excellent way to help answer this question is by opening up Edna Barth's Turkey, Pilgrims, and Indian Corn: The Story of Thanksgiving Symbols. Perfect for readers ages 8 and up, the 96 page book is full of fascinating historical details. Barth pays particular attention to addressing the holiday's multicultural origins, and the legends and stories associated with the holiday.
Whether you are sitting at the "kids' table" or are sitting with the "grown-ups," Barth's book is a fun way to find out why so many of us like to carve into the bird every last Thursday of November.
So grab your cornbread muffin, or your crescent roll, or even a slice of hominy grits cake if you prefer and cozy up this Thursday with a good book that celebrates food, family, and friends!
In the spirit of sharing, here is one especially delicious Thanksgiving recipe that you can easily make with your kids or grandchildren. Try it out, and maybe next year, when you find yourself looking forward to it, you will have found a new tradition for your family!
Happy Thanksgiving from the KOREH L.A. family to yours!
Pumpkin Chocolate-Chip Cookies
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 cups (12-ounce bag) milk chocolate chips, not semisweet
• Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper
Directions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.
Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.
Norman Rockwell, The Four Freedoms: Freedom From Want, 1943.
blog comments powered by Disqus
