hhfarang,hhfarang wrote:Besides the Turkey (many Thanksgiving celebrations also include ham for those who don't care for turkey), it always includes stuffing or dressing as some call it. That is a dish made from dried cubes of bread, butter, onion, celery, eggs, chicken or turkey broth and spices like sage, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Recipes vary as do the ways to cook it. Traditional stuffing is called that because it is actually mixed and stuffed (and baked) inside the turkey and then removed before serving. The name dressing came because of a standalone version that is created by baking it in a separate dish instead of inside the bird.
The usual Thanksgiving meal also includes mashed potatoes and always turkey or giblet gravy, which is poured liberally as desired individually over slices of the turkey, the stuffing, and the mashed potatoes. Standard turkey gravy is a brown sauce made from the drippings left in the pan after cooking the turkey. Giblet gravy is the same but also includes some cooked innards of the bird like the heart, gizzard, and liver diced up into small pieces (giblets). I think that is mostly a southern states version.
There are also usually a variety of salads and other vegetables that may or may not include corn on the cob, peas of some sort (green or English peas in Northern States, black-eyed peas, lima beans, or butter beans in Southern states), and a cranberry sauce or relish made from fresh cranberries is normally served (don't know if those are available here, it also comes packaged but fresh is always better).
In addition to that, there are usually pies for dessert of various types. Pumpkin is traditional, but I've also seen Karo pecan, apple, and cherry. I don't know exactly what the menu will be here as availability of ingredients may be an issue and different areas of the states vary the menu a bit so you may want to call ahead and check to make sure it sounds good to you.
In America it is a huge meal, usually the only one that day, followed by crashing on the couch and watching American football (several games are on all day one after another).
It's one of the two times each year (along with Christmas) when most families really make an effort to be together and enjoy one another's company.
There are some differences but essentially the main course sounds close to a traditional British Christmas dinner/lunch; the side vegetables will differ as corn on the cob, black-eyed peas, lima beans, and butter beans are not commonly used (or grown) in the UK, but the stuffing and gravy is almost exactly the same. Cranberry sauce/jelly is also traditional Christmas fare in the UK, although every family has variations. The veg accompanying a UK Christmas dinner will include roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts and peas normally, plus possibly roast parsnips, cabbage, carrots and others. The dessert, or pudding, is the major difference as the traditional Christmas fare in the UK is Christmas pudding and mince pies; the fruit pies you mention are eaten in the UK but the only one that I know is a regular (but not at Christmas) is Apple pie. \If a British run restaurant was told what was expected I think they would be able to prepare a feast to the liking of any Americans. Enjoy it and give thanks
