History and Foods of Thanksgiving

It is time again to prepare for Thanksgiving, so thought I bring this thread up for new forum members and for those of you who like to review this type of history and food.

I hope to add some more recipes, old and new. This is a time of year, from Thanksgiving through Christmas, that is always very special to me. I love to decorate, make gifts and card for family and friends, and prepare and enjoy special foods of the season.
 
Dressing for Turkey from "Orchard and Garden" 1890.

"Use stale bread, and have it broken into very fine crumbs. For a quart of crumbs, take a tablespoonful of salt, a little pepper, sage (or other flavourings if preferred), and nearly half a cup of butter. When these are thoroughly blended, fill the turkey very carefully, as crowding prevents the dressing from being light and delicate when served."

Cranberry Sauce from "Orchard and Garden" 1890.

"Cook a quart of cranberries in a pint of water till tender. Mash thoroughly, and add two and a quarter cups of granulated sugar. Boil ten minutes, stirring constantly. Strain through a colander, then pour into molds, or in dish in which it is to be served."
 
The magazine," Orchard and Garden" 1890 also has good recipe for oysters. M.C. Rankin writes "Scalloped oysters is another dish which often suffers at the hands of the cook, being sometimes served in a pastry, unattractive mass, and at other times cooked until all flavor has been lost." Thus here is the proper recipe for Scalloped Oysters.

"Butter a deep dish, and sprinkle the bottom a layer of finely powdered cracker or dried bread crumbs. Cover with oysters, seasoned with salt, pepper, and butter. Now another layer of crumbs, then oysters, and so on till the dish is full. Then add just enough cream or milk to thoroughly moisten the crumbs, and bake twenty minutes in a quick oven."

My aunt always insisted you can't have Thanksgiving without baked oysters. This is good recipe to try.
 
As I have mentioned before, my Dad worked for Durkee Famous Foods. So for Thanksgiving a must was the "Original Durkee Green Bean Casserole".

The resipe:

2 packages (9 oz. each) frozen cut green beans, thawed and drained
2/3 cup milk
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/8 teaspoon Durkee ground black pepper
1 can (2.8 oz.) Durkee French Fried Onions

Combine all ingredients except 1/2 can French fried onions. Pour into a 1 1/2 quart casserole. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through. Top with remaining onions. Bake uncovered, 5 minutes or until onions are golden brown. Makes 6 servings.
That explains why you like Durkee's Famous Sauce.my wife never had it before and I turned her on to it and see loves to use it on sandwiches.it is also great with a standing rib roast.
 
Wild turkey were first domesticated by native Mexicans. The Spanish brought tame turkeys to Europe in 1519. They were in England by 1521.

The Pilgrims actually brought several domesticated turkeys to America in 1620.

It is written that at the first Thanksgiving 4 wild turkey were on the menu.

Thanksgiving wasn't observed for years but Americans did eat turkey, both wild and domesticated.

An interesting site on the turkey and Thanksgiving is at:

http://extension.illinois.edu/turkey/history.cfm
 
Annie thanks. Have many Food Days on Food Forum. They been moved to Modern Foods.

Also hope many check out the "Today In Food Thread". I had it going for a year. Now have finished it. I do check it each day to remind me of the foods that were important for each day.
 
Some more Turkey Trivia from "The Old Farmer's Almanac":

Ben Franklin thought the turkey be a better national symbol than the bald eagle.

The average person in the U.S. will eat 15 pounds of turkey this year.

The wild turkey is one of the more difficult animals to hunt. Turkeys won't be flushed out of the brush by dogs. Hunters must attract them by calls.

A wild turkey weighs up to 20 pounds (Toms), and 12 lbs wild hens. Domestic turkeys weigh up to 50 lbs (Toms) and hens 16 lbs.

Wild turkeys can fly. Domestic are not agile flyer and will perch in trees to stay safe.

An old belied is that Turkeys perched on trees and refusing to descend indicates snow.
 
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