to be jealous that Americans get Thanksgiving AND Christmas?

[FeuDeRussie]

Thanksgiving sounds really good. Like Christmas, but no presents to worry about (AFAIK?), just FOOD!

Are there any Americans around who can tell me what Thanksgiving is like? Do you prefer it to Christmas?

Turkey's in the oven, here. Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

I really do love this holiday. My family lives 1,300 miles away, which is a shame at this time of year. But wow, do people ever want to make sure nobody's left out on this day. The first year I lived here, even though I'd only been in the area a few weeks, my husband and I were invited to join half a dozen (or more!) different families on Thanksgiving.

This year I'm the one having nine people round for food, drinks, and watching the Lions lose. It's a little bittersweet as it's likely to be my last Thanksgiving in this state, but I can't tell anyone that yet. But I'm still grateful for the whole ridiculous mess.

I think they're just being 'thankful' for whatever that may be, God, Ryan Gosling, nice food, family . . . .

Squoosh...okay but we just need to break it to them gently.

But 'pumpkins' in the supermarket in this country aren't 'pumpkins' like you get to eat in the US.

If you want to use fresh you should use bnut squash as that is far closer to the variety of squash you should be using.

Anything I have been given by people 'discovering' pumpkin pie in the uk has been watery inedible slop. My aunts in the US on the other hand make a pumpkin pie thta is a wonder to behold, and is basically a fantastic spiced custard tart. AND NOT LIQUIDY.

Cooking pumpkin produces loads of water and the trick is to drain it thoroughly - squeeze or press it dry in a clean tea towel - before pureeing it MissC.

The eggs turn the puree into something resembling a bland custard which you can flavour to your taste. I sprinkle a layer of brown sugar over the pie before baking to give it a slight toffee crunch.

Who came up with the idea of turning pumpkin into a pie?

Who was that sicko?

someone who realised that you don't use the things sold as 'pumpkins' in this country to make it squoosh.

kickassangel and those who were interested - Indian Americans are people who personally or descend from those who originate from India. I have never heard anyone try to say that Native Americans mean anything other those from Indigenous nations except for those outside of the nations who try to be confusing and rewrite history/dictionary to suit their needs.

People from the indigenous nations are sometimes called American Indians, NDNs (internet/text speak only obviously), Native Americans, First Nations (mostly Canadian but becoming more popular in the States), Indigenous Americans, or Aboriginal Americans, if referring to an individual or specific nation or an object from a particular group then it's best to refer to them by their nation rather than homogenise over 500 nations (like: Dreamcatchers are an item used by Ojibwe and Lakota people or The Lakota nations are currently trying to get back their sacred land Pe'Sla and have UN backing to have it returned but are being forced to raise millions of dollars to prevent it being sold off by the American government to private owners who wish to pave over it. or GrrrArghZzz is Metis and enjoys jokes about "You're Welcome" day and Thanks-taking day which are common across people from across many American Indigenous nations, particularly those that originate from the East Coast. Most revolve around how different the two groups say thanks but at least they make good food).

Schools use Thanksgiving to teach because November is Native American History Month. Sadly this is not done very well due to lack of will, resources (or resources being pulled as in Arizona), to the point most don't know which nations met the Puritans and Separatists (or that they were Puritans in Separatists that wanted to cleanse the C of E, not Pilgrims looking for religious freedom) or that the whole reason that the Haudenosaunee had someone who could speak English was that some of their people had been captured and taken to England years before. Or that the Haudenosaunee weren't invited to any feast, they heard gunshots, thought war was on the way after previous problems with the settlers and when they found a poor meal went out and brought venison and fowl to make it a proper feast. Pretty much all Thankgivings mythos used today in schools and TV were made around the time of Lincoln (who is the one who made it a national holiday, though he pretty much hated Native Americans particularly those of the Sioux nations).

LadyBeagle we always have a sort of cosmic thank you to the earth for feeding us and keeping us all alive. It's just a rather late harvest festival really.

In the UK I've used Halloween pumpkins and butternut squash for pies with no obvious difference in flavour because they're a bland almost flavourless veg that can be used for sweet and savoury dishes.

Xiaoxiong - Chinese food on the Christmas day is awesome (particularly before or after going to the movies). It's one part of the holidays from the States I miss to the point I try to recreate it in my house.

Grrr we always watch the Addams Family Values thanksgiving pageant as part of our Thanksgiving dinner.

"We cannot break bread with you. You have taken the land which is rightfully ours. Years from now my people will be forced to live in mobile homes on reservations. Your people will wear cardigans, and drink highballs. We will sell our bracelets by the road sides, you will play golf, and enjoy hot hors d'oeuvres. My people will have pain and degradation. Your people will have stick shifts. The gods of my tribe have spoken. They have said, "Do not trust the Pilgrims." And for all these reasons I have decided to scalp you and burn your village to the ground."

Always gives me that warm fuzzy feeling.

If anyone is ever in Washington DC the Museum of the American Indian is probably the best museum I've ever been to, anywhere in the world. Great food as well and a fabulous bookshop.

best pumpkin pie recipe

I use this recipe and if I may say so myself,my pumpkin pie is awesome :o

Ive used butternut squash instead of pumpkin too,it has a smoother texture when done but taste wise you cant tell the difference

I don't like pecan pie either. Is that an offensive thing to say?

I've decided that I like savoury American food but am not so keen on the sweet stuff.

Its the texture. neither of them taste anything.

"Pumpkin" is v stringy and watery.

If it's drained properly pumpkin isn't watery, ethel, and if it's blended it isn't stringy - it's smooth like mashed potato.

Pecan pie as made by UK manufacturers cannot be compared to the real deal which has to be made with corn syrup and I've never quite understood why this commodity is not readily available in the UK.

To my mind, Amercian home bakes are as good if not better than many of their UK/European counterparts - I've got handed down recipes for coffee cakes that rival anything produced by Viennese pastry chefs.

but pumpkin pie should be neither stringy nor watery - like izzy said it should be like a dense custart consistancy with lots of nutmeg/cinnamon/spice added.

its lovely - i think i shall pop to izzy's later she won't notice another one...

re the 'indian' question. In Canada our 'native indians' are referred to as First Nations, or Aboriginals.

And people from India are called East Indians.

The pecan pie I tried was actually in NY, it was just a bit too sweet for me. I think puddings is where the UK excels in terms of its contribution to global cooking.

I haven't actually lived in the States since I was 19 years old -- over twenty years, I can't remember anymore exactly :-)

The people who do it well gather at someone's house and have a lovely feast of farm-fresh goodies (including a farm-grown turkey). They talk and listen to music while the cousins and/or friends run around outside in the forest/countryside. There's an air of warmth, gratitude and love. A sense that this is a tradition that has been handed down generation to generation. There is a real sense of connection to the earth, to the previous generations, etc.

The people who do it poorly eat crap food in front of the television (yes, the whole meal), each talking over the other. Many watch the day's football game. I know, I gathered with a group of expats last year and it was just awful. Horrible.

But then, we don't own a television. Not sure if that's because we're half-French? ;-) I dunno. I know plenty in the States who don't own one.

In the States, then, you have Black Friday or whatever, the biggest shopping day of the year. Yuck.

But, having lived all over the world, I honestly can't say that all this isn't specific to Americans only. And having just arrived in the UK, I can't really say that there aren't plenty of people here who would do the telly Thanksgiving -- adding cigarettes to the mix. (sorry! but it seems true to me at the moment)

I'm with my girls today, dh is in Amsterdam and, of course, my family's in the States. I made pumpkin pie and pecan pie and none of the other dishes. We will set the table with candles and a warm-feeling tablecloth. We already talked about our gratitude at tea time but we will repeat the exercise over pie and read a a story called The Country Mouse's Thanksgiving.

Oh, and I halve the sugar in all American sweets recipes -- sometimes use even one third.

This criticizing of marshmallows on sweet potatoes is a bit rich coming from people who eat beans on toast. Seriously, you have no idea how odd that sounds to most Americans!

I don't do marshmallows on my sweet potatoes, never have, but my mom does do some with brown sugar, pecans, etc that's pretty good.

Most people don't do the pilgrims/Native Americans (who are very different from Indian Americans!) connection to Thanksgiving anymore. We are religious so there is an element of that, but people who aren't just spend it as a time to be thankful for all they have, and spend time with family.

Oh and almost no one goes back to work on Friday. Schools are closed, etc. A lot of people go Black Friday shopping but I refuse.

Squoosh, you're right that pecan pie is too sweet. that's why I make it with molasses and cranberries! mmm. Gong to store now to get ingredients. I am alone today as DH is working, but we will make delicious dinner tomorrow or saturday. Dh is vegan, so no turkey for us!

Also, marshmallows in sweet potato casserole is an abomination. I do lots of brown sugar and pecans. but I have a savory tooth.

Oh, and OP YANBU. if nothing else it keeps the Christmas capitalism at bay for a tiny while.

Wow Spalva, a bit judgemental there, aren't you?
If people are happy to eat crap food in front of the telly surely that's their choice of celebration?
Sounds good to me .