FEATURE
Thanksgiving Thanksgiving may be an unfamiliar term to some here in the U.K., but it is one of America’s most celebrated holidays. With the holiday coming up on the 25th of November, here is a look into why Americans celebrate it. The history of this holiday goes all the way back to 1621, when the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag Native Americans shared an autumn harvest feast. After the Pilgrims first corn harvest was a success, Governor William Bradford organised a celebratory feast and invited a group of the colony’s Native American allies. The festival lasted for three days, and although there is no official record of what happened on that day in November, many historians believe that the dishes prepared for the feast were likely prepared using traditional Native American methods.
That is the history of the holiday, but how is it celebrated now? Each family celebrates in their own way, but you can certainly count on a large dinner being enjoyed. The main meal for dinner is turkey, with a variety of sides including turkey stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, corn, dinner rolls, cranberry sauce, and occasionally some homemade mac and cheese. There are many dessert options, including apple pie and pecan pie, but one of the most popular treats for the holiday is pumpkin pie. This dessert is usually made with either roasted or pureed pumpkin, and combined with a blend of spices including nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves. As an American, I may be a little biased, but I think this dessert is definitely something everyone should try, so here is a recipe for a homemade pumpkin pie!
Pumpkin Pie Recipe: Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can of pumpkin
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
Method:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 218 degrees C. Whisk pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices, and salt in medium bowl until smooth. Pour into crust. Bake for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Reduce oven temperature to 176 degrees C and continue baking for 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from crust comes out clean. Cool. Garnish as desired. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.
Frankie Dussek, School House,, Year 12
