Just for fun: What does and does not belong at a Thanksgiving feast

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In what parts of the country do people have creamed onions for Thanksgiving? I'm from Virginia, and have never heard of anyone eating this at Thanksgiving, or at anytime, for that matter.

Good question. I always assumed it was from New England, part and parcel with the oyster stuffing. But then someone said their grandma from Georgia made them and now I have no idea.

I'm from Massachusetts and never heard of let alone ate oyster stuffing or creamed onions growing up. Neither sounds appealing, but to each his own.

I distinctly remember when I first heard of oyster stuffing--in the book (also movie--late 60s or early 70s) Diary of a Mad Housewife, where the husband (Manhattan) insists on oysters in the stuffing and the kids freak out crying.

Every year my dad opined on wanting to have oyster stuffing, and every year my mom would refuse to make it, lol. Poor dad.

We are in the midwest, so definitely not just a New England thing.

[Anonymous]

I love oyster stuffing and creamed onions are delicious (slightly sweet and creamy), both were on our thanksgiving table growing up in NJ, not New a England or the Midwest! Both have been replaced by the “next generation” of hosts, though, in part because kids grow up and marry people who have their own thanksgiving traditional food (eg, my sister’s husband makes the stuffing every year now and his is a sausage cornbread variety).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really here to defend canned cranberry sauce.

I'm all about fresh grown and local produce, organic turkeys, and prepared from scratch on everything else. BUT...there is one time a year to eat tart jelly in the shape of a can, and Thanksgiving is it.

+1000

Sliced and presented on my granny's little glass tray.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like we all agree that eggs in any form (or pasta) do not belong at thanksgiving, except in the pies at the end.

Isn’t that funny? Maybe eggs (like lobster) were considered peasant food at Plymouth so never made it to the tradition.

Excuse me! There is no Thanksgiving without deviled eggs.

That is all

[Anonymous]

Must: copious libations: bar cart, beer, wine, cider, soft drinks, coffee, etc. Pie for breakfast the day after.

Can do without: all the traditional stuff. If I have it once every few years, that’s fine with me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In what parts of the country do people have creamed onions for Thanksgiving? I'm from Virginia, and have never heard of anyone eating this at Thanksgiving, or at anytime, for that matter.

Good question. I always assumed it was from New England, part and parcel with the oyster stuffing. But then someone said their grandma from Georgia made them and now I have no idea.

I'm from Massachusetts and never heard of let alone ate oyster stuffing or creamed onions growing up. Neither sounds appealing, but to each his own.

I distinctly remember when I first heard of oyster stuffing--in the book (also movie--late 60s or early 70s) Diary of a Mad Housewife, where the husband (Manhattan) insists on oysters in the stuffing and the kids freak out crying.

Every year my dad opined on wanting to have oyster stuffing, and every year my mom would refuse to make it, lol. Poor dad.

We are in the midwest, so definitely not just a New England thing.

“Poor dad” could have gotten off his duff and made a dish he wanted.

You sound like my FIL, who whines that MIL never makes tuna casserole. Finally I looked him dead in the eye and said, “You do a lot of whining about not having tuna casserole for someone who has two hands and can read.” Everyone laughed, even FIL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really here to defend canned cranberry sauce.

I'm all about fresh grown and local produce, organic turkeys, and prepared from scratch on everything else. BUT...there is one time a year to eat tart jelly in the shape of a can, and Thanksgiving is it.

+1000

Sliced and presented on my granny's little glass tray.

+1

Yes! On the little cut crystal tray lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In what parts of the country do people have creamed onions for Thanksgiving? I'm from Virginia, and have never heard of anyone eating this at Thanksgiving, or at anytime, for that matter.

Good question. I always assumed it was from New England, part and parcel with the oyster stuffing. But then someone said their grandma from Georgia made them and now I have no idea.

I'm from Massachusetts and never heard of let alone ate oyster stuffing or creamed onions growing up. Neither sounds appealing, but to each his own.

I distinctly remember when I first heard of oyster stuffing--in the book (also movie--late 60s or early 70s) Diary of a Mad Housewife, where the husband (Manhattan) insists on oysters in the stuffing and the kids freak out crying.

Every year my dad opined on wanting to have oyster stuffing, and every year my mom would refuse to make it, lol. Poor dad.

We are in the midwest, so definitely not just a New England thing.

I think these are both WASP things. Oyster stuffing and creamed onions are both very WASPy dishes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rutabegas.

Rutaega casserole, google it
I make it for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is great

[Anonymous]

Yes:pies. Pumpkin, pecan, and apple specifically.

No: chocolate-based deserts. Those are for every other day of the year.

[Anonymous]

Going to come out and say: I'm over turkey as a traditional Thanksgivijg item.

There are so, so many stories about ruined turkeys for a reason, they're a really bad idea for someone who doesn't normally cook. People don't thaw them early enough or understand just how long they take to cook. They try to rush it by jacking up the oven temperature and... disaster.

I cook myself but I've seen it happen at my aunt's house. If you're invited to my Aunt Kathy's house, don't try to eat the turkey.

Or basting? Why is that a stereotype? It's a bad idea, it actually dries out the meat. As is cooking stuffing inside a turkey, because the time your stuffing comes to safe temperature, your turkey is over cooked. I just shove some halved lemons and onions inside instead and cook the "stuffing" (dressing really) in a separate dish.

I also think the best way to get an evenly cooked turkey is to spatchcock it (cut the spine out and lay it flat. Looks weird, cooks faster and far more evenly.

So my big no is a large stuffed turkey. Especially for someone who doesn't normally cook.

[Anonymous]

My grandma always had a tray of pickles and olives at Thanksgiving. So for my grandma, pickles and olives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Going to come out and say: I'm over turkey as a traditional Thanksgivijg item.

There are so, so many stories about ruined turkeys for a reason, they're a really bad idea for someone who doesn't normally cook. People don't thaw them early enough or understand just how long they take to cook. They try to rush it by jacking up the oven temperature and... disaster.

I cook myself but I've seen it happen at my aunt's house. If you're invited to my Aunt Kathy's house, don't try to eat the turkey.

Or basting? Why is that a stereotype? It's a bad idea, it actually dries out the meat. As is cooking stuffing inside a turkey, because the time your stuffing comes to safe temperature, your turkey is over cooked. I just shove some halved lemons and onions inside instead and cook the "stuffing" (dressing really) in a separate dish.

I also think the best way to get an evenly cooked turkey is to spatchcock it (cut the spine out and lay it flat. Looks weird, cooks faster and far more evenly.

So my big no is a large stuffed turkey. Especially for someone who doesn't normally cook.

Agree
Who eats stuffing anyway?
Some people should just order a ready made turkey. No amount of stress is worth the hassle.
Turkey leftovers get frozen and tossed a few months later

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Must: copious libations: bar cart, beer, wine, cider, soft drinks, coffee, etc. Pie for breakfast the day after.

Can do without: all the traditional stuff. If I have it once every few years, that’s fine with me.

Pie breakfast is my favorite!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In what parts of the country do people have creamed onions for Thanksgiving? I'm from Virginia, and have never heard of anyone eating this at Thanksgiving, or at anytime, for that matter.

Good question. I always assumed it was from New England, part and parcel with the oyster stuffing. But then someone said their grandma from Georgia made them and now I have no idea.

I'm from Massachusetts and never heard of let alone ate oyster stuffing or creamed onions growing up. Neither sounds appealing, but to each his own.

I distinctly remember when I first heard of oyster stuffing--in the book (also movie--late 60s or early 70s) Diary of a Mad Housewife, where the husband (Manhattan) insists on oysters in the stuffing and the kids freak out crying.

Every year my dad opined on wanting to have oyster stuffing, and every year my mom would refuse to make it, lol. Poor dad.

We are in the midwest, so definitely not just a New England thing.

I think these are both WASP things. Oyster stuffing and creamed onions are both very WASPy dishes

LOL i’m the PP whose my dad always wanted oyster stuffing and my family is definitely not WASP. Think ethnic Catholic. Can’t speak to the creamed onions.