What is the ‘bare minimum’ of a Thanksgiving spread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sweet potato IS the whole point of Thanksgiving. Mashed with some cinnamon and butter, topped with marshmallows, browned in oven.

Blaargh. You're joking, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sweet and mashed potatoes are needed.

Correct.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would nix the alcohol.

And what's the "dressing" in your list?

Otherwise it seems like a reasonable list. I don't do more than that for our family of 4.

Alcohol is necessary for a bare minimum spread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would nix the alcohol.

And what's the "dressing" in your list?

Otherwise it seems like a reasonable list. I don't do more than that for our family of 4.

Not, pp. But that is just another word for stuffing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t care if you ask for contributions or store buy anything or everything, but to me, the “bare minimum” a host should organize (not “provide,” but organize) would be:

Turkey
Gravy
Mashed potatoes
Dressing
Cranberry sauce
Something green, whether it is asparagus, green beans, or salad, whatever
Pumpkin pie
One not-pumpkin dessert
Drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic)

What would you add or subtract?

Agree with your list but would add rolls, and multiple desserts aren’t necessary.

[Anonymous]

Bare minimum? I’d skip the cranberry sauce and the pumpkin pie.

We like pecan pie but as long as there is a dessert of some sort that would be good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sweet potato IS the whole point of Thanksgiving. Mashed with some cinnamon and butter, topped with marshmallows, browned in oven.

Blaargh. You're joking, right?

Tell me you are not Southern without...

[Anonymous]

Here's a vintage menu from the late 50s and early 60s. Mom was from Southern Illinois but we lived in Florida.

"Relish tray" of celery sticks, radishes, black olives.

Turkey with regular stuffing in the large cavity, oyster or sweet sausage stuffing in the neck cavity.

Giblet gravy.

Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows browned on top. I don't recall regular mashed.

Green bean casserole with cream of mushroom soup, French cut frozen green beans, Knorr canned fried nion rings sprinkled on top.

Both jellied and whole berry cranberry sauce. Important to get the jellied out of the can intact, ridges showing.

Pumpkin pie with vanilla ice cream if you wanted.

No wine. Bourbon cocktails before dinner. I got gingerale a rare treat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would nix the alcohol.

And what's the "dressing" in your list?

Otherwise it seems like a reasonable list. I don't do more than that for our family of 4.

Alcohol is necessary for a bare minimum spread.

Sorry, no one drinks in my family.

[Anonymous]

I think you nailed the bare minimum basics, down to the dessert. I do think a non-pumpkin dessert is obligatory, whether it is sweet potato pie, a fruit pie, a pecan pie, or some cookies or bars. But there is usually something besides that pumpkin pie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's a vintage menu from the late 50s and early 60s. Mom was from Southern Illinois but we lived in Florida.

"Relish tray" of celery sticks, radishes, black olives.

Turkey with regular stuffing in the large cavity, oyster or sweet sausage stuffing in the neck cavity.

Giblet gravy.

Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows browned on top. I don't recall regular mashed.

Green bean casserole with cream of mushroom soup, French cut frozen green beans, Knorr canned fried nion rings sprinkled on top.

Both jellied and whole berry cranberry sauce. Important to get the jellied out of the can intact, ridges showing.

Pumpkin pie with vanilla ice cream if you wanted.

No wine. Bourbon cocktails before dinner. I got gingerale a rare treat.

Tell me more about the relish tray! Were the radishes pickled?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would nix the alcohol.

And what's the "dressing" in your list?

Otherwise it seems like a reasonable list. I don't do more than that for our family of 4.

Not, pp. But that is just another word for stuffing.

This. It’s stuffing if you stuff it inside the turkey for cooking and it’s dressing if you cook it separately from the turkey.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would nix the alcohol.

And what's the "dressing" in your list?

Otherwise it seems like a reasonable list. I don't do more than that for our family of 4.

Alcohol is necessary for a bare minimum spread.

Sorry, no one drinks in my family.

...that you know of!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a vintage menu from the late 50s and early 60s. Mom was from Southern Illinois but we lived in Florida.

"Relish tray" of celery sticks, radishes, black olives.

Turkey with regular stuffing in the large cavity, oyster or sweet sausage stuffing in the neck cavity.

Giblet gravy.

Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows browned on top. I don't recall regular mashed.

Green bean casserole with cream of mushroom soup, French cut frozen green beans, Knorr canned fried nion rings sprinkled on top.

Both jellied and whole berry cranberry sauce. Important to get the jellied out of the can intact, ridges showing.

Pumpkin pie with vanilla ice cream if you wanted.

No wine. Bourbon cocktails before dinner. I got gingerale a rare treat.

Tell me more about the relish tray! Were the radishes pickled?

Not PP but my grandparents served a similar radish tray. The radishes are raw. Can also include green onions, carrot sticks, and gherkins.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a vintage menu from the late 50s and early 60s. Mom was from Southern Illinois but we lived in Florida.

"Relish tray" of celery sticks, radishes, black olives.

Turkey with regular stuffing in the large cavity, oyster or sweet sausage stuffing in the neck cavity.

Giblet gravy.

Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows browned on top. I don't recall regular mashed.

Green bean casserole with cream of mushroom soup, French cut frozen green beans, Knorr canned fried nion rings sprinkled on top.

Both jellied and whole berry cranberry sauce. Important to get the jellied out of the can intact, ridges showing.

Pumpkin pie with vanilla ice cream if you wanted.

No wine. Bourbon cocktails before dinner. I got gingerale a rare treat.

Tell me more about the relish tray! Were the radishes pickled?

Not PP but my grandparents served a similar radish tray. The radishes are raw. Can also include green onions, carrot sticks, and gherkins.

And beets. I forgot about them.