Delicious food, light snow, and a family gathering are all that Thanksgiving is about. It’s the best time of the year to be thankful for all you have done in the past year and come together with your family. The most important component of the holiday is the Thanksgiving feast, which has been observed regularly since 1621.
Previously known as “Pasqua” or “Passover”, the tradition eventually settled on Thanksgiving dinner. Due to contemporary cuisine trends and nutritional considerations, the Thanksgiving meal has also varied throughout time. Although nothing beats the traditional Thanksgiving meal (turkey, vegetables, mashed potatoes, gravy, and pie), various meals are cooked worldwide during Thanksgiving. First, let’s dive into the history of the traditional Thanksgiving dinner.
Thanksgiving Dinner
Thanksgiving has been a mainstay since the Fall of 1621 when the Pilgrims commemorated their first good harvest with a Thanksgiving ceremony. This event included a lavish meal, sometimes known as a “turkey dinner,” in which the meal focused on big roasted poultry.
This is a prepared dinner to commemorate their good luck and to express gratitude for the ample amount of food. Over the years, it has become a popular holiday and one of the top food-centered events in the United States.
The Importance of Three Classic Thanksgiving Dishes
A standard Thanksgiving meal will include turkey, pumpkin, and corn. Since the start of thanksgiving celebrations, these three components have been the center of attention. Let’s take a look at them one by one.
Turkey: About 46 million turkeys are consumed in the U.S. on Thanksgiving. This classic Thanksgiving staple is also linked to compassion, thankfulness, family, and friendship.
Pumpkin: This is also a local food that was considered a sign of the sun and man’s own strength by the Native Americans. This autumn-harvested crop is deemed inexpensive by the majority of people. The Thanksgiving pumpkin symbolizes unity, prosperity, and pleasure. It is regarded as a significant item to commemorate the Thanksgiving meal.
Corn: The English colonists were unaware of how to survive the winter. That’s when the Native Americans taught them how to sow and cultivate corn to withstand the severe winters. Most Thanksgiving meals will typically include some sort of corn, whether creamed corn, corn on the cob, cakes, cornbread, etc. This was a renowned symbol during the first thanksgiving celebration and remains so to this day.
Now that we’re all caught up on the traditional meal let’s take a look at some of the amazing Thanksgiving meals that I saw during my incredible travel experiences.
Ten Tasty Thanksgiving Dishes From Around The World
I’ve jotted some of the most exciting and mouth-watering local food I found during my greatest travel escapades. Take a look and see which one you could potentially add to your Thanksgiving meal this year.
Korea: Sweet and Spicy Braised Turkey
Who doesn’t love some Korean BBQ? Now imagine all those wonderful spicy flavors in your turkey. When you’re prepping your turkey, all you have to do is add some ginger, soy sauce, garlic, and cranberry sauce to the mix. This sweet and hot turkey glaze, which has been fully caramelized and combined with the roasting juices, is the greatest element of this meal.
It’s super tasty, and the leftovers can be utilized to make new meals like dumplings, fried rice, egg rolls, fried noodles, and several other amazing dishes when Thanksgiving is over. It’s an excellent dish to share with friends and loved ones.
Korea: Sweet and Spicy Braised Turkey
Who doesn’t love some Korean BBQ? Now imagine all those wonderful spicy flavors in your turkey. When you’re prepping your turkey, all you have to do is add some ginger, soy sauce, garlic, and cranberry sauce to the mix. This sweet and hot turkey glaze, which has been fully caramelized and combined with the roasting juices, is the greatest element of this meal.
It’s super tasty, and the leftovers can be utilized to make new meals like dumplings, fried rice, egg rolls, fried noodles, and several other amazing dishes when Thanksgiving is over. It’s an excellent dish to share with friends and loved ones.
Sweden: Hasselback Potatoes
Need a change from mashed potatoes? The one thing I’ve learned from my incredible travel experiences is that potato can be used in different shapes and forms. Think of baked potatoes with a nice Swedish twist to them. They’re named after the Hasselbacken eatery in Stockholm, where they were invented.
It can be made by an easy cooking procedure that changes this simple potato into something attractive and delicious. Bake for a few minutes longer than normal to produce crispy edges. Want to add a bit more oomph? Sprinkle some parmesan cheese and tasty buttery breadcrumbs. This is an excellent Thanksgiving recipe that is suitable for small settings.
Ethiopia: Doro Wat
Add a little spice to your life and try out one of Ethiopia’s top foods. It’s essentially a chicken stew cooked with butter, lime juice, dry red wine, chili powder, cardamom, and berbere, and served with some hard-boiled eggs. This food is typically served with injera, a classic Ethiopian flatbread that absorbs a lot of the stew.
Doro Wat embodies the finest Ethiopian cookery while resembling Americanized stews in consistency and look. It’s one of the best culinary experiences you can have right from the comfort of your home.
Canada: Tourtiere
Often referred to as meat pie, this is an excellent Thanksgiving main meal. It’s made from ground beef, onions, and a few savory spices, which are combined together and cooked in a conventional pie crust.
If you’re not a fan of beef, then you can swap that out for potatoes, ham, potatoes, or turkey. This delicious and filling French-Canadian pie is simple to make and inexpensive. So, surprise your Thanksgiving guests with this amazing dish and make your gathering a memorable one.
Italy: Lasagna
Since Italian cuisine is so famous around the world, it’d be a terrific idea to include lasagna in your Thanksgiving dinner this year. This dish is large enough to take center stage in the Thanksgiving feast. The elegant dish made of pasta layers, different vegetables, ground pork, beef, or chicken covered in red tomato sauce creates the finest lasagna ever. Wow everyone at the table by adding this tasty and impeccable dish to your Thanksgiving table.
India: Tandoori Chicken
As Turkey is to Thanksgiving, similarly chicken is to India. Tandoori chicken can replace traditional turkeys and be the focal point at Thanksgiving dinner. Large or tiny pieces of chicken are marinated in strong spices, garlic, ginger, tons of lime juice, and creamy yogurt for about 2-4 hours before they’re grilled on a Tandoor. This is a coal-fueled clay oven.
You can have this on its own, but pair it up and pair it in naan or roti, and you’ll be in love. Bring this classic dish to your Thanksgiving meal to add extra spice and flavor to your holiday feast.
Finland: Maple Glazed Rutabaga
This is a delicious side dish that will brighten up your Thanksgiving table. Your inner would be completed without this delectable root vegetable. Cooked with shallots, it’s crisped up nicely in the oven and covered with maple syrup for that extra sweet flavor. This dish’s wonderful flavor and sweet fragrance will have your company begging for more. This simple but delicious recipe is ideal for your Thanksgiving feast.
Jamaica: Curry Goat
Curry goat might not be your typical Thanksgiving meal, but it’s Jamaica’s top food choice for those who prefer to avoid turkey and instead prepare distinctive red meat. Furthermore, goat meat is very healthy. It’s not as fattening as beef.
You need to plan a little ahead of time as this meat needs to be cooked at low temps because it needs to preserve its natural flavor and suppleness. If you haven’t survived the One Chip Challenge then you’re not made for this dish. It packs a spicy punch. To make the curry sauce all you need is curry powder, arrowroot, peppers, shredded coconut, red currant jam, and some clarified butter.
Irina Bukatik’s Food Journey
I hope you liked reading this flavor-packed Thanksgiving guide. If you love food blogs and are always in search of famous foodie destinations, then my site is made for you. Hi, my name is Irina Bukatik. You can learn more about me here and all about my food-related adventures.
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