In a nod to the American tradition of Thanksgiving, we celebrate the bounty of the autumn harvest with seasonal offerings of food and wine and, nutritious recipes.
Words: Chitra Santhinathan
Photo from Getty Images
In Freedom from Want, celebrated American artist Norman Rockwell’s iconic painting, a family is gathered around a dinner table, in anticipation of a Thanksgiving feast, that great American holiday tradition. At first glance, our eyes are immediately drawn to a huge roast turkey that the family matriarch is about to place on the table. This image, part of a series of illustrations Rockwell conceptualised during World War II for The Saturday Evening Post, outlined one of the four freedoms essential to civil society: freedom from want. The image evokes family togetherness and abundance, and together with countless Hollywood movies on the subject of Thanksgiving, is responsible for the way many of us picture Thanksgiving in our heads – all happy families and tables laden with food.
But what were origins of this feast and why is it a national holiday in the United States? Historical records suggest that thanksgiving pre-dates American independence and was celebrated by the early settlers in the English and Spanish colonies of the New World. The Pilgrims (a group of English people who came to America seeking religious freedom), however, are often credited with the first Thanksgiving, celebrated in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1621 and shared with their Native American neighbours. By the 1800s, New Englanders adopted the practice but it was only in 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a day of thanksgiving and praise for the nation’s blessings during the raging Civil War that Thanksgiving became a national holiday, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November every year.
Today’s feast bears little resemblance to the thanksgiving meal enjoyed by the Pilgrims and their Native American guests, except maybe for the turkey. The first thanksgiving table was most likely laden with native fruits such as melons and wild berries, and vegetables like leeks, onions and squash. Wild game and fish would have also been on the menu. In fact, dishes that we associate today with Thanksgiving such as mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie – are foods that crept into the American diet years, decades and in some cases, centuries after that very first Thanksgiving meal.
THE THANKSGIVING TABLE
Roast Turkey
Photo from 123RF
It was the Spanish who first introduced wild turkey, discovered on their forays to the New World, to Europe. The bird was domesticated across Western Europe and English settlers arriving in the New World, brought the fowl with them. The centrepiece of most Thanksgiving feasts, roast turkey, is often served with stuffing that can range from cornbread to wild rice.
Mashed Potatoes
Photo from 123RF
Who can resist fluffy mashed potatoes, a Thanksgiving favourite, made by combining the boiled tubers with warmed milk and butter. Potatoes may or may not have been served at the first Thanksgiving (the tubers were introduced to the New World in the 1620s) but versions of this comfort food, have become a staple today.
Cranberry Sauce
Photo from 123RF
Roast turkey without cranberry sauce? Oh, the horror! Historians believed the tart berry known as ‘moss-berry’ in medieval England was cooked with water and sugar and commonly served with wild game and meats. It is also believed that the name cranberry comes from the German term ‘kranberee’ that refers to the plant’s crane-like stamens.
Pumpkin Pie
Photo from 123RF
Pies – meat, vegetable or fruit – that made the most of the produce available, were a part of the English colonists’ diet. Pumpkin, from autumn harvests, was used as pie filling from as far back as the 1600s. However, sweet pumpkin pies only gained popularity two centuries later and since then, have remained a holiday favourite.
CHOCO-COOKIES
Godiva’s Sablés Butter Biscuit Collection showcases delectable cookies inspired by the flavours of five different continents. The range includes the Ultimate Chocolate Sablé (Africa), Matcha Tea (Asia), Macadamia Ginger (Oceania), Almond Speculoos (Europe) and Pecan Chocolate Chip Sablé (United States). Each cookie is sandwiched with the brand’s premium Belgian chocolate. www.godiva.com
TEA AND BICCIES
Inspired by a Scottish tea-time treat beloved since the 12th century, TWG Tea introduces a collection of handmade Scottish shortbreads, infused with four of its winning teas. Sweet and crumbly, the handcrafted shortbreads come in delectable flavours such as French Earl Grey, Matcha, Napoleon Tea and Lemon Bush Tea. www.twgtea.com
A UK-based research on biscuit-dunking discovered that biccies dipped in tea at a 45 degree angle lasted 21.8 seconds before falling apart while biscuits dunked in a straight up and down movement only crumbled at 27.9 seconds. Now, you know!
SUGAR FREE BAKING
Is it possible to bake sweet treats without sugar? Carolyn Hartz, author of the newly-released Sugar Free Baking proves this is not a far-fetched idea, with her collection of 60 sugar free recipes made with xylitol, a 100 per cent all-natural sugar free sweetener that is derived from birch trees and the husks of corn cobs.
Determined to enjoy her favourite sweet treats after being diagnosed with pre-diabetes more than two decades ago, Hartz began experimenting with sugar substitutes to create delicious sugar free cakes and pastries. According to Hartz, xylitol makes a good sugar substitute in both taste and texture. In addition, when consumed, xylitol is slowly absorbed into the bloodstream, with negligible effect on blood sugar levels. In Sugar Free Baking, Hartz provides easy step-by-step instructions on creating tempting treats, outlines the benefits of going sugar free and tells readers how to identify hidden sugars on product nutritional information labels. Her recipes are also gluten free. www.sweetlife.com.au
VANILLA LAYER CAKE (SERVES 16 – 20)
| CAKE (MAKES 1 LAYER) 150g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease 100g Perfect Sweet® xylitol 3 extra-large eggs 200g almond meal 50g arrowroot 1 tsp gluten free baking powder Pinch of salt 180ml milk, lukewarm 1 tsp pure vanilla extract |
TOPPING 500ml whipping cream 400g fresh berries of your choice 200g Perfect Sweet® Berry Jam (recipe on website) 75g dark bitter chocolate, melted (recipe on website) Rose petals or edible flowers to decorate |
METHOD
Preheat oven to 150 degrees Celcius. Grease a 24cm round cake pan with butter and line with baking paper. Use an electric beater to beat the butter and xylitol in a medium bowl until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat well. Mix the almond meal, arrowroot, gluten free baking powder and salt together in a separate bowl. Add to the egg mixture and combine on low speed. Add lukewarm milk and vanilla and stir until combined. Pour mixture into prepared cake pan and bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10-15 minutes then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat this recipe twice for the remaining layers.
ASSEMBLY
Whip the cream in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Set aside 1 cup of the whipped cream and 150g of the fresh berries to decorate the top layer. To assemble, place the first cake layer on a serving plate and spread it with half the jam, then half the remaining cream and top with half the remaining berries. Gently place the second cake layer on top and repeat. Place the third cake layer on top and finish with the reserved whipped cream and berries.
Drizzle with melted chocolate, if using, and serve.
RECIPE COURTESY OF CAROLYN HARTZ
SHAWARMA-INSPIRED TORTILLA WRAPS
| INGREDIENTS 2 tortillas CHICKEN SHAWARMA |
CHICKPEA MOUSSELINE 110g canned chickpeas 30ml extra virgin olive oil 12ml lemon juice 15g tahini (sesame seed paste) 5g finely chopped garlic ½ tsp salt GARLIC TOUM |
GARNISHING 20g Italian parsley, chopped 2 tomatoes, julienned A few leaves of iceberg lettuce, shredded 1 Bombay onion, sliced |
METHOD
CHICKEN SHAWARMA
Marinate the chicken overnight with the spices, lemon juice, garlic, yoghurt, extra virgin olive oil and salt. Cook over a grill or in an oven set at 180 degrees Celcius until chicken is cooked through. Slice into strips.
CHICKPEA MOUSSELINE
Blend chickpeas with lemon juice, tahini and garlic, while slowly drizzling in the olive oil until ingredients are well incorporated. Season with salt.
GARLIC TOUM
Blend garlic, oil, mayonnaise and warm water in a food processor until foamy.
ASSEMBLY
Spread a little garlic toum onto a lightly toasted tortilla, add the strips of grilled chicken and top with chopped parsley, julienned tomatoes, sliced onions and shredded lettuce.
SERVING SUGGESTION
Serve with chickpeas mousseline, grilled vegetables and feta cheese.
RECIPE COURTESY OF FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON SANDAKAN
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