Regional Thanksgivings

New England, the region in the far north-east of the USA, is the home of Thanksgiving, and the spread here is the most stereotypical. A huge roast turkey is the centrepiece, as it is in most of the USA. Side dishes are abundant and include comforting green bean casseroles, buttery mashed potatoes and the strangely delicious sweet potato casserole, topped with toasted marshmallows. Finally, pies are the most popular dessert, especially pumpkin pie, reflecting the autumnal season, and apple pie with ice cream, an absolute American classic.

North of the border in Canada, the Thanksgiving spread is often quite similar to that in New England. One difference is the preference for maple syrup, the same sweet, rich, golden liquid the Wampanoag taught the Pilgrim Fathers to tap. Pecan pie is the most common use for the syrup, where the pie is filled with a decadent maple syrup and chopped pecan mixture, which caramelises as the pie bakes, and then topped with softly crunchy pecan nuts and a small pinch of flaky sea salt. 

South of the Mason-Dixie Line, in states such as the Carolinas, Kentucky, or Alabama, the Thanksgiving spread begins to incorporate influences from the cuisine of Black Americans, as well as that of Native Americans, the inventiveness born of poverty, and the tradition of the barbecue. Corn bread replaces bread rolls, and the famous collard greens appear - a salty and sour dish made from vegetables cooked with bacon, and combined with vinegar, which cuts through the fatty pork. The most important side dish in the south, however, has to be a big pot of macaroni and cheese, topped with golden breadcrumbs, a gooey, cheesy comfort food that is often just as popular as the Thanksgiving turkey.

Way down in Louisiana, the foodways of French and Spanish colonists, West Africans and Native Americans combine to form the delicious Creole and Cajun cuisines. Here, the Thanksgiving meal differs greatly from the rest of the country, featuring gumbos, or piquant stews thickened with a dark roux and okra, flavoured with the holy trinity of onions, celery and bell pepper (as well as ‘the pope’ - garlic) and containing andouille sausage, local crawfish and shrimp. This is accompanied by jambalaya, a hearty rice casserole, rillons, or pork belly braised in a thick, sticky red wine, brown sugar and thyme-based sauce, and mopped up with perfect fluffy white rice and crispy baguettes.

Southwest cuisine is famous for its Mexican influences, and these often show up on the local Thanksgiving table. Tamales, a labour of love, little parcels of pork cooked down in a red chile sauce, wrapped in corn masa and then boiled in corn husks, are individually assembled by teams of family members labouring under abuela. Big pots of pozole, a rich, dark red Mexican soup containing hominy, pork, red chile sauce and topped with thinly sliced cabbage, avocado and diced tomatoes, and spicy carne asada are combined with hot, smoky, complex salsas and robust corn tortillas to create a Thanksgiving spread that would have blown the hats off the Pilgrim Fathers.

If I had more time, I could describe many, many more different Thanksgiving tables found across the USA that are just as delicious and interesting as those above. African, Italian, Jewish, Irish, Polish, Arab, and all other kinds of Americans each have their own twist on the feast. As do Californians, Texans, Appalachians and Midwesterners. There are many ways to eat on Thanksgiving, but what unites all these diverse celebrations is the spirit of the holiday. All across the country, on that last Thursday of November, families, friends and neighbours come together to reflect on the past year, on their relationships and struggles, and take a moment to express gratitude for all the good life has to offer.