does everyone eat turkey at thanksgiving ?

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 7:51 pm

Not everyone in my family likes turkey,so we have a ham too.

watermark · Post by **watermark** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 8:04 pm

I'd like to make something vegetarian.

Blackjack · Post by **Blackjack** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 8:24 pm

I can't remember what I had last Thanksgiving, but it was at a restaurant, and I actually don't think it was turkey. My brother's mother-in-law-to-be takes everyone to Las Vegas on Thanksgiving and now apparently this is something that's supposed to happen every year for the rest of our lives as long as my brother is with that girl... maybe I can find some way out of it and enjoy a quieter Thanksgiving this time. Whenever it's been at home, it's always been turkey (well, the supermarkets always have some promotion where you get a free turkey, why not?)

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 8:27 pm

Turkey and all the trimmings at our "Thanksgiving Dinner" and a few bottle of Champagne makes for a memorable event..:wah:

Happylife · Post by **Happylife** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 9:20 am

I am not a huge turkey fan but I hate ham....so it is the lesser of the 2 evils I guess....just give me the pumpkin pie!!!

Sheryl · Post by **Sheryl** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 10:19 am

Turkey and ham and all the fixings. But ya gotta have turkey so you can have good giblet gravy!

YZGI · Post by **YZGI** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 1:36 pm

I always deep fry 3-4 turkey's every thanksgiving for friends and family.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 1:46 pm

Indian Princess · Post by **Indian Princess** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 3:20 pm

Usually, but this year bud and I decided either marinated steaks on the grill or prime rib

WonderWendy3 · Post by **WonderWendy3** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 4:02 pm

We always only have turkey as the meat....maybe once in a blue moon, if a large crowd we'll have ham....but usually ONLY turkey....that is makin' me hungry just thinkin' about it!

valerie · Post by **valerie** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 9:06 pm

Turkey day calls for turkey!!

Look what I found:

Weber

:)

Happylife · Post by **Happylife** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 9:40 pm

Indian Princess;713010 wrote: Usually, but this year bud and I decided either marinated steaks on the grill or prime rib

OH YUMMY! Can I come? lol

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 1:48 am

When I was in Uni the American girls we lived with did a big thanksgiving dinner for us as they were feeling homesick. It was lovely I have to say. Like our Christmas dinner, but with extra stuff like sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie etc.

Post by **spot** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 4:09 am

The rest of the world has an assortment of harvest festivals which I suppose is the equivalent to Thanksgiving. In England we'd call it Mabon or the Ingathering. Sukkot has echoes of that. Both happened in the last week of September this year so we're slightly ahead of you. I don't think we eat turkeys for any of that, we tend to concentrate more on the thanksgiving aspect than feasting.

Indian Princess · Post by **Indian Princess** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 5:28 am

I had a turkey deep fried once oh, yummy

sunny104 · Post by **sunny104** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 6:45 am

I make a dang good roast turkey, if I do say so myself! :p

crazygal · Post by **crazygal** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 6:54 am

We don't have Thanksgiving here but I do eat it Christmas Day, about the only time as I'm not over keen on turkey.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 7:42 am

spot;713103 wrote: The rest of the world has an assortment of harvest festivals which I suppose is the equivalent to Thanksgiving. In England we'd call it Mabon or the Ingathering. Sukkot has echoes of that. Both happened in the last week of September this year so we're slightly ahead of you. I don't think we eat turkeys for any of that, we tend to concentrate more on the thanksgiving aspect than feasting.

CRAPOLA !

Thanksgiving = turkey = America.

Sukkot this !

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 9:52 am

:wah::wah: Spot this is yet another thing my dear old dad would have said, God rest his soul. Love it Nomie..

CRAPOLA !

Thanksgiving = turkey = America.

Sukkot this !

Post by **spot** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 12:03 pm

CARLA;713463 wrote: :wah::wah: Spot this is yet another thing my dear old dad would have said, God rest his soul. Love it Nomie..

Thanksgiving isn't a harvest-home festival? I was sure that's what it was. What is it??

Chookie · Post by **Chookie** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 1:42 pm

spot;713495 wrote: Thanksgiving isn't a harvest-home festival? I was sure that's what it was. What is it??

I think it was originally a thanksgiving (religious type) to celebrate have rxisted in the Americas for a whole year. Which would sorta suggest that the first one was held in1621(ish).

watermark · Post by **watermark** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 3:44 pm

I don't want to substitute the turkey with tofurky but I may have to. I love all the trimmings like mashed potatoes, yummy yams with brown sugar and pecans, peas, red jello, graaaaaavy galore, and moist stuffing, fresh baked rolls. Without the turkey juices how does one make a decent gravy anyway? Tofu has absolutely no juice! Nobody really likes the turkey, it's an excuse to pile on the rest of the meal. Turkey sandwiches are pretty good with fresh cranberry relish on wholewheat and don't forget the mayo, gotta have the mayo, oh and the salt and pepper, lots of that on the sandwich. All this talk is making me hungry!

E

Happylife · Post by **Happylife** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:00 am

Ok...a school teacher's explanation here! lol The "first Thanksgiving" in the 1600's was thought to be a celebration and thanks for the bounties the pilgrims of Plymouth had sowed...it is thought that they were deeply grateful for the help they recieved from the Wampanaugh Indians who taught them how to live off the land in which they had arrived. Because of techniques the Indians had shown them, they were able to successfully set up a prosperous life w/ plenty to eat, clothing to wear and shelter. The Indians were welcomed to and joined in on the celebratory meal which became known as Thanksgiving. Not only was it about the food and prosperity but also a celebration and thanks for friendships/alliances. It is thought that later on religion became a part of the celebration and tied into it in different ways.

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 11:24 am

We enjoy Bar-B-Q'd Aardvark for Thanksgiving, with pine cone sauce.

Happylife · Post by **Happylife** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 11:54 am

For real? I am really gullable...so I don't know if this is true??? lol

PerfectAngel · Post by **PerfectAngel** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 12:43 pm

LIKE A PIG I DO...........HECK YEAH!:yh_pig

Well, let me be honest here...it dosen't need to be Thanksgiving for ME to stuff my face, it's a GREAT excuse though!

We eat turkey, and ham and everything else under the sun.....and the moon!

I love it, but my butt hates it.....cuz it gets bigger and bigger every year! I'm older now, so who cares? You only live once! I'de rather die fat-N-happy than skinny-N-hungry!:wah::p:wah:

Post by **spot** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 12:43 pm

Happylife;714365 wrote: Ok...a school teacher's explanation here!Thank you Happylife, that makes a lot more sense now. Thanksgiving, you say (and I entirely believe you) occurred the year before the first successful harvest, the previous one having been a total disaster due to an inability of the Pilgrims to employ techniques and crops suitable to local conditions. There was no thanksgiving for any current bounty, there was thanksgiving for future prospects and for the rescue of the settlement effected by those aboriginal groups who had sustained and educated them. In the light of subsequent history it carries an ironic burden.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 4:54 pm

spot;714429 wrote: Thank you Happylife, that makes a lot more sense now. Thanksgiving, you say (and I entirely believe you) occurred the year before the first successful harvest, the previous one having been a total disaster due to an inability of the Pilgrims to employ techniques and crops suitable to local conditions. There was no thanksgiving for any current bounty, there was thanksgiving for future prospects and for the rescue of the settlement effected by those aboriginal groups who had sustained and educated them. In the light of subsequent history it carries an ironic burden.

If you say so spock but in Nomad world its all about the white meat and football.

sunny104 · Post by **sunny104** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:09 am

Lon;714391 wrote: We enjoy Bar-B-Q'd Aardvark for Thanksgiving, with pine cone sauce.

heck yeah! and wash it down with some Milwaukee's Best! mm-mmmm! :p :wah:

Happylife · Post by **Happylife** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:46 am

spot;714429 wrote: Thank you Happylife, that makes a lot more sense now. Thanksgiving, you say (and I entirely believe you) occurred the year before the first successful harvest, the previous one having been a total disaster due to an inability of the Pilgrims to employ techniques and crops suitable to local conditions. There was no thanksgiving for any current bounty, there was thanksgiving for future prospects and for the rescue of the settlement effected by those aboriginal groups who had sustained and educated them. In the light of subsequent history it carries an ironic burden.

Loved your last sentence! How true!! Well as far as what I wrote, I simply tried to convey what it is we teach our children here in the U. S. ...I used to be a school teacher and this was pretty much the belief/theory of Thanksgiving in the 2-4th grade curriculum of that public school system. But to be clear we taught that the first Thanksgiving was AFTER the first successful bounty and that the celebration/Thanksgiving involved consuming those bounties. Forgive me, did I say it was before the first bounty?

Happylife · Post by **Happylife** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:51 am

Lon;714391 wrote: We enjoy Bar-B-Q'd Aardvark for Thanksgiving, with pine cone sauce.

....and c'mon...lol is this for real???????? LOL

Post by **spot** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 8:49 am

Happylife;714621 wrote: But to be clear we taught that the first Thanksgiving was AFTER the first successful bounty and that the celebration/Thanksgiving involved consuming those bounties. Did I say it was before the first bounty?

You didn't. I was recalling vaguely an account I'd read of the first year and I've found it online at William Bradford's History of Plimoth Plantation. There are two aspects to that first harvest: the European crops all failed, and the corn crop succeeded because the local resident community instructed the newcomers on how to plant corn and fertilize the soil with fish. Hunting brought in a considerable return which kept the colony fed but Bradford describes that first harvest as "small":They began now to gather in the small harvest they had.

[...] Squanto continued with them, and was their interpreter, and was a special instrument sent of God for their good beyond their expectation. He directed them how to set their corn, where to take fish and to procure other commodities, and was also their pilot to bring them to unknown places for their profit, and never left them till he died.

[...] Afterwards, they (as many as were able) began to plant their corn, in which service Squanto stood them in great stead, showing them both the manner how to set it, and afterwards how to dress and tend it. Also he told them, except they got fish and set with it (in these old grounds) it would come to nothing, and he showed them that in the middle of April they should store enough up the brook, by which they began to built, and taught them how to take it, and where to get other provisions necessary for them; all which they found true by trial and experience. Some English seed they sowed, as wheat and peas, but it came not to good, either by the badness of the seed, or lateness of the season, or both, or some other defect.So yes, the first corn crop did come in that first year and I apologize for my memory being so hazy. I'd assumed they'd tried their European crop first and only adopted maize after it failed, and I was wrong.

As an aside, I was talking this week with two Americans and they BOTH thought Davy Crockett was fictional!

Happylife · Post by **Happylife** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 9:00 am

Thanks Spot for more info.....the teacher in me loves this stuff....lol but as not to scare anyone, I do agree with Nomad and Sunny104.....I do look forward to a cold beer and the football/crowd of family gathering!!!

Post by **spot** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 9:52 am

Happylife;714636 wrote: Thanks Spot for more info.....the teacher in me loves this stuff....lol but as not to scare anyone, I do agree with Nomad and Sunny104.....I do look forward to a cold beer and the football/crowd of family gathering!!!

But people overeat at Thanksgiving, it's not healthy. Once or twice a year is indulgence but daily is unhealthy. I got to thinking which is never a safe sign.

The reason for all this obesity is the ready availability of money. There's an inbuilt urge to overeat when the chance arises. Maybe anorexic pressures are nature's cure.

Anyway, I have an alternative one. It's called taxing everything edible which contains calories by a formula related to the calorie count of the content. That will make people too poor to buy more food than they can afford. Let's take a grown man with a 2500 Calorie daily requirement and say he has to pay a hundred dollars tax on that much food. The tax on everything edible then becomes a standard 4 cents per calorie. You want a bar of chocolate? That'll be $1.25 plus $12 obesity tax please.

Ah, I hear you cry, What of the poor? How will they avoid starvation?

I have a tax-neutral proposal which deals with this entirely. Every man woman and child in the land will be given their medically-determined Calorie Grant by the government which exactly balances the revenue from the Calorie Tax. Ten year olds get a check for $21,900, bricklayers get a check for $84,600. Social engineering can be superimposed by barring lawyers and politicians from receiving a grant at all since they eat other people.

Nobody but the super-rich can afford to overeat on this system. Everyone has enough money to avoid starvation. Obesity can remain the flaunted badge of wealth that it always historically was and we'll go back to Rubens for our cat-walk inspiration.

If anyone has his email address I'll post the proposal to Stephen Colbert and see if he includes it in his Presidential manifesto.

Happylife · Post by **Happylife** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:09 am

Very interesting idea! LOL I myself could probably stand to lose a few pounds but I am not fat. I consider myself pretty healthy....but you are right...money and weight are pretty much whats on everyone's minds these days....you may just have the answer.... as for feasting at Thanksgiving....I go with the saying...."Everything in moderation".....I only eat turkey/dressing once a year and the pumpkin pie also....so I think I am doing good!

PerfectAngel · Post by **PerfectAngel** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 8:18 pm

Happylife;714664 wrote: Very interesting idea! LOL I myself could probably stand to lose a few pounds but I am not fat. I consider myself pretty healthy....but you are right...money and weight are pretty much whats on everyone's minds these days....you may just have the answer.... as for feasting at Thanksgiving....I go with the saying...."Everything in moderation".....I only eat turkey/dressing once a year and the pumpkin pie also....so I think I am doing good!

Hi Happy~

Ok~So tell me what is the SECRET? I dont care how hard I try I can NOT eat in moderation. I have to be overly full, and sometimes I even wake up out of a dead sleep to go and start eating! I am so ashamed about my weight, and I can't seem to drop it! I'm so stressed with life's problems, and I really don't have time to work out! I'm so sick and tired of being hungry, and constantly gaining weight! How do you stop yourself from eating?:-5

sunny104 · Post by **sunny104** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 6:11 am

spot;714651 wrote: But people overeat at Thanksgiving, it's not healthy. Once or twice a year is indulgence but daily is unhealthy. I got to thinking which is never a safe sign.

The reason for all this obesity is the ready availability of money. There's an inbuilt urge to overeat when the chance arises. Maybe anorexic pressures are nature's cure.

Anyway, I have an alternative one. It's called taxing everything edible which contains calories by a formula related to the calorie count of the content. That will make people too poor to buy more food than they can afford. Let's take a grown man with a 2500 Calorie daily requirement and say he has to pay a hundred dollars tax on that much food. The tax on everything edible then becomes a standard 4 cents per calorie. You want a bar of chocolate? That'll be $1.25 plus $12 obesity tax please.

Ah, I hear you cry, What of the poor? How will they avoid starvation?

I have a tax-neutral proposal which deals with this entirely. Every man woman and child in the land will be given their medically-determined Calorie Grant by the government which exactly balances the revenue from the Calorie Tax. Ten year olds get a check for $21,900, bricklayers get a check for $84,600. Social engineering can be superimposed by barring lawyers and politicians from receiving a grant at all since they eat other people.

Nobody but the super-rich can afford to overeat on this system. Everyone has enough money to avoid starvation. Obesity can remain the flaunted badge of wealth that it always historically was and we'll go back to Rubens for our cat-walk inspiration.

If anyone has his email address I'll post the proposal to Stephen Colbert and see if he includes it in his Presidential manifesto.

excellant idea!

Happylife · Post by **Happylife** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 12:46 pm

PerfectAngel;714776 wrote: Hi Happy~

Ok~So tell me what is the SECRET? I dont care how hard I try I can NOT eat in moderation. I have to be overly full, and sometimes I even wake up out of a dead sleep to go and start eating! I am so ashamed about my weight, and I can't seem to drop it! I'm so stressed with life's problems, and I really don't have time to work out! I'm so sick and tired of being hungry, and constantly gaining weight! How do you stop yourself from eating?:-5

Oh don't get me wrong, please I am not perfect! lol I do love to eat....but a long time ago we had a message posted on our fridge that said, "Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels!" And you know it is the truth. When you look good you know it and it feels awesome. I do not like to excercise really but I forced myself to join a gym some years back when I was 20 lbs overweight...I felt I looked horrible but I hated the way I looked so much that facing all those skinny people in the gym was my way of punishing myself! If eating is what you love, that is ok....you can still look good. It's all about choices...and when you eat healthier choices you will notice you aren't hungry all the time. If you want to know more about how I lost the weight, pm me any time--there was more to it but nothing complicated I promise!!!

sunny104 · Post by **sunny104** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 6:32 am

spot;714635 wrote: You didn't. I was recalling vaguely an account I'd read of the first year and I've found it online at William Bradford's History of Plimoth Plantation. There are two aspects to that first harvest: the European crops all failed, and the corn crop succeeded because the local resident community instructed the newcomers on how to plant corn and fertilize the soil with fish. Hunting brought in a considerable return which kept the colony fed but Bradford describes that first harvest as "small":They began now to gather in the small harvest they had.

[...] Squanto continued with them, and was their interpreter, and was a special instrument sent of God for their good beyond their expectation. He directed them how to set their corn, where to take fish and to procure other commodities, and was also their pilot to bring them to unknown places for their profit, and never left them till he died.

[...] Afterwards, they (as many as were able) began to plant their corn, in which service Squanto stood them in great stead, showing them both the manner how to set it, and afterwards how to dress and tend it. Also he told them, except they got fish and set with it (in these old grounds) it would come to nothing, and he showed them that in the middle of April they should store enough up the brook, by which they began to built, and taught them how to take it, and where to get other provisions necessary for them; all which they found true by trial and experience. Some English seed they sowed, as wheat and peas, but it came not to good, either by the badness of the seed, or lateness of the season, or both, or some other defect.So yes, the first corn crop did come in that first year and I apologize for my memory being so hazy. I'd assumed they'd tried their European crop first and only adopted maize after it failed, and I was wrong.

As an aside, I was talking this week with two Americans and they BOTH thought Davy Crockett was fictional!

that wouldn't happen in Texas!

anyway he had one of the coolest quotes ever:

“You may all go to Hell, and I will go to Texas