Thanksgiving - Giving Thanks

Click here for a few Thanksgiving Recipes:
Holiday Turkey Cooking Tip.

I became curious and started to browse through the Internet and see what I would find about the history of Thanksgiving. Well, there is an overwhelming amount of information, but to my surprise, the "History of Thanksgiving" started and ended on the borders of the United States. You will find detail description about the Pilgrims, who celebrated their first bountiful harvest by having a "Feast" in the year of 1621. The authors accidentally forgot to mention that this "Feast" was not officially repeated until 1676, when Governor Bradford proclaimed another day of thanks. Therefore, how can it be called the "Beginning of a Tradition of Thanksgiving", nor was it termed by the colonists or "Pilgrims" a "Thanksgiving Feast". Actually, these devoutly religious people who were religious radicals, had been driven into exile, and a day of thanksgiving was a day of prayers and fasting and would have been held at any time that they felt an extra day of thanks was called for.

Actually, the 2nd "Thanksgiving" (in the U.S.A.) was celebrated by the Dutch governor of Manhattan in the year of 1641, offering thanks for the first "Scalp Bounty". This was broadened by the Puritans to include a bounty for Natives fit to be sold for slavery. The Dutch and the Puritans (with Bible passages in their hands to justify their every move), joined forces to exterminate all "Natives Savages" from New England. Woman and children over 14 were captured to be sold as slaves; other survivors were massacred. The Natives were sold into slavery in the West Indies, the Azures, Spain, Algiers and England, where ever the Puritan traded. The slave trade was so lucrative that boatloads of 500 at a time left the harbors of New England. So, the 2nd "Thanksgiving" was to celebrate the victory (massacre) over the "Heathen Savages". During the feasting, the hacked off heads of Natives were kicked through the streets of Manhattan like soccer balls as part of the celebration.

Later, several Puritans ship owners in Boston began the practice of raiding the Ivory Coast of Africa for black slaves to sell to the proprietary colonies of the South, thus founding the American based  slave trade.

Long before the first Europeans arrived in North America, farmers in Europe celebrated by "Giving Thanks" for their good fortune at harvest time. The farm workers filled a curved goat's horn with fruits and grains. That symbol was called a "Cornucopia" or "Horn of Plenty". When these Europeans came to Canada they brought this tradition with them. 

In the year of 1578, the English navigator Martin Frobisher held a formal ceremony, in today's Newfoundland, to give thanks for surviving the long journey to Canada. Martin Frobisher was later knighted and had an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean in Northern Canada named after him -- "Frobisher Bay". Other settlers arrived and continued the celebration.

French settlers, who arrived at about the same time in Canada, with explorer Samuel de Champlain, held their own celebration of thanks, which included a huge feast. They also formed "The Order of Good Cheer" and gladly shared their good fortune with the Canadian Native Indians. 

The next "Thanksgiving" in Canada was celebrated after the seven year war, which ended in 1763, by the citizens of Halifax, they held a special day of Thanksgiving.

Later, after the American revolution, Americans, who remained faithful to the English government, known as "Loyalists" moved to Canada and spread Thanksgiving celebration throughout Canada. 

Not until the year of 1879, the Canadian Parliament declared November 6th a day of "Thanksgiving" and was declared a national holiday. Thanksgiving day celebration has been moved over the years, and the 3rd Monday in October proved to be the most popular one. After Word War I, both, Armistice Day and Thanksgiving Day were celebrated on the Monday of the week in which November 11th occurred. In 1931, ten years later, the two holidays became separate ones and the Armistice Day was renamed Remembrance Day.

Not until January 31st, 1957, the Canadian Parliament proclaimed

to be observed on the 2nd Monday in October. 

So now, when did Thanksgiving celebration  start? 

Giving thanks for the bounty of Providence is a practice as "OLD AS MANKIND" and as widespread as the human race.

Mankind had many different ways of celebrating Harvest time:

For example the Aztecs of Mexico, harvest time took a grimmer aspect. Every year a young girl, a representation of Xilonen, "The Goddess of The New Corn" was beheaded.
The Pawnees (American Indians) also sacrificed a girl.
The Cherokees, (Southeast American Indians) danced the "Green Corn Dance", and began the New Year at harvest's end.

Many countries, such as for example, Asia, Japan, India, Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka have celebrated in gratitude for their rich rice harvest for many, many centuries. 
In Africa, many tribal expressions of gratitude are similar as this ancient prayer: "The Year Has Come Around Again, Great Lord Of Our Land - Never Can We Thank You For Your Good Deeds And All Your Blessings."
In South America you find many of the native Indian cultures have expressions of gratitude and thanksgiving. Modern Brazil has a special public day of thanksgiving and prayers and it is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November since the year of 1949.
In Chaldea. ancient Egypt and Greece, harvest festival has been celebrated with great rejoicing.
The Hindus and the Chinese marked their harvest with a holiday.
The Jewish people celebrate the ingathering of the crops (Feast Of Tabernacles) as enjoined upon them in the Bible.
Sukkot, (marks the end of the agricultural year - it coincides with the final harvest before the onset of winter. Sukkot has three names: Hag HaAsif - The Festival of Ingathering, Hag HaSukkot - The Festival of Booths, HaHag - The Festival), which comes on the fifth day after Yom Kippur, lasts for seven days. During that time the Israelis remember the protection God gave them during the forty years they spent traveling in the desert. (This year, 1999, Sukkot begins on the evening of September 24th.)
The Bible bade the grateful settlers of ancient Israel to bring the first wheat and barley of their fall harvest to the Temple in Jerusalem as a sacrifice. Only after they had offered up their sacrifices in gratitude for the bounty of the field were they permitted to partake of the yield for themselves and their household. 
The Romans celebrated their Thanksgiving early October. They dedicated it to the Goddess Of The Harvest, Ceres, and the holiday was named "Cerelia", (That's where the word "Cereal" came from).
The Christians took over the Roman Holiday, and it became very popular in England, and some of the Roman customs and rituals were observed long after the Roman Empire vanished.
Egypt, Syria and Mesopotamia, offered the first or last sheaf of wheat to the "Great Mother" or the "Mother Of The Wheat", believing that earth power was a feminine force. 
"Astarte" was the "Earth Mother Of The Ancient Semites", to the Phrygians she was "Semele", and under the name of "Demeter" she was worshipped by the Greeks, at the famous Eleusinian Mysteries - "Ceres, The Roman Goddess Of Corn".
In Medieval Times, Germany, France, Holland, England, and the countries of Central Europe observed the "Feast Of St. Martin Of Tours", "Martinmas", on November 11th, as the time of harvest rejoicings.
In England, the "Harvest Home" has been observed for centuries and it was a custom to select a "Harvest Queen" for these festivities. The Harvest Queen was decorated with grain on their fields and fruits of their trees. On Thanksgiving Day, she paraded through the streets in a carriage drawn by white horses. Again, this was a remnant of the Roman ceremonies in Honor of Ceres. (The Pilgrims brought the "Harvest In" to Massachusetts).
Also, Europeans as well Great Britain's, celebrated their harvest by decorating the altar in their churches (Protestant and Catholics).

The annual "Declaration of World Thanksgiving", is signed by 12 world leaders -- religious leaders, scholars, scientists, philosophers, artists -- representing various religions and cultures from around the world. These leaders have included Pope John Paul, Mother Teresa, The Dalai Lama, Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, distinguished Talmudic scholars; Sir John Templeton, founder of the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion; Dr. Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Islamic scholar; Robert Muller, Chancellor, United Nations University for Peace; author and former hostage Terry Anderson, and many others.

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Here are a few Thanksgiving recipes:

First a tip on how to safely thaw a turkey.

Refrigerator thawing is recommended. However, if short on time and need a quicker method for thawing, submerge the turkey in cold water. Thawing turkey at room temperature allows bacterial growth and is not recommended. It is good practice to thoroughly wash the turkey inside with cold water before stuffing or cooking it.
 

Refrigerator Thawing: 

Toasted Pecan, Cider and Cornbread Stuffing

Basic cornbread stuffing is made extra crunchy and irresistible by being combined with lots of toasted pecans and moistened with sweet apple cider. If you happen to have bacon fat on hand for sautéing the vegetables, it will add a subtle smokiness to the overall flavor of the stuffing.

Multi-Grain Bread, Onion, Pecan and Golden Raisin Stuffing

The invention of new and new-fangled stuffings for the Thanksgiving turkey seems to know no bounds, but there has long been an irreplaceable comfort inherent in the most basic bread and onion stuffing. Here, that basic recipe is updated for the nineties by using wholesome multi-grain bread in place of the customary white bread.

Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage and Mozzarella Stuffing

Browned and crumbled turkey sausage is always a tasty addition to Thanksgiving stuffing recipes and here the concept is taken a few steps further by adding lots of complementary Italian flavors for a distinctly different and delicious ethnic-inspired addition to the all-American Thanksgiving turkey.

10 cups 1/2-inch cubes day-old French or Italian bread 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage, removed from the casings 2 large onions, minced 3 cloves garlic, minced 5 stalks celery, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch dice 1/2 pound mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thinly 1/3 cup cream sherry 3 ounces thinly sliced Genoa salami, cut into match strip sticks 3/4 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch cubes 1-1/2 to 2 cups chicken broth 1-1/2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning blend 1-1/2 cups minced fresh parsley Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Spread the bread cubes in a roasting pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Drizzle them with the 1/3 cup olive oil, tossing to coat the bread evenly. Toast the cubes in the oven, stirring occasionally until lightly browned all over, about 15 minutes. 2.  Meanwhile , cook the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, crumbling into small pieces with the back of a wooden spoon until it is lightly browned all over. Transfer the sausage to a large mixing bowl and combine it with the toasted bread cubes. 3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the sausage drippings in the skillet and return to medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and celery and sauté until quite soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the sliced mushrooms and sherry and continue to sauté until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 7 minutes more. Add the vegetables to the bread and sausage mixture, stirring thoroughly to combine. 4. Add the salami and mozzarella to the stuffing. Pour in enough chicken stock to make the stuffing begin to bind together. Season the mixture with the Italian seasoning, parsley and salt and pepper. 5. Stuff the turkey cavities immediately before roasting. Place any remaining stuffing in a buttered casserole and bake a 325ºF until browned and crispy, about 45 minutes. Makes enough stuffing for a 20 to 24 pound turkey.

Challah a special holiday bread

6 cups unbleached flour 1 Tbsp salt 1 yeast cake 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1/3 cup oil 1-3/4 cups water 1-1/2 Tbsp sugar 1/2 cup flour for kneading (if needed) Egg Glaze: 1 egg yolk 1 tsp. water or 1 egg 1 tsp. honey beaten with a little sugar Put flour into a large bowl. In a small bowl dissolve the yeast in 1 cup lukewarm water. Make a hole in the middle of the flour and pour yeast into it. Mix the yeast liquid into some of the flour from the sides of the hole, covering lightly with flour. Place in a warm place, covered with a towel. When the batter rises and looks foamy, add remaining oil, sugar, salt, eggs and remaining water, approximately 3/4 cups. Knead into ball. If too sticky, add the extra 1/2 cup of flour. Cover and let rise. Punch down, shape as desired and place on greased baking sheet or in loaf pans. Let rise until doubled. Before baking, brush with egg glaze. Bake at 350ºF for 45 minutes until brown. Preparation time: 20 minutes Rising time: 1-1/2 hours Baking time: 45 minutes Makes two loaves

Stuffed Pumpkins
This recipe for stuffed pumpkins comes from "The Family Treasury of Jewish Holidays" by Malka Drucker.  Not only does it look and taste great, but it makes a handy snack during those hours meeting and greeting. 

1 Pumpkin salt nuts raisins chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350ºF. Cut out the top of the pumpkin, take out the seeds and pulp and place it into a large bowl. Separate the seeds from the pulp and wash them until they are free of all the gooey pumpkin innards. Salt the seeds lightly on a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil, then roast them in the oven for 15 minutes. While the seeds are roasting, line the inside of the pumpkin with aluminum foil. When the seeds have cooled off, mix the nuts, raisins, and chocolate chips. Place the whole mixture into the pumpkin and enjoy!