Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving - a national American holiday celebrated every November - is a momentous occasion for giving thanks.

The Thanksgiving Holiday Season is charmingly picturesque - like a Norman Rockwell painting. When one thinks of the time surrounding Thanksgiving, a flood of images comes to mind, such as:

     Brilliantly colored, crisp autumn leaves.

     A V-formation across the light-blue sky of a flying flock of wild geese heading south.

     A blazing, red-orange sunset.

     Cool fall breezes.

     The echoing calls of a murder of black crows.

     Harvest moon. 

    Gathering fresh, earthy and robust, edible wild mushrooms in a wet forest.

     Towering acres of corn.

     Scarecrows.

     Candy apples on a stick.

     Shorter days.

     Golden wheat fields dancing in the wind.

     A day at the farm - picking pumpkins in the patch and fresh apples in the orchard; running through a corn maze; and drinking hot apple cider while taking a delightful hayride in a horse-drawn carriage.

     School plays depicting the First Thanksgiving at Plymouth - children dressed in endearing paper costumes, wearing black hats, big belt buckles, and square, pointy toed black shoes to portray the first pilgrims, and headbands adorned with colorful feathers to represent the Native Americans.

     Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City: enchanting floats; gigantic inflated balloons; and of course, excited, wide-eyed children jumping for joy as Santa Claus appears at the end - waving to the crowd on his sleigh, commencing the Holiday Season.

     The gathering of family and friends from near and far.

     A beautiful autumn wreath hung at the front door - a welcoming symbol of the harvest.

     Peace.

     Giving, sharing, kindness - love.

     Community food drives.

     Busy church soup kitchens.

     Donations.

     Heartfelt gratitude for all of God’s blessings.

     Cinnamon and other sweet spices, fresh cranberries, dried fruits and nuts.

     A mug of hot cocoa with soft pillows of marshmallows.

     Delicious aromas wafting from the kitchen.

     Football.

     A cozy home warmed by a roaring fireplace and the heat emitting from the oven - mom’s homemade pumpkin pie baking to perfection.

     The family dog and cat curled up on the rug near the fire.

     A piping hot cup of spiced tea.

     Sweet confections.

     A bountiful cornucopia of delicious food set on a candlelit dining room table.

     Grandpa stuffed from the feast and taking a nap on the recliner in the living room.

     Bustling malls the day after Thanksgiving - early bird specials.

     Salvation Army bell ringers (sometimes dressed as Santa) with shiny, bright-red kettles.

But by far, the main event - the pomp and circumstance - perhaps the number one, most recognizable and significant symbol of Thanksgiving:

Ø      The grand Thanksgiving Day TURKEY!

It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving dinner without the turkey. The bird is traditionally stuffed and cooked in a conventional oven. Turkey is also commonly cooked on a rotisserie. Frying the turkey is thus unconventional, but is becoming increasingly popular. For ages, fried turkey has been a favorite among southerners. The concept of deep-frying the bird perhaps originated from Cajun cuisine in the deep bayou of southern Louisiana, and the cooking method has since quickly spread to all corners of the U.S.

Aside from Thanksgiving, a deep-fried turkey makes for a wonderful Christmas dinner!

A deep-fried turkey can be quite tasty: perfectly crisp on the outside, and very moist and juicy on the inside. However, as with any cooking, precaution must be taken, especially when frying outdoors (see link below).

Click here for easy-to-follow steps on how to deep-fry a turkey:  

How to Deep-Fry a Turkey