Thanksgiving food advice
 

Hi everyone!

I'll be visiting my American girlfriend for Thanksgiving and it was suggested that I make something British as part of dinner. Anyone have any suggestions for it? My mind goes straight to pigs in blankets but trying to get a decent sausage is a nightmare, never mind a cocktail sausage (as a side note, if anybody knows anywhere along the I-95 between Boston MA and Grey, ME that makes a good British sausage, I will be eternally grateful!
Any suggestions on things to cook are greatly received :)

Jack

Re: Thanksgiving food advice
 

Yorkshire puds!

Re: Thanksgiving food advice
 

Sherry trifle!

Re: Thanksgiving food advice
 

Roast potatoes & roast parsnips

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Toad in the hole.

Cornish pasty! If you can make a Cornish pasty I will be around your house for dinner on Thanksgiving! :rofl:

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Pretty easy to knock out. We make them once a month or so.
20 years in Plymouth gave us a taste for them.

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I usually contribute Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in bacon (I use either a local Supermarket breakfast sausage, or the Johnsonville regular breakfast sausages) and a pavlova, to our Friendsgiving.

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You could make your own sausages, you need to buy a bit of gear at first but they're easy to make and there are infinite varieties you could concoct!

Re: Thanksgiving food advice
 

Stop this sausage madness at once. Unless you know an ex Brit who has a butchers shop or the sausages are directly imported from the UK you will end up disappointed. It is the same in Canada and believe me I have tried a few which have tried to pass off Cumberland sausages.

Re: Thanksgiving food advice
 

After reading up on Cumberland sausages I agree with you. However, there is something to be said for making your own, if you are so inclined. Those who don't own a sausage stuffer and want to make a small quantity can always just roll them out and fry them without casing.

Re: Thanksgiving food advice
 

Roast potatoes. It's now a staple part of Thanksgiving dinner for our family.

Unless you'd normally eat Yorkshire pudding with turkey in England, I wouldn't recommend it here.

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Jack, there's a shop in Newburyport, MA called "Best of British" (exit 57 off I-95), they have british and irish sausages!

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I love this thread!
Sausagegate :D

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I love roast potatoes but for Thanksgiving I need mashed potatoes for my gravy. It just wouldn't seem right now to have them.

Why not Yorkshire pudding on Thanksgiving? We have dinner rolls or biscuits at the table on Thanksgiving. Isn't a Yorkshire pudding much like a popover made in the US but hollow?

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I was raised to know that it isn't a case of either/or, with both roast and mashed on the plate in different proportions according to taste. ;)

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Just sayin' . . . .


https://thebritishdepot.com/collections/sausages-bacon

Re: Thanksgiving food advice
 

We wouldn't think of pairing Yorkshires with a roast bird back in said county. They should be made in a pan with the hot drippings from the beef roast to which they make the traditional accompaniment.

Re: Thanksgiving food advice
 

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Pigs in Blanket is the obvious choice to pair with Turkey, and by Cocktail sausages I am guessing you mean Chipolata's. Cocktail sausages tend to be the cooked and cold version. You also need to source Back Bacon, which can be tricky as well. Add a bit of Sage and Onion Stuffing as well.

I fully understand the principle of Yorkshire's being with Beef, but they are so yummy done well that I'll eat them with any meat.

Another suggestion, to add to the home cooking feel of Thanksgiving. Get a Spotted Dick on the go and allow everyone to chuckle as you name it during their first mouthful.

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I raised that it is either/or. Never had two types of white potatoes served at my family's dinner table nor my own. In the case of Thanksgiving, there are mashed white potatoes and baked sweet potatoes.

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They can't be made with the hot fat drippings from a turkey?

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Well, as a New Yorker, you know that chicken fat (aka "schmaltz") is essential to a good chopped liver. I don't think it would be the same with a substitute. Likewise, Yorkshire pudding and beef drippings!

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Just mix three random ingredients together that do not even belong on the same plate at the same time. That's what green bean casserole is and everyone seems to want it at Thanksgiving. Excuse me while I hurl.

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This reminded me of a remark Hercule Poirot made to Inspector Japp, when the latter cooked a meal for him. When Japp told him the pudding was called Spotted Dick, Poirot said 'I have an aversion to the dick that is spotted'. :lol:

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Quite right. We always had both at Christmas when I was growing up. After a stint at catering college, I upgraded the mash to Duchess potatoes. Sadly I've not had any success with them in NZ, none of the spuds available here are floury enough and they collapse on baking :banghead:.

You could make Eve's pudding and serve with custard......my fave.

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I've never had Yorkshire Pudding, NutMegger and thought that I ever will since going the UK isn't on my Bucket List. Now if you invite me to dinner and make some, I will be most happy to try them.

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LOL -- I'm actually the last person in the world who should be expounding on Yorkshires, as I neither cook nor eat traditional English food! I'd be happy to invite you to dinner, but any Yorkshires that I might attempt to make would be a poor facsimile of the real thing.