For many of us, Thanksgiving involves getting together with folks that we enjoy and eating a lot of food. In Canada, it is timely as we have usually just finished or are in the process of finishing the harvest of our gardens.
In Canada, we do have much reason to give thanks as we enjoy a land blessed with many natural wonders, clean air and fertile soil. Thanksgiving was declared a national holiday in 1879 and we have enjoyed an extra day to share the 142 million kilograms of turkey that is consumed. One last interesting trivia surrounding the venerable turkey is fossils indicate that wild turkeys have roamed North America for more than 10 million years.
Now getting down to what we grow and harvest from the garden. Mashed potatoes served with large amounts of gravy are often an important part of the meal. Choosing potatoes with a higher starch content like russets or Yukon gold will give you the fluffiest, smoothest and most flavourful mash. Be careful to treat those swollen starch granules in your potatoes gently as well as too much vigour will give you a gluey, less appetizing addition to your meal.
Winter squash is always a favourite and colourful vegetable and can be served in many ways. Simply wash the outer rind and chop the squash into appropriate sizes for baking. Add butter, salt and pepper to taste and cover to ensure the moisture stays in this yummy vegetable. Bake at 350°F.
Other vegetables you may also have at your disposal at this time of year include corn (on the cob or not), lovely carrots, parsnips, beets, and if you are lucky kohlrabi. I love to roast a medley of root vegetables in the oven with butter and the seasoning of choice. A little bit of cumin is rather tasty. We are lucky to have such a wide array of available veggies to grace our Thanksgiving tables.
Thanksgiving would not be complete without pumpkin pie. Making a pumpkin pie from a real pumpkin will forever spoil you for making it by opening a can. A pumpkin that is 6 to 8 inches in diameter will give you enough pumpkin for a 10-inch deep dish pie. Cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and then either bake, steam or microwave the pumpkin until it is soft. Discard excess moisture and puree the pumpkin until smooth. Now it is time to mix the pie ingredients. These ingredients will usually include some type of sweetener, some spices like cloves, ginger, cinnamon and maybe allspice, eggs, and evaporated milk. Bake the pie until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean and enjoy with whipped cream.
The only thing left is to harvest some materials from your garden to make an appropriate table centre for Thanksgiving. I prefer branches of autumn-coloured leaves, pine cones, small squash from the garden, the odd tomato or two and anything else at your disposal. May we wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving and may your bountiful harvest from your gardens grace your tables and be enjoyed by both friends and family.
Hanbidge is the Lead Horticulturist with Orchid Horticulture. Find us at ; by email at [email protected]; on Facebook @orchidhort and on Instagram at #orchidhort.
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