Essentially, what is the holiday of Thanksgiving all about? This made me recently wonder due to Thanksgiving being notated on my wall calendar, but for different countries. I knew about the holiday happening in the USA and Canada, but more countries than those two? Our basic definition is an autumn holiday designated as a day to give thanks for the blessings of the harvest, and all the “good” that occurred during the year. In other countries, it is still an autumn holiday, but has a much deeper meaning than a bountiful harvest.
In Grenada, Thanksgiving Day, celebrated on October 25, marks the anniversary of the 1983 day when US-led military forces arrived to stop a coup after the country’s president had been executed.
In Japan, it is called "Labor Thanksgiving Day", celebrated on November 23, and designated as a day to commemorate labor and production while also giving thanks to one another. The celebration includes an ancient Shinto ceremony.
Other countries that have a version of a “giving of thanks day” are: Philippines, Saint Lucia, Rwanda, Netherlands, Liberia, Brazil, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom, to name a few. Being thankful for a bountiful harvest takes place around the world, each country giving the day its own name, and date of celebration. Imagine if you were able to travel to each country, on that specific date, and taste the various food dishes served? It would give a whole new meaning to “jet lag”, considering the excess weight you would put on after each meal.
Now, I could give you recipe after recipe related to Thanksgiving, not just in the USA, but other countries, but I already seemed to have done that. Looking back at the lists of foods served, I was gobsmacked by the number I had already written about in the San Juan Record. Here I was, thinking just to introduce all you folks to foods of other countries, not knowing they were holiday related in some way. Then it occurred to me, another meaning related to the holiday, and that is being grateful for the family and friends in your own life.
Once in a great while, I am talking once in a blue moon while, my hubby, Roy, will actually, not just help out in the kitchen, but cook a meal. Oh yes, I still have to supervise, but at least he makes the effort and actually wants to try something new.
Thanksgiving is busy for me as I make two complete meals, one for us, and one for his family in Moab. Why not eat together? The work schedules for both Roy, and his brother, do not mesh well, so this is just easier, for everyone, all around. However, after all the stress and demands of getting Thanksgiving dinner prepped, cooked and cleaned up after one year, I finally had a meltdown. By Saturday afternoon the headache and muscle cramping hit big time and decided to stick around until Sunday night. My hunny made me tea and fluffed my pillows, he cooked up scrambled eggs and biscuits as it made me feel calm all over. Oh, I can hear you all going, “Aww”., and yes, it was very sweet of him.
I had promised him Pepper Steak with Onions for dinner for Sunday, but I just could not find the energy. Who came to the rescue? Roy, and he once again did a great job with the prep work and the cooking of the dish itself. He did moan and groan though and several times gripe, "but it looks so much easier when you do it". Me? I snickered in smug satisfaction. But, kudos to my hubby and his amazing kitchen skills...when he is desperately hungry that is.
Oh, before I give the recipe, and end story time, I would like to wish Donna Blauer, residing in California, a huge “Happy Thanksgiving!”. Donna was a born and raised resident of Monticello for many years before moving to California. I have fans of my food column, but folks at the San Juan Record call her my “biggest fan”. She is planning on making the Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Cake Mix Muffins, I wrote about in the November 6, 2024 issue, for Thanksgiving. I know Donna reads this column, so Donna, I am happy to have gotten to know you, and hope those muffins are a huge hit.
Pepper Steak with Onions
Ingredients:
2 lbs. London broil, cut into - inch thick strips
2 medium green bell peppers, seeded and cut into ¼-inch thick strips
2 medium onions, cut into ¼-inch thick strips
2 Tbsp. canola oil
½ cup soy sauce
½ tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. ground ginger
Preparation:
In a large skillet or Wok, on medium-high heat, brown the meat; remove to bowl and set aside. In same skillet or Wok, sauté the peppers and onions with the oil until softened. Add back the meat; add the soy sauce, white pepper and ginger; mix thoroughly. Let cook an additional 10 minutes before serving over white, fried or brown rice.
Makes 8 servings.
Mary Cokenour
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