Prepare your made in Spain Thanksgiving 

History and origins of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November each year. The date commemorates the feast, which is said to have lasted for 3 days, that the first British colonists shared with the Native Americans in 1621 after the first bumper harvest following a challenging winter. It took place in what is today called Massachusetts, in the northeast of the United States. The celebration's aim is to give thanks for everything we have and all of the achievements of the previous year, but it is very family orientated and serves as a prelude to Christmas. 

Prepare your own Thanksgiving menu

We invite you to copy this typically American evening with a special menu, with our own version of classic dishes linked to this date. An ideal evening to give thanks and share with friends.  

In each home, the menu is different according to the tastes and customs of each family, but turkey is consistently present. A recipe that requires at least a few people to cook together and tackle the main dish of the evening. We suggest this recipe of roast turkey with vegetables to enjoy the evening with at least another 8 or 10 diners.   

Accompaniments: 

One of the most fascinating dishes of the evening is stuffing, which is always served as an accompaniment to turkey and not inside it as is traditional in Europe. In this case there can be many different variations and, for many families, it is a best kept secret which is passed on from one generation to another.  The main ingredients of stuffing are usually rustic cornbread, with bacon, dried fruit or fruit, cheese and vegetables. 

And as if the turkey and substantial stuffing wasn’t enough, it is almost compulsory to add some more dishes to the main part of the meal. This generally involves creamy mashed potatoes and a large dish of roasted vegetables as a garnish. In our made in Spain version, we have chosen a seasonal product which is as popular there as it is here and which combines perfectly with turkey and stuffing: sweet potato. Dare to try it with this baked sweet potato recipe, that you can easily make into a mash, or insert it into the menu fried, like sticks. 

Enjoying homemade bread adds points for guests. With so many dishes and guests, it may be a little cumbersome, but if you fancy it, we share this homemade bread recipe so you can score some extra points. It is best to make individual rolls and serve them warm.

A sweet ending

On Thanksgiving, a sweet ending is a must and the classic simply has to be a classic American dessert: American apple pie. Many homes don’t just choose one or two, but have several options to choose from to add the final touch to Thanksgiving: walnuts, cranberries, chocolate...there are so many options. At this point, without a doubt, we are left with a traditional and very seasonal choice for us in Spain: the pumpkin cake. The perfect finale for an autumn dinner.