The Food at the Feast

Thanksgiving Foodways and Recipes

Of all the holidays on the calendrical cycle of American culture, none comes remotely close to Thanksgiving in its association with food in general, and certain foods in particular. Has the Thanksgiving meal always had turkey, pumpkin pie, and cranberries at its heart? For that matter, how widely shared is that menu today? How Thanksgiving foodways have changed over time, how they vary across the American physical and social geography, what they mean to people, and what it all might help us understand about the South Atlantic region and the US as a whole, is the theme of this section.

Below we present a variety of source materials from journalism, popular culture, and works of historical and other humanities scholarship, on Thanksgiving's foodways.

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"The Major Item in Menus Next Week is Turkey," Chicago Tribune (1947)
The feature story part of which is reproduced below, and which also contained recipes for liver loaf with pan gravy, cranberry sherbet, and apricot betty, was written by Mary Meade and appeared in the Tribune's Nov. 21, 1947 editions. One notable aspect of the piece is its implicit suggestion that turkey may not always, and in all places, have been the nearly universal centerpiece of the Thanksgiving menu it is assumed to be today; indeed, its headline would probably seem comical in a newspaper today.

You'll want to place a Thanksgiving turkey on your menus next week as we did, I'm sure. When you buy it, choose one that is suited to the size and appetites of your family. if you allow ¾ to 1 pound for each person, there will be enough for second helpings and a not too difficult amount to use the next day. For the very small family, a half or a quarter turkey may be preferred.

Among the other items listed on the menus for the next week are liver loaf with pan gravy, cranberry sherbet, and apricot betty. Here are the recipes to clip for use during the week . . .