Here’s how some readers gave their Thanksgiving meals a twist
With the Cuban dressing my father makes and the Honduran pupusas my mother makes, our meals look a little different. After writing the story, I was curious about your twist on Thanksgiving meals. Here’s what some readers said.
Botanical touch
Thirty-two years ago, Zakiya Courtney adopted a vegetarian diet. I’ve applied this to holiday meals, family gatherings, and birthday parties. Courtney did this with the goal of creating home-cooked meals that were as good as or better than those containing meat. It also calls Thanksgiving “Grandparents Day” to reflect the history of Native people in the United States and provide the opportunity to share memories of their family ancestors.
Focus on giving
Terry Durr is a volunteer at Kathy’s House, a hospital-affiliated guest house located on the campus of Milwaukee Regional Medical Center in Wauwatosa. Patients come from all over Wisconsin for treatment and can’t get closer to home. This year, 50 to 60 patients and caregivers will stay at Kathy’s House while receiving treatment at area hospitals.
“Apart from family and friends, my goal is to provide guests with a nutritious, delicious, and convenient meal,” Doerr wrote in an email. “Most guests are undergoing grueling cancer treatment and stay at Kathy’s House for several months.”
With the help of other volunteers, they will cook, bake and serve the turkey and other Thanksgiving fixings.
Explore other cultures
Karen White is all about jumping outside of comfort zones. I’ve had a turkey roasted, roasted on a Weber, and even fried.
Some fun banter among family members about who could make the best jambalaya prompted her family to try other cultures during family meals. They have hosted gatherings with meals reflecting German, Greek and Indian cuisines, and last year they held a Creole Thanksgiving.
This year, the White family will have a French Thanksgiving meal and will prepare chateaubriand and potatoes au gratin, among other side dishes.
