THE PA MELTING POT: Special Thanksgiving Edition 2015

The Melting Pot:  A look at the evolution of food in Southwestern Pa.  SPECIAL COLUMN – THANKSGIVING CUSTOMS

The offering of thanks at harvest time is not unique to 

America. Such observances are known to have been held by 

the ancient Egyptians and Greeks. 

GERMANY/AUSTRIA/SWITZERLAND:  

Thanksgiving in German Europe has a long tradition, but it is different from ours. The German, Austrian or Swiss Thanksgiving is usually a rural harvest time observance with church services, a parade, music, and a country fair atmosphere.  Typical Germanic dishes include Rouladen (beef rolls with gravy), Goulash (beef stew with vegetables), Geschnetzeltes (liver in a wine cream sauce), Leber und Zwiebeln (Liver and onions), Konisberger Klopse (meatballs with hollandaise sauce), sauerbraten (marinated cooked beef), Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, spatlze (noodles) and apfel strudel (apple pastry).

ITALY:

Italians living in Italy do not celebrate Thanksgiving as in Pennsylvania but the Italians that have emigrated to PA have embraced Thanksgiving.  Italians love any holiday that brings together friends, family and food. Every Italian family has their own unique traditions.  They may serve a Spinach and Prosciutto Stuffed Turkey Breast or a whole roasted turkey. The meal may also include antipasto:  Foglie di Salvia Fritte (fried sage leaves), Ricotta Funghi Ripieni (ricotta stuffed mushrooms, D'oliva Aromatizzato al Forno (baked seasoned olives) and Italian meats sausages.  A soup course could be Zuppa Alla Zucca con Pancetta (butternut squash soup with pancetta) accompanied by a side dish such as Polenta con Funghi (polenta with wild mushrooms).  Of course, Dolci (desserts) such as: Panna Cotta with Expresso Cream, Tiramisu, Crostata (pie) and Torta di castagne al cioccolato (chocolate chestnut cake) are the highlight of the meal!

POLAND:

Święto Dziękczynienia (Thanksgiving Day) is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. While certainly not a traditional Polish-rooted holiday, it has been eagerly observed by Polonians and Americans of other ethnic backgrounds as far back as anyone can remember. There is something very universal and appealing in the notion of gathering with one’s nearest of kin, thanking God for our numerous blessings and sharing a festive holiday meal.  In some ways, that “big Thanksgiving dinner” is closer in spirit to the Polish Wigilia than any other American gathering. The menu is structured: Indyczka (roast turkey), Słodkie Ziemniaki (sweet potatoes), Sos Zuawinowo (cranberry-currant sauce), Dynię Pie (pumpkin pie), etc. In addition to the turkey, some Polish-American families serve Bigos (meat and cabbage stew), Kiełbasa, Pierogi, Gołąbki (cabbage rolls) and other favorites. Besides the pumpkin pie, Szarlotka (apple cake), Babka (sweet yeast cake), Placek (sweet yeast-raised cake with a crumb topping) or Sernik (cheesecake) may also turn up on the holiday table.

GREECE:

Every autumn, the ancient Greeks enjoyed a three-day festival to honor Demeter, the goddess of corn and grains and they still do. A Greek-inspired Thanksgiving menu might include the following:  Kolokythosoupa Me Meli, Moscocarido kai Strangisto Yiaourti (acorn and butternut squash soup with honey, nutmeg and yogurt), Psiti Galopoula Gemisti me Kima, Stafides, Koukounari kai Kastana, Glasarismeno me Rodi, Ouzo, kai Portokali (roasted turkey breast stuffed with classic Greek chestnut-pine-nut-raisin-ground meat, glazed with pomegranate, ouzo, and orange), Glykopatates sto tigani, opos tis kanoun stin Kerkira, me meli (Corfu style fried sweet potatoes drizzled with Greek honey) and ”Mouzo” (chocolate mousse spiked with ouzo).

Christine Willard, a native of western Pennsylvania, researches and blogs about the food unique to Western Pennsylvania. She currently resides in North Carolina. 

Germany Austria Switzerland

   

  

  

  

  

                                          Italy

  

  

  

  

  

POLAND

  

  

  

  

  

GREECE

  

  

  

  

  

AROUND THE WORLD

http://www.goabroad.com/blog/2011/11/23/giving-world-thanksgiving/

GERMANY, AUSTRIA AND SWITZERLAND

(I have combined the three countries recipe links under Germany)

 

GERMAN FOODS

http://germanfoods.org/german-food-facts/erntedank-traditions/

GERMAN-WAY

http://www.german-way.com/history-and-culture/holidays-and-celebrations/thanksgiving-in-germany/

BAVARIAN KITCHEN

http://www.bavariankitchen.com/meats/wiener_schnitzel.aspx

ALLRECIPES

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sherrys-german-turkey/

VIDEO OF RECIPE ABOVE

http://allrecipes.com/video/4822/sherrys-german-turkey/detail.aspx?prop24=RD_VideoTipsTricks

ITALY

ITALIAN FOOD FOREVER

http://www.italianfoodforever.com/2013/10/celebrating-an-italian-thanksgiving/

FOOD AND WINE

http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/tom-valentis-italian-influenced-thanksgiving-dinner

BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS

http://www.bhg.com/thanksgiving/menu/thanksgiving-menu-italian-thanksgiving-recipes/

MANGIABENEPASTA

http://www.mangiabenepasta.com/thanksgiving_dinner.html

POLAND

EAST EUROPEAN FOOD

http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/holidaysfestivals/tp/thanksgiving.htm

POLISH PLATE

http://polishplate.com/articles/polish-thanksgiving,2.html

PWWA

http://www.pwaa.org/thanksgiving_polish_recipes.htm

FOOD NETWORK ON POLISH RECIPES

http://www.foodnetwork.com/topics/polish.html

GREECE

ABOUT THANKSGIVING IN GREECE

http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/gpr/gpr06.htm

12 THANKSGIVING RECIPES

http://greekfood.about.com/od/tipsnutritionmenus/tp/tgiving.htm

ALL RECIPES TURKEY RECIPE

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/greek-traditional-turkey-with-chestnut-and-pine-nut-stuffing/

GRECIAN DELIGHT

http://www.greciandelight.com/blog/post/Make-your-Thanksgiving-a-Greek-Thanksgiving.aspx

The PA Melting Pot - Germany: - German Sects Part 2: Bavaria, Moravia, Holland and Switzerland

LINK to Part 1 - German Sects 1

Photos and Recipes Links are below the column!!

Part 1 – German Sects 2:  Bavaria, Moravia, Holland and Switzerland

This is Part 2 of the German Series.  There are 50 million German descendants living in the US from all parts of Europe.  This column will speak about 4 countries due to their proximity to Germany that speak German or a German dialect.  There are pockets of German neighborhoods in Allegheny County (Reserve Township which claims 50% German), and in Pittsburgh (Spring Garden which claims 48%).  26% of Allegheny County’s population is German.  15% of Uniontown PA and 19% of Morgantown WVA residents are of German descent. 

Bavaria is a free state located in southeastern Germany. The Bavarians speak a Bavarian dialect and standard German. 

Common Foods of Bavaria:  Wurstsalat (sausage)

 salad), Kartoffelsaladt (marinated boiled potatoes

 and Leverspatzlesuppe (soup with pork liver  

dumplings, Weisswurst (veal and bacon),
 Schweinsbraten, (pork with gravy and  dumplings), Bratwurst mit Sauerkraut and 
Leberkäse (liver cheese) and is normally served  with bread or Kartoffelsalat and mustard. 

Desserts include Apfelkrapfen (pastry with apples) and Apfelstrudel (apple strudel). And, of course, Bavaria is famous for its three types of beer:  Weißbier (wheat beer), Helles (straw blond lager), and Dunkles (dark lager).

Moravia is a country in the eastern part of the Czech Republic and due to the proximity of Germany and its history the Moravian language formed its own dialect combining German and Czech. 

Common Foods of Moravia:  Roast goose with dumplings and sauerkraut, pork knee (Moravian and Czech), roasted pork (“Moravian sparrow”) with stewed cabbage and dumplings, various dishes with savoy cabbage (like baked rabbit meat), sweet noodles with poppy seeds, pies with sweet cottage cheese and plum jam, Halušky (soft cooked noodles or dumplings), pickled gherkins, and their beverages are pivo (beer), wine and apricot brandy (slivovitz).

Holland is where they speak Dutch (“low” German). This dialect evolved due to the proximity of Holland to Germany.  Dutch cuisine comes in three parts.  

Common Foods of Holland:

NORTHEASTERN:  Fish, game, Rookwurst (smoked sausage) served with hutspot (sauerkraut), pastries and cookies which are hard in nature and spiced with ginger such as Kruidkoek (spice cake), Fryske dumkes (cookies) and spekdikken (savory pancakes). They drink bitters and high proof liquors. 

WESTERN: Kaas (cheeses such as Edam and Gouda), rich butters, buttermilk, Schaal-en schelpdieren (seafood) and pastries and cookies with lots of sugar.  The traditional alcoholic beverages of this region are beer (strong pale lager), jenever (a high proof juniper-flavored spirit) and Advocaat (liqueur made from eggs, sugar and brandy).  

SOUTHERN:  This area’s haute (high) cuisine is influenced by French and German cuisine.  It is renowned for its many rich pastries, soups, stews and vegetable dishes.  Moorkop and Bossche Bol are typical sweet pastries. These Dutch drink beer and wine.

Switzerland is bordered on the North by Germany so that fact affects the language, culture and cuisine of northern Switzerland. 

Common foods of Switzerland: Zurcher  Geschnetzeltes (veal with mushrooms in a cream sauce),  Swiss cheeses (Emmantal, Gruyere, Vacherin, and Appenzeller), cheese dishes such as fondue and raclette (cheese melted over a fire, scraped onto bread or boiled potatoes and served with cornichons or baby pickles), Cervelet/cervelas (the national sausage), Rosti (potato dish Älplermagronen (Alpine herdsman's macaroni), Tirggel (Christmas biscuits), Zopf (bread), and tarts and quiches (tarts are made with different toppings, from sweet apple to onion).  Wine, beer, brandy and absinthe are popular. 

  

HISTORIC MAP

BAVARIA

LINK to Wiki on Bavaria

LINK to Wikiwand about Bavarian cuisine

LINK to Bavarian Recipes and Food Info

MORAVIA

LINK to WIKI on Moravia

There is a strong link between Bohemia, Germany and Moravia.  Moravia with a large German population is known for its Czech Republic and German Food. 

LINK TO Czech-German cuisine

LINK to 58 Moravian Recipes from Cooks.com

HOLLAND

LINK to WIKI on Holland

LINK to Dutch Cuisine influenced by German 

Cuisine

LINK to Dutch Recipes from About.com

SWITZERLAND

LINK to WIKI on Switzerland

Switzerland is the land of German, French and Italian cuisines.  See the Swiss-German section. 

LINK to German-Swiss Cuisine

LINK to Swiss Recipes

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Next column will be German Sects 3 

For blog posts and recipes visit www.ThePAMeltingPot.com.  Christine Willard, a native of western Pennsylvania, researches and blogs about the food unique to western Pennsylvania. She currently resides in North Carolina.