US ExPats - How do you celebrate Thanksgiving??
Nov 21st, 2007, 11:46 PM
#21
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i am sure a lot of restaurants will have the traditional dinner, especially at hotels. ask at a nearby hotel or open the local paper and see where they are advertising.
you may even find a nice thanksgiving buffett.
be sure to try pecan pie for dessert ( very sweet, though)..and if they have a corn souffle.. those are very different plates i love.
you may even find a nice thanksgiving buffett.
be sure to try pecan pie for dessert ( very sweet, though)..and if they have a corn souffle.. those are very different plates i love.
Nov 22nd, 2007, 01:47 AM
#23
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I have lived abroad for 12 years (8 in France, 4 in Russia) and always prepare a Thanksgiving dinner for family and friends, though I do it on Saturday since people are at work and school on Thursday.
My favorite story about finding the necessary ingredients: My first year in Russia, I searched high and low in Moscow food stores for sage, to use in the turkey dressing. Finally I asked a Russian friend, who informed me that sage (it's "shalfay" in Russian, should you ever need to know!) was sold in pharmacies, because Russians consider it a medicinal herb. Sure enough, I dropped into the local drugstore and there it was!
As we were enjoying Thanksgiving dinner, one of my Russian guests said, "This stuffing is delicious -- what's that flavor?" When I replied, "Shalfay," all the Russians' jaws dropped. For them, it was as if I had used aspirin as seasoning.
My favorite story about finding the necessary ingredients: My first year in Russia, I searched high and low in Moscow food stores for sage, to use in the turkey dressing. Finally I asked a Russian friend, who informed me that sage (it's "shalfay" in Russian, should you ever need to know!) was sold in pharmacies, because Russians consider it a medicinal herb. Sure enough, I dropped into the local drugstore and there it was!
As we were enjoying Thanksgiving dinner, one of my Russian guests said, "This stuffing is delicious -- what's that flavor?" When I replied, "Shalfay," all the Russians' jaws dropped. For them, it was as if I had used aspirin as seasoning.
Nov 22nd, 2007, 05:23 AM
#24
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Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! I am cooking away and it smells great in here! 
I am very proud to say that my first pie worked out just great although I did have to do conversions on setting the over and using the measuring cup. LOL...it is different here.
I can not wait until they wake up at home in California so we can webcam ( free via skype) everyone there. We have adsl this year for our internet its a great connection to all.
Thanks SharonG, that is sweet and nice to hear.
Thanks lincasanova and Kenderina. We have macadona and a hyper market nearby here, but have yet to find brown sugar, but I will look harder...great ideas from you both.
Really glad to hear about the pie crust, although I was amazed that it was really easy to make.
We watched a little of the Macy parade preparing on the web this morning with our child which was par for the course just like at home.
It is fun having our own little holiday here. There is a store that I know about in Spain ( and there is one in Italy too) that has lots of American brands for homesick expats. Glad it is there, but so far we have not needed it.
We still haven't found a great chinese food restaurant yet in Spain. That and real Mexican are things we miss sometimes, but we found great Chinese food in Croatia and Vienna and wonderful authentic Mexican in Santorini, so I still have hope of finding it here somewhere. We make our own, but not quite the same.
It is a beautiful day and we are so grateful to be celebrating here together and feel so blessed as well that technology now allows us to stay connected with family across the world at the same time.
I am very proud to say that my first pie worked out just great although I did have to do conversions on setting the over and using the measuring cup. LOL...it is different here.
I can not wait until they wake up at home in California so we can webcam ( free via skype) everyone there. We have adsl this year for our internet its a great connection to all.
Thanks SharonG, that is sweet and nice to hear.
Thanks lincasanova and Kenderina. We have macadona and a hyper market nearby here, but have yet to find brown sugar, but I will look harder...great ideas from you both.
Really glad to hear about the pie crust, although I was amazed that it was really easy to make.
We watched a little of the Macy parade preparing on the web this morning with our child which was par for the course just like at home.
It is fun having our own little holiday here. There is a store that I know about in Spain ( and there is one in Italy too) that has lots of American brands for homesick expats. Glad it is there, but so far we have not needed it.
We still haven't found a great chinese food restaurant yet in Spain. That and real Mexican are things we miss sometimes, but we found great Chinese food in Croatia and Vienna and wonderful authentic Mexican in Santorini, so I still have hope of finding it here somewhere.
We make our own, but not quite the same. It is a beautiful day and we are so grateful to be celebrating here together and feel so blessed as well that technology now allows us to stay connected with family across the world at the same time.
Nov 22nd, 2007, 10:00 AM
#28
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right now is the hardest hour.. calling the states.. hearing about the turkey in the oven, the menu, last minute additonal guests.
i can almost smell the stuffing.
..family waiting for family to arrive.. by car.. by plane.
just wish i could be there.
boo-hoo.
i can almost smell the stuffing.
..family waiting for family to arrive.. by car.. by plane.
just wish i could be there.
boo-hoo.
Nov 22nd, 2007, 04:08 PM
#30
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I'm celebrating Thanksgiving by watching NHL ice hockey tonight! Ever so traditional, right?!
However, on Saturday night, I'm joining in an American Thanksgiving evening. I am in charge of the pecan pie. The pecans are imported, as is the brown sugar. I also have to make some improvisations for corn syrup. Weird the ingredients you take for granted! I'm looking forward to it. Last year I don't recall doing anything for Thanksgiving. I've never been one for turkey, but I'll eat all the deserts available!!
One year we came to Paris for Thanksgiving and I made it a weekend of escargot-eating. I think I had about 30 total during three days, and frankly that was an accomplishment! Now that I live here, I'm less ambitious...plus I want my clothes to fit.
Happy Thanksgiving from Paris!
Lutece
However, on Saturday night, I'm joining in an American Thanksgiving evening. I am in charge of the pecan pie. The pecans are imported, as is the brown sugar. I also have to make some improvisations for corn syrup. Weird the ingredients you take for granted! I'm looking forward to it. Last year I don't recall doing anything for Thanksgiving. I've never been one for turkey, but I'll eat all the deserts available!!
One year we came to Paris for Thanksgiving and I made it a weekend of escargot-eating. I think I had about 30 total during three days, and frankly that was an accomplishment! Now that I live here, I'm less ambitious...plus I want my clothes to fit.
Happy Thanksgiving from Paris!
Lutece
Nov 22nd, 2007, 11:38 PM
#32
I know this is the Europe board, but what the heck...
We're Americans living in Indonesia. Thanksgiving here is just another workday. We had Australian tenderloin, sour cream potatoes and fresh corn-on-the-cob for dinner.
Never have been a big fan of turkey, so didn't miss the traditional food so much, although I do tend to get homesick this time of year.
We're Americans living in Indonesia. Thanksgiving here is just another workday. We had Australian tenderloin, sour cream potatoes and fresh corn-on-the-cob for dinner.
Never have been a big fan of turkey, so didn't miss the traditional food so much, although I do tend to get homesick this time of year.
Nov 23rd, 2007, 08:39 AM
#33
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WTnow, I'm about three months behind with your blog. Was wondering if you were back in Spain by now. I need to try to keep up better. I'm glad you had a great holiday. I also enjoy reading what all you ExPats do. When my neice was in Copenhagen two years ago, she cooked for a lot of her friends but had to settle for chicken. She said turkey was very scarce AND terribly expensive if you could find it.
Nov 23rd, 2007, 10:42 AM
#34
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We are newbie Ex-Pats and we just ignored Thanksgiving. They don't have it here, we have no family here, why bring an American Holiday with us?
We will have Christmas but we won't celebrate the 4th of July either
It is also the beginnng of summer so no one I know wanted a big heavy roasted turkey with trimmings..
I have no idea what Christmas will be like here but it will be fun finding out.
I am not a believer in dragging along all your habits from home when you move. The point of moving is sort of to get away from the old places & habits and get new ones..so far, this has worked for us
We will have Christmas but we won't celebrate the 4th of July either
It is also the beginnng of summer so no one I know wanted a big heavy roasted turkey with trimmings..
I have no idea what Christmas will be like here but it will be fun finding out.
I am not a believer in dragging along all your habits from home when you move. The point of moving is sort of to get away from the old places & habits and get new ones..so far, this has worked for us
Nov 23rd, 2007, 10:56 AM
#35
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Hi Scarlett, if I lived outside the US I would do the same thing. And sometimes when I have not been at home during a holiday it is ignored also. I always remember a Thanksgiving in the Santa Barbara area. I had two lobster tails and a Cesear Salad. Best Thanksgiving dinner ever!!!
Nov 23rd, 2007, 10:36 PM
#37
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I have been an expat three times in my life and have spent 9 out of the last ten years abroad during Thanksgiving. All the American ex pats I knew with family celebrated Thanksgiving in very similar fashion to being in the US except with the addition of native guests and single ex pats. When I was single and abroad I always joined a group of similar expats to cook Thanksgiving dinner. Do have to work abit to get traditional ingredients but that is highly dependent on where you live. Nowdays when we travel during Thanksgiving we just have a nice meal wherever we are and do Thanksgiving when we return home.
Nov 24th, 2007, 01:49 AM
#38
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Hey crefloors!
I am behind too...grin! Yes we got back to our little village in Andalucia just a week ago and I am busy unpacking and catching up.
I still have Prague up and must catch up with Vienna and lots of cool stuff in Italy before I can get to the Spain stuff.
I will get to as soon as I can, Vienna is almost ready. So probably never a better time to be behind.
One of the tricky things making a dinner here are things like temps on the oven or even on measuring cups etc. It still managed to work out and we had a lot of fun...still enjoying the left overs.
I am behind too...grin! Yes we got back to our little village in Andalucia just a week ago and I am busy unpacking and catching up.
I still have Prague up and must catch up with Vienna and lots of cool stuff in Italy before I can get to the Spain stuff.
I will get to as soon as I can, Vienna is almost ready. So probably never a better time to be behind.
One of the tricky things making a dinner here are things like temps on the oven or even on measuring cups etc. It still managed to work out and we had a lot of fun...still enjoying the left overs.
Nov 24th, 2007, 07:02 AM
#39
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When I lived in Copenhagen as a student, the American Embassey would take order for turkeys in November. May roomate and I cooked our Danish host family an entire Thanksgiving meal, and we all really enjoyed it. The only thing we could't get at the time was cranberry sauce, but we substituted ligonberries!
Nov 24th, 2007, 07:06 AM
#40
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I live in Siracusa, Sicily. Not much celebration of thanksgiving going on here. However, I work with a local university that hosts many American students and we run a Pot-Luck dinner, invite students, teachers and local friends. It's always quite an experience. Most locals want to know the "real" story of Thanksgiving. Turkey is not such a popular bird, but you can order one...we had 2 25 pound turkeys...free range, etc.
