Tradition can take many forms, whether beginning with family customs, or habits formed from years of friendships–each mean something different to the individual. Thanksgiving is a purely American holiday, not commercialized like so many of the surrounding holidays. Living on the shore, we have some wonderful culinary traditions to take advantage of, for Thanksgiving.
Delmarva is a cornucopia of delicious food, plentiful in water fowl, poultry and seafood that will adorn Thanksgiving tables this week. Preparing for the day, some begin before dawn in the marshes hunting for water fowl, more for tradition than necessity. Wild turkeys wander across our rural roads, a common sight on the Eastern Shore. Those who live outside our area may only know their Thanksgiving main course as the bird they get from the grocery store, whereas it is far more common here in the land of plenty, to be familiar with the farm your turkey was raised on. While the meal is being prepared, some occupy their younger family members by going on a turkey hunt, wandering the local woods in search of a turkey, more for the adventure aspect than to actually hunt.
Oysters are a delicious appetizer to be enjoyed almost any way you would like to prepare them–shucked and served raw, slurping the briny delight; grilled just until they open, then served with a classic mignonette. Having a fresh bushel of oysters and enjoying them as fast as they can be shucked, sitting outside in the cool crisp autumn weather, is a wonderful way to celebrate the bountiful eastern shore offerings. Perhaps scalloped oysters are the tradition in your home, a creamy casserole made from the bivalve mollusks that have been a Chesapeake Bay tradition since the early days. A glass of sparkling wine is perfect to accent the salty flavor of oysters. You can find some recommended selections here.
Turkey preparation may cause many to fret over the possibilities of over or under cooking the bird, and ending up with a dry main course that can only be remedied by covering up the meat with cranberry sauce and gravy. Don’t be afraid of the large bird, they are not as difficult to work with as you may believe. There are many ways to serve the main course in a wonderfully flavorful way. Deep frying the turkey has become quite a popular way to cook the meat, not only does it create a juicy flavor and crispy skin, it also takes much less time to actually cook. Resources to guide you through the process can be found online; here is one to get you started from EatTurkey.com. For those more comfortable with the more traditional method of roasting the turkey, you can still serve a delicious finished product without worry. Brining the turkey is a way to infuse it with flavors that will help produce a beautiful, juicy main course. Another method of guaranteeing a delicious meal, involves basting with butter and white wine every half hour, covering the top of the bird with cheesecloth, creating a perfectly golden, crisp turkey. Find a version of the recipe here.
Menus will vary in their choices of accompaniment to the classic turkey. Green bean casserole, mac n cheese, brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes, stuffing with any variety of fillings, and sweet potatoes cooked all different ways. For those looking for some new options, we have the recipes for Candied Brussel Sprouts and Chorizo Stuffing, from the chefs at Liquid Assets, take a look and give them a try!
We at ShoreBread wish you and yours a happy and festive Thanksgiving, and hope that your table is filled with some of the rich and wonderful traditions of our Eastern Shore. If you have a recipe you’d like to share, please email info@shorebread.com, and it will be published in our new “Bread Box” recipe section.
