1. Who’s for hamming it up?
Think of Thanksgiving as a test-run for Christmas and hone your ham-glazing skills with this recipe from Matthew Evans. Mixing apple cider and sugar, with allspice berries, Seville orange marmalade and mustard powder, this sweet, sticky marinade will infuse your meat beautifully.
2. Leave it to Beaver
Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving Day too – it’s held on the second Monday in October and known as Jour de l'action de grâce – so it’d be remiss of us not to include a recipe from the Great White North. These crispy cornmeal sweet potato fries from My New Roots blogger Sarah Britton are an excellent way to start your meal. Serve with chermoula yoghurt dip and compliments from the chef.
3. Cheers to us
Seasoned hosts and hostesses will be all-too-familiar with the charms of a spritzer. Refreshing, calming and oh-so-delicious, this cucumber recipe comes from party planning doyenne Erin Gleeson of The Forest Feast. It can be made in a flash for early arrivals.
4. Thanks pumpkin!
For those planning a traditional Thanksgiving menu, pumpkin pie is an absolute must. This recipe from Feast magazine is laced with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Did we mention there’s some pecan action too?
5. Choose the chick
If cooking a five-kilogram turkey sounds more like a horror film than holiday classic, switch channels and settle on a couple of chooks instead. This recipe from the food dept. teams succulent lemon chicken with a sweet parsnip puree. The dish alone will give you a reason to say thanks.
6. Keep calm and carrot on
While our pals in the Northern Hemisphere will be enjoying a chilly November, Thanksgiving-time in Australia is hot, hot hot. Avoid oven-related over-heating with cooler recipes, like paprika-glazed carrots or a five-grain salad.
7. Fulton is full of ideas
We couldn’t plan a Thanksgiving menu without throwing in a turkey. This one comes from home cook wunderkind, Ms Margaret Fulton. Instead of roasting a whole bird, Margaret uses the breast – stuffing it with apple, prune and pistachio (yum!) and rolling before roasting. For more turkey recipes, head here.
8. The crustless incarnation
Gluten-free guests at yours this year? Don’t worry, dessert isn't ruined. Swap the pie for this pumpkin and maple custard, topped with yoghurt and pepitas. It’s far better suited to the Aussie climate and you can play with the toppings – think pine nuts, walnuts or hazelnuts.
9. Cherry on top
Like black coffee and brisket with biscuits, cherry pie has “Southern American diner” written all over it. Don’t let that stop you from bringing this sweet sensation into your home. The recipe can be made year-round using preserved, frozen or fresh cherries. Via Feast.
Feeling festive? Find more Thanksgiving recipes here, check out our turkey-roasting tips, and read how one American-Australian family celebrates in this story from Feast.
After bite-sized bits?
How to pack a picnic like a chef
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