Photo by NIKON CORPORATION via Unsplash

Thanksgiving is a holiday to spend with family, friends and (of course) delicious food. Turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce are all staples of a classic American Thanksgiving feast. 

But where did these traditions come from? What other options are out there?

According to National Geographic, the first Thanksgiving happened in 1621 in Plymouth, Massachusetts when the Mayflower colonists celebrated the fall harvest. The staples of the time, wild birds like geese and ducks, bird broth, stuffing made from nuts and grain and boiled gourd (pumpkin) came from the resources available. They also ate other things like eels and pigeons, but those didn’t make it into the story we know today.

Thanksgiving has always been portrayed as the celebration of a peaceful union between the European colonists and the Native American people, and while this isn’t entirely false, there is a lot missing from the narrative.

The Wampanoag and the colonists did have an alliance where they participated in the fall feasts together. However, this alliance was short-lived and the colonists went on to completely massacre thousands of Native people.

Thanksgiving wasn’t even a national holiday until Abraham Lincoln declared it one after the Civil War. That’s where the classic Thanksgiving story came from. 

As time went on, the classic Thanksgiving meal morphed with the times, becoming more palatable and transforming into what we know today.

However, not everyone eats the same Thanksgiving meals. These are the recipes that the Ida B. Wells community is making.

Žagarėliai

Žagarėliai (angel wings) is a delicious, sweet and crispy pastry that is traditionally part of Baltic Christmas celebrations, but as IBW sophomore and staff writer for The Headlight,  Malija Stone said, “ Žagarėliai are just too good to make only once a year.”

Recipe:

1. Separate six egg yolks and discard the whites.
2. Mix the egg yolks with two whole eggs with an electric mixer until light yellow and foamy (about 15-20 minutes) while gradually adding half a cup of sugar.
3. Add half a cup of heavy cream and one tbsp of vanilla extract. Continue mixing until incorporated. 
4. Pour in one and a half oz of brandy and mix until incorporated.
5. Sprinkle a flat surface with flour and knead until smooth for about 10 minutes. Add flour as necessary to create a stiff dough, but not so stiff that it’s hard to work with. Place the dough in the fridge and chill overnight.
6. After chilling the dough, use a rolling pin to flatten it as thin as possible without tearing. Then cut into one by three to four-inch strips. Cut a slit in the middle of each strip, about one to one and a half inches long. Then grab one end of the strip, pull it through the slit to form the shape. Set them aside on a generously floured surface. 
7. Fill a medium pot or large skillet with vegetable oil, it should be enough for the pastries to float. Heat over medium.
8. Add five to six pastries at a time, depending on how large your pot/skillet is. Fry until golden brown on both sides. When cooked, put the pastries on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar, and enjoy!

Maple Glazed Salmon

For those of us who prefer a West Coast twist over a classic turkey, IBW math teacher, Brian Sahler’s, sweet and tangy maple glazed salmon is a delicious idea.

Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 375℉.
2. Season a salmon filet with salt and pepper and put it on a lightly oiled baking sheet.
3. Place it in the oven on the second rack for five minutes.
4. Remove it from the oven and rub butter to taste over the warm salmon. Squeeze a lemon wedge on it. Return to the oven for 10-15 more minutes.
5. Brush half a cup of maple syrup over it.  
6. Bake for another five minutes until the syrup thickens a bit.
7. Garnish with chopped scallion, lemon slices and rosemary.

Egyptian Macarona Bechamel

IBW freshman, Marina Ibrahim’s creamy, cheesy and delicious Egyptian macarona bechamel is the perfect comfort food to enjoy with your family this Thanksgiving.

Recipe:

1. Boil 21 oz of macaroni pasta in generously salted water. 
2. To make the meat sauce, coat a nonstick pan with vegetable oil. Add one diced onion,  and cook until softened (about five to six minutes). Then add 25 oz of ground beef and break it up with a spoon or spatula. Cook all the way. Add one tsp cinnamon, half tsp of black pepper and two cups of tomato puree and simmer for six minutes.
3. Make the bechamel sauce by melting two sticks of butter in a large pot. Set heat to low. Whisk in one cup of flour and one cup of whole milk to form a sauce. Cook while mixing, until thickened, or about four minutes. Add three- fourths tsp of ground nutmeg. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Boil about three large potatoes until fork tender. Mash until it forms your desired mashed potato texture.
5. Mix the pasta with one cup of bechamel sauce. 
6. Add two tbsp of bechamel sauce into a casserole dish, spreading it evenly with the back of a spoon. Layer pasta to cover the bottom, with mashed potatoes and meat sauce on top and even out the layer with the back of a spoon. Add any leftover pasta to the top and cover with bechamel sauce.
7. Preheat oven to 375℉.
8. Bake for 35 minutes or until it has turned golden brown, then add one cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. Return to the oven until the cheese is melted and browned, about three minutes.
9. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.