Peace pipe or candy?

It is time for Thanksgiving, the table of union and peace. The tradition began in 1621, when 51 newcomers to America hosted 90 members of the Wampanoag tribe. The event took place in the fall; the occasion was to celebrate a good harvest of corn. The celebrations lasted three days; among the food consumed were wild fowl (probably turkey) and five deer. This united celebration feast of pilgrims and natives is considered to be the start of Thanksgiving, but it was not until years later that it was hailed as a national holiday.

Initially, similar celebrations took place in Northern states, particularly in New England, whereas Southern states did not have such a tradition. In November 1789, President George Washington declared Thanksgiving a nationally-observed holiday. Later, in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln established the holiday’s date in August, but later changed it to the end of November. The month of August seemed to be an appropriate time, as Thanksgiving began as a harvest celebration, but then it would be too early to combine it with Christmas. There was a history related to November; a much more logical time to start the holiday shopping craze.

Actually, in 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt attempted to move the date one week earlier, to revive the economy during the Depression, but Congress eventually accepted the last Thursday of November as the official date of Thanksgiving.

Novelties versus Old Flavors

The traditional Thanksgiving dishes can vary a lot throughout the United States. Each state seems to have almost obligatory must-have dishes, but one thing remains unchanged: All basic ingredients have to be native to the American continent. Turkey, potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, corn, cranberries; all are truly...