# Happy Thanksgiving to the American expats!



## EriEli (Oct 26, 2011)

Thought it would be fun to share how we're all celebrating this year...

I am actually in the US with family this year but in 2010 I cooked meal for 15 in tiny a studio apt. in Athens. Though it was a bit tough finding all the ingredients, (i.e cranberries) it was a huge success. I learned that people many Greeks aren't used to sage flavored food (stuffing was a bit confusing to people) but all in all was definitely a fun evening. 

What are your thanksgiving traditions / how are you celebrating this year? Or better yet, what are you all thankful for during this tough time in Greece's history?

Happy thanksgiving to you all!


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## wka (Sep 18, 2009)

Thank you and happy Thanksgiving to you too!!

I hosted a Thanksgiving party at our apartment last night (Thursdays we have Turkish lessons so couldn't do it today). 

I cooked for 2 days straight. It was a great success. I was the only person there who had any idea what Thanksgiving is.

This was the menu:

- roast turkey - I found The One and Only Turkey (frozen) in this city. It was the size of a fat chicken.
- cranberry sauce - I had to use Greek "krana" which are NOT the same and have big pits that I had to remove by hand... took 3 hours... but the taste was pretty close-ish.
- garlic-horseradish mashed potatoes
- homemade rolls
- stuffing made from some of the rolls with mushrooms, wild celery, and pine nuts (I think this was my favorite part)
- roasted potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, and onions
- peas and pearl onions
- one of the guests brought three salads

And dessert...

- apple pie with vanilla ice cream (I bought the ice cream at the store, I know, shameful!) and warm apple topping
- lemon cheesecake
- orange pie (portokalopita) made my my aunt-in-law

It was good! I really appreciated not having to cook today. I think we have enough leftovers to keep me out of the kitchen for at least 2 more days.

We had so much fun... I think the guests were convinced that Thanksgiving is a great idea. Oh and I almost forgot - I made my husband play "This Land is Your Land" on the piano and I sang... hilarious.


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## EriEli (Oct 26, 2011)

What fun!!! (I love the this land is your land part - don't think my fiancé has ever heard that song. I forced him to listen to "country roads" the other day and he asked me if there was "something in the water" in the US...haha.. Yes dear...and all your old greek classics are totally easy on the ears...)

This year I had all the old standards in the American fashion...one final time before moving. Last years feast is probably much more interesting. Especially since i pulled it off using one of those miniature ovens with ONE burner. The menu:

-Baked Brie cheese wheel with a dried nut and fruit crust (I cut off some of the skin and pressed in the crust and baked it. HUGE success! I made two and they were both gone within minutes.

- baked yam medallions served cold with Gorgonzola and walnuts (another crowd pleaser appetizer)

- roasted and salted (at home) hazelnuts

-Turkey (I also found the only one to be had. I was a bit large for our mini oven so my fiancé broke a leg before we stuffed it in the oven. Nothing for a farm boy, but gruesome for me.) I had brought an oven bag from the US..life saver! Also, I was afraid it was going to taste like ice so I brined it for 24 hours. It was honestly delicious.

- stuffing with celery, leeks, pine nuts and mixed dried fruit (found sage at an incredible old spice place near the central Athens market off of athinas st. It was very fragrant and a tiny bit goes a looooong way. Guests were unsure what to do with it...tasted like tea to them with sage. Meh - more for me. It was my favorite too.

- creamy whipped garlic mashed potatoes ( thank you ΝΟΥΝΟΥ. Huge hit)

- gravy. Most of my guests had never eaten gravy, it took some convincing but they loved it once they got the courage up.

- cranberries. I actually found frozen cranberries at a polish market in the central Athens market. They were cheap and pretty close to the real thing - although about a 1/4 of the size of American cranberries - the flavor was the same. We also dropped some berries in champagne glasses and served a welcome toast. People loved this.

- Spinach, pear, feta salad. With all the other new things to taste, this was a wash. No one touched it.

Seems like I'm forgetting a vegetable...hmmm.

- pumpkin pie (made from a whole baked pumpkin...delicious! I will never use canned again) and homemade crust (ugh, that was tough but worth it)

- apple pie (people liked this more than pumpkin)

And lots and lots of wine..... 

I had people writing me and calling me here in the US this year asking me to hurry back to Greece to cook again  I have a feeling it's going to be a happy tradition in our Greek home for many years to come! 

Happy Thanksgiving!


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