Thanksgiving American Theme Meetings: turkey, kugel and potluck

American flag, the stars and stripes.

Problem
All over the world people will be celebrating or discussing Thanksgiving in November. When is it and what is it? Who celebrates and who doesn't?

Answers
Who, Where, Why?
In London, UK, we regard it as an American event. As a child I was led to believe it had something to do with Americans giving thanks for landing safely in the USA on the journey by ship from the UK, and surviving a year.

Why Not?
In the UK we don't celebrate Thanksgiving. We have harvest festival in churches and schools.

When?
American Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday in November.

Where?
According to Wikipedia other similar events are held in other parts of America and the Caribbean, in Europe in German and in Asia in Japan.

Caps and Plurals
The festival is given a capital letter. Notice that is is a plural. On whats app I was sent a notice about thank giving, no caps and singular.

Thanksgiving and American Clothes
Now is a good time to look out your American items, hats, tee-shirts, towels, whatever.

Cowgirl Hats
I am not sure that a cowgirl or cowboy hat is suitable, as this is from Texas and the West. However, since Thanksgiving is celebrated all over America, why not.

In Singapore you can buy a cowgirl hat for under ten dollars in a shop in Clementi shopping mall by Clementi MRT.

Cowboy or cowgirl hat in SKP, Clementi.

Hat from SKP shop in Clementi shopping Mall by Clementi MRT station and bus exchange.

Any party shop should have something American.

I suggest you check out the history of Thanksgiving in case you are asked to speak about it, or give thanks to those who prepared the food.

Thanksgiving Food
Traditionally turkey - thanksgiving day is also known as Turkey Day. (In the UK we have turkey on Xmas Day. American who had turkey the previous month on Thanksgiving Day therefore tend to go for something different on Xmas Day.)

To go with the turkey, what? Mashed potato. (At Xmas Day in the UK we have roast potatoes.)

Turkey and vegetable?
Maybe Brussels sprouts. (Turkey and Brussels sprouts is what we would have in London, England, for Xmas Day.) Yes, capital for Brussels, and plural. The sprouts were originally sold from near Brussels, capital of Belgium.

Dessert
Pumpkin pie is the seasonal and traditional dessert. You can also have pumpkin soup.

Kugel, Lockshen Pudding and Noodles
I was intrigued to read about what Ashkenazi Jews in America eat for dessert on Thanksgiving Day. Kugel. Kugel is tradition at the weekend (Sabbath being Friday night and Saturday until dusk - which is earlier in winter.)

What is it? I think kugel, to judge by the pictures and recipes, is what Londoners call lokshen pudding. Noodle pudding. Made with rich, yellow egg noodles.

The London version has sultanas and lemon.  You can get it to take away or eat in from B & K salt beef far and restaurant in Edgware and Hatch End - see my previous posts.) Asians might understand what it is if you call it noodle pudding.

Alternative To Turkey?
Duck.

Drinks?
Cider. Sparkling wine. Beaujolais Nouveau -which has been launched in London, England, with a cross-Channel dash to be the first shop to sell it and the first restaurant to serve it, the previous week.

Potluck
How about a potluck celebration? Americans like potluck dinners where everybody brings something to eat.

Music and Preparation
A potluck supper moves some of the responsibility of the catering onto the guests. That leaves the hosts time to do the decor and music.

Decor
American flags. Photos of America. America the beautiful, from sea to shining sea: landmarks include:
Grand Canyon


You might also like to include Canada:
Niagara Falls

Add some famous American Presidents, personalities and film stars:
Look in Wikipedia for free of copyright pictures of
Abraham Lincoln
George Washington
Marilyn Monroe
Elvis Presley
Dolly Parton

Check the figures on banknotes.

American Patriotic Music
Print off the words:
America the Beautiful.

American Personal Favourites
Country Music:
Take me home, country roads .. by John Denver.
Elvis

After you have done this once for the USA and Thanksgiving, you will have a system to follow for your club or conference in another country or on another national day.
(Coming up this year and next: December: Christmas. Spring: Chinese New Year.)

Check if a member of your group has a birthday (in any group of thirty people you usually find one or two with birthdays on the day, or week, or month). You can order cakes, and ice cream cakes in the USA, UK and Singapore.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Lemon flavour lokshen pudding from B & K

What puts a smile on my face? The thought of lemon-flavour, moist lokshen pudding from B & K. I've been to other places where chocolate doesn't taste of chocolate and pastry is dry but if you want filling food and tasty food this is the place.

I was a bit anxious when I read in a local magazine that my favourite B & K got a low rating from the local inspectors. What was the problem? I didn't dare ask what the problem was and if it had been cleared up.

That didn't deter my family. They shrugged and said, "If it was that bad they'd have been closed down and they are still in business." My family climb mountains and race motorbikes and trek through third world countries eating yak butter and stuff from roadside stalls.

So my family happily went back and got a takeaway (admitted a month or so after the reported problem).

Good as ever. Yes I like the chopped liver. And the fried fish balls. And I like the lokshen pudding. Lokshen is noodles, but noodles doesn't have quite the same lip-smacking ring. Lokshen pudding with lemon and sultanas.

I was going to take a photo of it. But it got eaten too fast. I'll have to re-use an old photo.

I need a cheer-up. I must keep a sign on my desk. Think of lokshen pudding.
B & K
Hatch End
Pinner
Middlesex

B & K
Edgware
Middlesex

UPDATE - they now have a five star rating. See Dec 9 2016 post.
www.bksaltbeefbar.com
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.