Product Description

A Delicious Exploration of the Thanksgiving Holiday

Thanksgiving is the quintessential American holiday, with 97 percent of Americans eating turkey on that day. But beyond the bird, the menu is as varied as the cultures of the nation’s melting pot—and every recipe tells a story. Giving Thanks explores the delicious, fascinating history of Thanksgiving, complete with trivia, recipes, and an amazing collection of archival imagery of the holiday’s history.

Perfect for parents, kids, teachers, history buffs, and of course Thanksgiving cooks, Giving Thanks is a true keepsake cookbook, meant to be shared and enjoyed year after year. Thanksgiving specialists Kathleen Curtin and Sandra L. Oliver and the world-famous Plimoth Plantation trace the colorful history of the holiday, from the story of “The First Thanksgiving” to twenty-first-century customs. Then the real fun begins—a delicious assortment of more than eighty recipes, from appetizers to desserts, old-fashioned mincemeat pies to modern pumpkin cheesecake, generously seasoned with plenty of fascinating trivia.

Giving Thanks shows that there’s definitely more to Thanksgiving cookery than sage stuffing and pumpkin pie, highlighting favorites from throughout the holiday’s history and from an incredible variety of cultures. Recipes include five different ways to prepare turkey, from Classic New England to Indian and Cuban; Oyster Stew and Pomegranate and Persimmon Salad; Creamed Onions and Corn Pudding; and pies galore, from Cranberry Pear to Texas Buttermilk.

Filled with a vibrant, fascinating collection of Thanksgiving photographs and illustrations from Plimoth Plantation’s unparalleled archives, Giving Thanks brings the history of Thanksgiving to life in an incredibly delicious way.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #419965 in Books
• Published on: 2005-10-11
• Released on: 2005-10-11
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 192 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Curtin and Oliver trace the history of America's favorite day of food and football, from the earliest Puritan celebrations of thanksgiving to Lincoln's declaration of a national holiday in 1863 to the Macy's parade. Alas, the book fails to shake the cold whiff of a museum brochure; the narrative section's tone is about as energetic as an encyclopedia entry. Happily, more than half the book is devoted to recipes, and Curtin (Plimoth Plantation's food historian) and Oliver (publisher of Food History News) come to life as they explore the social history of food, past and present. More than 80 recipes are drawn from different eras, regions and traditions—from Indian pudding to flan, from traditional roast turkey to Cuban turkey "rellenos con moros," with a couple of gelatin salads—"Golden Glow" and "Cranberry"—certain to evoke baby-boomer nostalgia. Instructions are family-friendly and accessible, augmented by history and anecdote. The genuine historical engravings and illustrations are a treat, but the photographs of contemporary re-enactors of Native Americans and colonists strike a false note. Ultimately, the book works better as a souvenir of a visit to the Plimoth Plantation than it does as a stand-alone volume. (Oct. 11)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review
"… after years of research, culinary historian Kathleen Curtin … sets the record straight about what was really eaten on the shores of Plymouth, Mass., in 1621. This engrossing new cookbook traces the history and evolution of Thanksgiving across four centuries and includes more than 80 recipes, each of which tells a story." —Christian Science Monitor

"… a charming and informative book …" —Newsday

"Giving Thanks …is a treasure trove of holiday lore, images and recipes that will be cherished year after year when Thanksgiving rolls around … this book by Plimoth Plantation food historian Kathleen Curtin and Food History News publisher Sandra L. Oliver is not only the definitive Thanksgiving cookbook, it is a detailed and fascinating account of the origins and meaning of the quintessential American holiday."—About.com

About the Author
Plimoth Plantation, a living history museum, is the leading authority on Thanksgiving. It explores the culture of the native Wampanoag People and English colonists who came together in seventeenth-century Plymoth Colony. Kathleen Curtin is Plimoth Plantation’s food historian, and Sandra L. Oliver is the award-winning author of Saltwater Foodways as well as the publisher of Food History News.

Customer Reviews

Giving Thanks for "Giving Thanks".
This is a fun book. The book has great trivia and history, and a great variety of the old traditional recipes. But along with that, are the recipes created by the different cultures of our "Melting Pot", who adapted their own wonderful tastes and flavors to their Thanksgiving celebration. This year, my family is going use only recipes in this cookbook to make a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner.

A MUST HAVE!!
A fantastic book to read! The recipes we tried were outstanding-easy to read directions & the history behind each dish was a treat to read. I am looking forward to using these recipes at our Thanksgiving this year.

On Giving Thanks
As someone who loves to cook and is fascinated by early american history, I was extremely pleased by the content of this book. It is not merely a cookbook but a history book as well. This book can be enjoyed by children and adults equally.