Immigrant Thanksgiving or Why Is That Turkey Sitting On The Table

As the days count down to another Thanksgiving holiday, I am reminded of the stories my Mom would tell about celebrating the Holiday from an Immigrant's Point of View.

Mom grew up in Brooklyn New York. On one side of her family she was a 2nd generation American and the other she was 1st generation. She grew up in the early part of the 20th Century, the depression being her first real memories of life. No food, no jobs for members of her family. Poor is the word one would use. But what her family lacked in money, they made up for with the family being very close together. It is the same trait that I see in my son's friend from Vietnam and his family. When new Immigrants come to this land, they tend to congregate together and celebrate that which they left behind, more then that which is the new countries traditions.

In my Mom's family perhaps 50 or so people would come together to celebrate holidays. The women all prepared the food and the men would sit around together. The kids would play out back. Being I am of Italian ancestry, the way the meal went was basically as follows. An antipasto tray began the meal with things like cheese, salami, caponata (an eggplant dish) and olives. Then Italian soup with chicken, meatballs and streams of cooked egg was served. The pasta dish followed, such things as lasagna, ravioli, manicotti, cavatelli, were typical dishes served and all were hand made by the women. Tired of food yet...we are not done here. :-)

The next course added the "American" part of the dinner. Turkey would then be served, with stuffing, sweet potatoes, fried asparagus and artichoke hearts, gravy, cranberry sauce. The family never quite knew what to make of that Thanksgiving bird, but that's what the new country did and so it had a place on the table.

Finally fruit and nuts to keep you going until later, when the deserts like Italian pastry and coffee were served. Cheap "Guinea Red" wine was served for the meal itself. Bought in a huge glass bottle. The kids got cider or something else.

When I came out west, to live, I brought some of the tradition with me, but my meal is much more traditional. No soup, no pasta dish, no antipasto, no fried vegetables. Just turkey, stuffing, cranberries, sweet potatoes, green beans, a green salad, pumpkin pie for desert. If I feel Italian, I will add one of the above, like a pasta dish, but never consistently.

Yes, this 2nd generation American finally knows what is really important about the holiday. Giving Thanks.