Thinking Thanksgiving!
The holiday season is just around the corner! The leaves are falling, snow will soon begin to blow, and the smell of roasting turkey and pumpkin pie will fill our homes as we celebrate Thanksgiving. The Baldwin Brothers Staff would like to help fill your Thanksgiving table with some of our favorite holiday tips and traditions.
Serving a large Thanksgiving meal can be made easier with planning ahead. Preparing desserts and side dishes in advance can help make your dinner plans run smoother. After all, Thanksgiving is a day to celebrate and relax with family and friends. If purchasing a frozen turkey be sure you allow for proper defrost time. Allow for 24 hours of defrost time for every 5 pounds of turkey if defrosting in the refrigerator. If defrosting in cold water, allow for 30 minutes of defrost time per pound of turkey. Along with allowing enough defrost time for the highlight of your Thanksgiving table you can begin preparing dishes such as cranberry sauce, soups, dips, and casseroles up to two days in advance. Also, try saving oven space and baking time by finishing your desserts the day before Thanksgiving, being sure to store them at room temperature, not in the refrigerator, in order to avoid sogginess. Always remember, you can cut and cube your stuffing bread in advance, giving ample time to dry out. Vegetables can be washed and sliced in advance; even potatoes can be peeled and sliced the day before if submerged in cold water and stored in the refrigerator. One of the biggest ways to avoid unnecessary holiday chaos is to plan in advance – preparing a set schedule and checklist always allows you to get organized while entertaining and can help the largest of gatherings to go off without a hitch.
When dinner is served and your guests are patiently awaiting the carving of the bird, don’t forget to save the wishbone! The tradition of breaking the wishbone dates back 2,400 years to the Etruscans in Italy. According to tradition, the Etruscans considered chickens to be oracles and truth-speakers. Chickens were believed to have the ability to see into the future based on the hen’s clucking in prediction of laying an egg and the rooster’s prediction of dawn with his traditional sun-up announcement. The Etruscans sought insight from the birds by placing corn kernels in a circle that represented the 20 letters of their alphabet. The order in which the poultry ate the corn was recorded and interpreted to announce forbearing and future events such as initials of men and women that might marry. After their predictions, the chickens were prepared and consumed as a meal. The collar bone was saved and left to dry in the sun while members of the Etruscans were allowed to make wishes while stroking the drying bone, thus coining the name ‘wishbone’. Hence, the tradition of breaking the wishbone occurred after eager wish-makers began to fight over the bone. History tells us that the pilgrims carried the wishbone tradition over to the United States where they discovered the forests of North America were mainly filled with Turkeys. The custom was changed from chickens to turkeys and carried on to present day.
We hope these Thanksgiving tips have been helpful and we encourage you to carry on traditions and create new family traditions to be carried on for each and every holiday you celebrate.
Here’s wishing you a healthy and happy holiday season!
Sincerely,
Residential Rental Department
Baldwin Brothers Inc.