As you gleaned from your parents and grandparents, there’s an art to preparing a sumptuous Thanksgiving feast that goes beyond the recipes. What recipes do you prepare ahead of time? How do you finagle two casseroles, a turkey, stuffing, and more to go in your oven? When preparing Thanksgiving dinner, timing is everything. On top of that, you need to keep guest entertained, set the table, and more.
Meinhardt knows there’s a lot that goes into preparing Thanksgiving. That’s why we’re taking preparing dinner out of the equation with a 2022 menu that’s sure to delight everyone at your table this year. Taking old classics and renovating them with surprising twists has been our tasty tradition for years.
But how do we select the menu items, and how do we pair them together? By sticking to tradition and adding a touch of unique flavour! Here’s a run-down of the history of traditional Thanksgiving dishes and how we put unforgettable twists on old classics this year.
Turkey
The star of the show. What’s Thanksgiving without turkey? Turkey is wild game that’s native to the Americas. According to The Spruce, this bird was revered by the Aztecs and Mayans. Further, Benjamin Franklin wanted to honour the bird and make a Turkey the national symbol of the U.S. – they went with the Bald Eagle instead. Today, thanks to conservation efforts, over 7 million wild turkeys roam North America, in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
According to food historian Dorothy Duncan, the exact history of turkey as a Thanksgiving staple is unclear, but “fowl dinners” go back as early as the Elizabethan era. The earliest writing about turkey in North America goes back to the 1860s, pre-dating the first Canadian Thanksgiving by a decade.
This year, Meinhardt is cooking up a classic butter-basted turkey that tastes like home. Butter is often used to baste a turkey to bring out the crunchy, sweet and savoury notes in the turkey skin and meat. It will be a comfort food fever dream and a compliment to the flavourful sides we’re serving up. Speaking of sides …
Root vegetables
Potatoes, yams, carrots, and more can be found on Thanksgiving tables across Canada. That’s because root vegetables are readily available in the fall. In days past, before refrigeration, root veggies were optimal for storing in a root cellar all winter so farming and pioneer families wouldn’t starve. That’s why we’re delivering the sweet and savoury in our glazed root vegetable medley.
Potatoes have been a star root vegetable at Thanksgiving and Christmases for a while. For one of our menu items, rather than going for the tried-and-true mashed potatoes this year, we’re wowing our customers with a truffled cheese and potato casserole. The umami flavours from truffles and cheese will balance well with mild, fluffy spuds and leave you with a satisfying mouthfeel and taste. Seconds, anyone?
Pumpkin
Of course, root veggies aren’t the only fruit and veg that go on your plat at Thanksgiving. Enter fall’s favourite food: pumpkins. From pumpkin pie dessert to pumpkin spiced everything, fall and pumpkins just go together.
The oldest found pumpkin seeds trace back over 7,000 years in Oaxaca, according to PBS. The first pumpkin recipes recorded by Europeans go back to 1670s New England. Diced pumpkins were cooked in a pot with butter and spices all day according to some of the earliest recipes.
This year, we’re bringing out the pumpkin pie, and a spiced pumpkin and caramelized onion bisque for a colourful twist on squash soup.
Only the tip of the iceberg
Of course, that’s not all we’re serving up this year. We’re combining brussels sprouts and cranberries for an autumnal, festive way to eat your veggies this year. Roasted yam and sage stuffing packs our buttery turkey with extra flavour that you’ll enjoy with every bite.
And the best part? There’s no need to sweat over buying ingredients, preparing dinner, and deciding what goes in the oven when. All you need to do is pre-order by October 6th! Then, stop by the store you ordered from, Pacific Centre or South Granville, on October 8-10 between 3 and 6 PM. We walk you through preparation so you can kick back, relax, and enjoy being together with friends and family.
Quantities are limited so hurry and order here soon!