American second biggest holiday in the
year: Thanksgiving. The last Thursday of November, what makes it a long weekend
holiday, brings us a festive and colorful celebration. With family and friends, and the colors of autumn, we
are all ready to eat that turkey and give thanks for all the abundance we
have.
That's the idea. Giving thanks for
food, for life, for overcame challenges. That's how Thanksgiving was originated. After a devastating winter,
in 1621 pilgrims and American Indians had their first gathering - a three-day feast - celebrating the abundance of a new
life.
What new life? you
may ask....
Those pilgrims fled their homeland, England, because they were escaping religious persecution. First they sailed to The Netherlands, and not really enjoying life so much
in there they came to America. They arrived in Plymouth, in mid winter, Dec. 11, 1620. (So say the
Historians!)
The pilgrims were concerned
about being attacked by the local Native American Indians, but they were a peaceful group and did not offer
any threat. However, the cold weather, snow, and no food presented many 
settlement
challenges. About fifty percent of the pilgrims died during the long
winter.
In March of 1621, now with
good weather, the indians taught the pilgrims how to tap the maple trees for sap, how to plant corn, and other
things.
October, the harvesting month, brought success and abundance! The pilgrims had enough food
to put away for the coming winter. There were plenty of corn, fruit, vegetables, fish to be packed in salt, and meat to be cured
over smoky fires. They had venison, duck and geese.
The term "turkey" was used by the Pilgrims meaning any sort of wild fowl. That's probably why the turkey is the main symbol of Thanksgiving
nowadays.
It is believed that the
pilgrims would not have made it through the year without the help of the natives. So, that's how Thanksgiving celebration was
born.
For us, Americans, what remains alive is the concept of giving thanks for one more year of
bountilful blessings, and preparing our spirits for another long winter to
come.
Cornucopia /korn-yoo-KO-pee-uh/
One of
the most recognizable symbols of Thanksgiving is the cornucopia, also called horn of plenty. It is a
decorative motif originated in ancient Greece, symbolizing abundance. The original cornucopia was a
curved goat's horn filled to overflowing with fruit and grain. It symbolizes the horn possessed by Zeus's
nurse, the Greek nymph Amalthaea, which could be filled with whatever the owner
wished.
LEP's
Humor:
How to Make Pumpkin Pie for
Thanksgiving:
Ok, now the real recipe
- the traditional dessert for
Thanksgiving!
(try it! it's
good!)
Pumpkin Pie (torta de abóbora - "moranga", na
verdade)
¾ cup
sugar
½ tsp salt (tsp = abbrev.
of teaspoon)
1 tsp ground
cinnamon
½ tsp ground
ginger
¼ tsp ground
cloves
2 large
eggs
1 can (15oz = 425gr) 100%
mashed pumpkin
1 can (12fl. oz = 350ml)
evaporated milk (or whole milk)
1 unbaked 9-inch (23cm in
diameter, 4 cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
Mix sugar, salt,
cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture.
Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell.
Bake in preheated
425°F (220 °C) oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature for 350°F (180°C); bake 40/50
minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately
or refrigerate.
Do not freeze as this
will cause the crust to separate from filling.
1 ¾ tsp pumpkin pie spice
may be substituted for the cinnamon, ginger and cloves, however, the taste will be slightly
different.
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