Easy Thanksgiving Recipes

In one month, many of us will celebrate Thanksgiving and I suspect some of those people have already begin thinking about their menu. What size turkey will you buy? How will you cook it? Which sides will you make? What desserts will you have? How will you handle the allergies and preferences of your guests? Lots of questions to consider. 

Let me begin with some general advice, a sentiment you should embrace. Stop worrying that everything needs to be perfect because it will never be perfect and it doesn't have to be perfect. This is a holiday where family and friends gather, to share everything they are thankful for and not to complain and nitpick about silly and irrelevant issues. It's a time for fun and enjoyment, to relax and chat, to eat and drink, to savor the day together. As long as people enjoy themselves, as long as the food and wine is good, no one will complain or even care about whether it was "perfect" or not, whatever that term might mean. Just everyone being together is perfect enough.

If you're cooking at home, or need to bring a dish to someone else's home, then let me suggest some relatively easy, but quite delicious, recipes. I've compiled a list of five such Easy Thanksgiving Recipes, including:

Drink:

• Sangria: Based on the recipe from Dali, a famed Spanish restaurant in Somerville, this is a compelling drink and you'll probably end up with an empty pitcher by the end of the evening. It's fruity and thirst-quenching, and as it can be prepared ahead of time, you won't have to rush around on Thanksgiving making a drink.

Appetizer:

• Buffalo Chicken Dip: This always seems to be popular whenever I bring the dish to a party.  Lots of cheese, spicy sauce and chunks of chicken.  Get a big bag of tortilla chips and just let your guests scoop up some of this tasty dip. You can make it the day before and just warm it up before it's served. 

Sides:

• Double Corn Pudding: This is an easy substitute for home-made corn bread, and there are never any worries that it'll be too dry. It's very adaptable too, and you could easily add some of your own special ingredients, such as jalapenos or even bacon.
• Special Potato Casserole: Rather than the usual mashed potatoes, or even mashed sweet potatoes, try something which has a little of both. With the addition of goat cheese, these potatoes become especially creamy and tasty. 

Dessert:

• Swedish Apple Pie: Making pie crust can be a chore, so why not make a pie which creates its own crust?  This recipe is a big time saver, and it does not skimp on taste. Top it with your favorite ice cream, whipped cream or cheese. 

Just about anyone can make these easy recipes and your family and friends should really enjoy the results. Plus, these recipes aren't just appropriate for Thanksgiving and you can enjoy them at any time. Buffalo Chicken Dip while tailgating? Sangria for your next wine party? Swedish apple pie for Sunday dessert? We regularly prepare their recipes during the holidays as well as the rest of the year and they always earn raves.

And I have to add that you should bring back a 200+ year old tradition of serving Doughnuts on your Thanksgiving table. Who doesn't love a fresh doughnut? Pick up some cider donuts from your favorite farm stand, or get a dozen or two from your favorite donut shop.

Whatever you do for Thanksgiving, enjoy yourself and appreciate all that you have, rather than worry about what you do not.

Rant: Help The Less Fortunate!

As October nears the end, you're probably already looking forward and thinking about the upcoming holidays, starting to make preliminary plans for the fine food & drinks that you'll enjoy and share with family and friends. You might be perusing cookbooks or websites to locate decadent recipes to thrill your guests. You might be planning which fine wine to uncork for your special friends. You might be pondering which pricey gifts to purchase for your family and friends. 

It can be a time of gluttony, hedonism and excess.

However, stop and ponder another significant thought: Please help those less fortunate. Let's work together to help those who need some assistance, even if it requires a little sacrifice on our parts. Make this a meaningful holiday season, rather than a selfish one.

Though many of us love and enjoy the holiday season, it can be a very sad and disappointing time for those of little means. Every community has some people who find it difficult merely to pay for basic essentials, let alone to buy holiday gifts or prepare a special holiday feast. We can help though, and try to bring some joy to the less fortunate. Share your largess with others, helping those who truly need it. Don't just think of yourself and loved ones.  

I understand that these are tough economic times for many of us, with higher prices for so many items, from gas to food, and we have often been tightening our belts while shopping, restricting our spending in some ways. However, we probably can still help out others, even if only in little ways. 

If you cannot spare money, then donate your time, maybe spending it at a food bank or shelter. Or make something to give to others, such as baking a pie, cookies or casserole. Donate old clothes or other durable items which you no longer use. There are many different ways to help out others besides just monetary donations.

Let us share with others during this upcoming holiday season, bringing together everyone in a more united community. There are enough divisions in our world right now and we need more unity, especially at this time. Don't just think of yourself but think of others, think about what you can do to make this world a better place.

During this season, there will be numerous restaurants, chefs, shops and others which will hold special charitable events. Talk about these events, promote them on social media, and spread the word far and wide. Attend those events, encouraging others to do the same. Give to your favorite charities, whatever they might be. Be creative in your efforts, even if your own finances are tight. 

Let us share with all during this upcoming holiday season.

(This is an older post which I have reprinted, with some revisions, as the sentiment bears repeating once again.)

Yamada Shoten Everlasting Roots Tokubetsu Junmai: A Tiny Sake Brewery

A Sake brewery which is operated primarily by a single person! Usually, a brewery is a united effort, with numerous workers, each with their own assignment, contributing to the production of the Sake. Obviously, the larger the brewery, the more workers that are required. However, some of the smallest of breweries may be operated with a handful of people, if not even a single person.  

The Yamada Shoten "Everlasting Roots" Tokubetsu Junmai ($39.95) is a new arrival at Victoria Hill Wine, Spirits & Gourmet, in Melrose. The Yamada Shoten brewery, which was established in 1868, is located in the Gifu Prefecture, a land-locked region on Honshu Island. It is a tiny, family-owned microbrewery, which only produces about 280 koku of Sake each year, equivalent to a little over 50,000 liters (which is roughly akin to 67,000 750ml wine bottles). 

Their Toji, Sake brewmaster, is Masaki Uno, works almost exclusively alone, producing only a single tank of Sake each week. No mechanization, including no temperature control during fermentation, is used in the production process. Everything is done very traditionally, and the kanji on the label of this Sake translates as “nothing has changed since the beginning,” a recognition of their adherence to the traditional way.

The Yamada Shoten Everlasting Roots Tokubetsu Junmai is produced from local Hida Homare rice, which was cultivated so it would do especially well in high altitudes, such as the mountainous Takayama region. This is also the signature rice of the Gifu Prefecture. It shares a similar taste profile to the famed Yamadanishiki rice, but because of its larger shinpaku, the "white heart" where the starch is located, it cannot be polished down as much as Yamadanishiki. Yamada Shoten also mills the rice at their brewery, which is very unusual for small breweries. 

This Sake, with a 15% ABV, is bottled in a 900ml container, which is actually the smallest bottle they use. The standard Sake bottle is 720ml, about 24 ounces, so the 900ml bottle has an additional 6 ounces. As a Junmai, the Sake only contains four ingredients: rice, water, yeast and koji-kin. And as a Tokubetsu, the Sake has been specially brewed in some manner, although there isn't a legal requirement of what that has to be. The rice for this Sake has been polished down to 55%, which would qualify it for a Ginjo level, so this is likely its Tokubetsu aspect. The Sake is also vegan and gluten free. 

The "Everlasting Roots" is dry, with high acidity, a medium body, and good umami. It has a savory taste, with a prominent licorice/anise element and subtle aspects of citrus, salted nuts and a touch of smokiness. It's said that it would pair well with seafood and pork, and probably would also go well with barbecue or grilled meats. This Sake was popular at a recent tasting I held, and it's a great way to catch a glimpse into more traditional Sake.

Rant: Candy Apples vs Caramel Apples

With the advent of fall, candy and caramel apples can often be found at some local farms, farmers markers, festivals and carnivals. You may find them covered with coconut, nuts, colored sprinkles or other sweet or savory toppings. Last Friday, I visited a major candy store in Rowley, and they had a large selection of caramel apples, but not a single candied apple. That bothered me, and is far too common. Caramel apples have far eclipsed candied apples, and it has become so much tougher to find a good candied apple.  

Before we get into a discussion of the merits of each type, let's examine their origins and history. 

Most sources claim that red candy apples were invented first, by William Kolb, a candy-maker in Newark, New Jersey around 1908. Based on my own research, that origin tale is false, as candy apples existed prior to 1908, at least as far back as 1898. Sources also claim that caramel apples were first developed by Kraft Foods in the 1950s. That again seems to be false, as they existed as far back as 1904, although Kraft might have helped popularize them.

Although I found multiple references to "candy apples" in 19th century newspapers, the vast majority of the references weren't specific enough to identify their actual nature. Some of the 19th century references also seemed to indicate that a number of the references to "candy apples" were merely a type of candy, and not what we think of when we think "candy apple." 

For example, in the Hartford Courant (CT), November 26, 1896, there was a reference to "candy apples" but they were described as "... all of the colors of the rainbow, each was as large as a marble, and all were mounted on sticks." The article seems to indicate they were a type of candy, and didn't include any actual apples.

However, I was able to find multiple, specific and detailed references to candy apples which predated their alleged invention in 1908. The earliest reference I've found so far is from the New York Herald (NY), September 17, 1898, which noted, "In some parts of the town may be found at this season a confection called apple-on-a-stick, a small apple that has been impaled by a stick three or four inches in length and then dipped in candied sugar, the stick serving as a handle to hold the apple by in eating it." The article continues, "The candied sugar is perhaps colored red; it is flavored maybe with cinnamon." They were sold for one cent each. It then concluded, "Standing in rows in a shallow pan in a confectioner's window, they present an inviting appearance, and they meet with a ready sale. Apples-on-a-stick are only sold in the fall."

This article would be reprinted in newspapers in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. 

The St. Louis Republican (MO), November 5, 1900, published an article about local candy shops that were lowering their prices. It also mentioned that one of the shops had introduced a "Russian delicacy." The article continued, "The new thing was candied apples on a stick. The apples were raw but the candy was red and sticky, and altogether winning." A competing candy store quickly learned how to create these candied apples, and the price dropped from 3 for a nickel, to one penny each, and finally to 2 for a penny. 

Death by candy apple! The Jersey Journal (NJ), August 22, 1903, reported that the Deputy Health Inspector had prepared a report for the Mayor of the current health danger of apples-on-a-stick. These apple sticks, which cost one cent, had been prepared with contaminated milk, leading to a number of infantile diseases, such as dysentary, marasmus, and summer diarrhea. The free dispensaries issued 715 prescriptions in one week due to these tainted candy apples, and all sales of such apples were then prohibited. 

As a follow-up, the Jersey Journal (NJ), September 21, 1909, noted that stores were once again selling apples-on-a-stick, and it was said a confectioner shop was selling 300 a day.  

The Buffalo Evening News, July 19, 1904, provided a recipe for a "candy apple" that stated "place apples pierce with bits of wood (like skewers) where the stems had been. These are placed in a pan and covered with a common brown taffy." This isn't a red candy apple but seems more similar to the caramel apple, as it was covered with a softer coating.

There was another reference to a red candy apple prior to 1908, in The Times Herald (MI), December 9, 1905, which published an article about the holiday season and mentioned "Red candy apples for the holiday time may be easily made at home by dipping small perfect apples in a bath of hot candy colored a brilliant red."

As for caramel apples, I found a recipe which extends back to 1904, decades earlier than Kraft's alleged invention, although it didn't include a stick. The Kansas Agitator (KS), November 25, 1904, printed a recipe for "Caramel Apples" and stated, "Steam sufficient pared and cored apples, and when cold, pour over them a thick caramel sauce....Whipped cream improve them, but is not necessary."

The Minnesota Journal (MN), January 27, 1908, also had another recipe for Caramel Apples, but again no stick was required. Their recipe though added nuts to the caramel sauce on the apples. The Osawatomie Globe (KS), March 12, 1908, included the same recipe but added some introductory comments, noting "Caramel apples are a dainty dish served at a Boston restaurant which caters to the feminine taste." That recipe, with the introduction, would be reprinted in numerous newspapers across the country. 

The Kansas City Star (KS), December 1, 1911, provided a recipe for Apples on a Stick.

The stick appears! The Seattle Star (WA), October 2, 1931, provided a recipe for a caramel apple, as a Halloween treat, and the apple was put on a stick. The apple was covered in caramel, without any nuts or other toppings. The Nebraska Farm (NE), October 21, 1931, noted that, due to Halloween, "All over the country, children are making apples-on-a-stick." The article provided a recipe for a caramel apple on a stick, but also covered with shredded coconut. So, it is also clear that caramel apples weren't created by a Kraft employee in the 1950s.

Candy apples, with their distinctive red candy shell, are usually made with a flavored boiled sugar recipe, while Caramel apples are covered with melted caramel. There's a huge textural difference between the two, one with a hard outer shell and the other with a gooey exterior. The popularity of each varies across the country, though I've been noticing over the last several years, to my dismay, an increase in the ubiquity of caramel apples locally. 

I love red candy apples, especially covered with coconut. It's often a challenge to take that first crunchy bite into the hard shell, but it's rewarding. With a fresh, crisp apple, the candy, coconut and fruit make for a very appealing treat. For me, the caramel apple fails. I love caramel, from a nice sweet sauce atop ice cream to a salted, gooey center of a dark chocolate. But I don't like its soft gooey texture on a caramel apple. It's too soft, and just doesn't seem complementary to the crisp, juicy apple. Plus, maybe it's also a bit sentimental, as growing up I most often enjoyed red candy apples.

Why has the popularity of red candy apples waned? What is behind the rise of caramel apples? I don't have answers to these questions but I want to be able to more readily find red candy apples. Where are they hiding?

Do you prefer red candy apples or caramel apples? And why?

(This article has been revised/expanded from a prior article)

A History of Chinese Fried Rice & Molasses in Massachusetts

Chinese fried rice in the U.S. extends back at least to 1898, and likely prior to that time. The Topeka State Journal (KS), January 5, 1898, noted a multiple-course dinner held in New York City Chinatown, at a restaurant on 14 Mott Street, which included “fried rice.” Maybe the first reference to fried rice in Massachusetts was in 1915. The Transcript-Telegram (MA), April 15, 1915, published a large advertisement for a Chinese & American Restaurant in Holyoke, with a listing for "Fried Rice" for 25 cents. And by 1916, people were already sending inquiries to the newspaper seeking a recipe for making Chinese fried rice.

If you've read any of the articles with a history of New England Chinese Food, you'll usually see the claim that local Chinese restaurants used molasses in their fried rice. This was allegedly because molasses was so prominent in the Boston area, and it made the fried rice darker in color, as well as sweeter. Those claims also seem to indicate molasses was something new to the Chinese. However, none of those articles presented any evidence to support their claim, which has made me question it. Thus, I did some of my own research, to try to get to the truth.

In brief, I didn't find any evidence of a local Chinese restaurant using "molasses" until 1957, and even then, it's not quite what you might think. There's an important distinction which is ignored, and I hope to illuminate the issue for my readers. 

********************

Probably the first actual Chinese cookbook, and not just a pamphlet, was self-published in 1911, Chinese Cookery in the Home Kitchen by Jessie Louise Nolton. It included three recipes for Fried Rice, including Fried Rice (Chinese Style), Fried Rice (Canton Style), and Fried Rice With Chicken. This might have been the first printed recipes for Chinese fried rice. 

 

The recipe for Fried Rice (Chinese Style) didn't include molasses, or even soy sauce for that fact.

The recipe for Fried Rice (Canton Style) also didn't include molasses, or even soy sauce.

Maybe the first newspaper in Massachusetts to present a recipe for Fried Rice was the Springfield Evening Union (MA), July 10, 1917. The recipe only called for 1 cup of cold boiled rice, 1 small onion, 1 egg, and a teaspoon of butter. No soy sauce or molasses. It would be nearly twenty years before a host of other recipes for Fried Rice would appear in Massachusetts newspapers.   

The Boston Herald, May 23, 1936, presented a recipe for Fried Rice, Chinese Style, from "... a famous Chinese restaurant here in town..." but it wasn't identified. No soy sauce or molasses was used in this recipe.  

The Springfield Daily Republican (MA), April 24, 1938, published a recipe for "Fried Rice (from China)" which called for boiled chicken, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, sugar, stock, and soy sauce. However, there was no molasses used in this recipe. 

 

The Lowell Sun (MA), June 11, 1938, had a recipe for Ha Chow Fan, fried rice with shrimps, which called for soy sauce but no molasses. The recipe also mentioned you could add chopped ham, diced roast pork of sliced fresh crabmeat instead of the shrimp.  

The Boston Globe (MA), March 22, 1940, printed the above recipe for Fried Rice, Chinese Style, and I'll note that "Chinese sauce" commonly refers to "soy sauce."

The Worcester Daily Telegram (MA), January 5, 1942, printed this recipe for Fried Rice and Pork, but once again, no molasses was in the recipe. 

The Worcester Daily Telegram (MA), March 5, 1942, presented this recipe for Moo Goo Chow Fon (Fried Rice with Shrimp). 

The Boston Herald, June 14, 1942, had a recipe for Chow Fon (Fried Rice with Ham), calling for soy sauce, but no molasses.

The Boston Traveler, August 6, 1942, had this recipe for Fried Rice. 

The Boston Herald, May 23, 1943, presented a recipe of Fried Rice with Shrimp. 

The Boston Traveler, June 17, 1943, printed a recipe for Chinese Fried Rice. 

The Worcester Telegram (MA), February 8, 1944, published this recipe for Fried Rice with Eggs. 

The Boston Herald, July 12, 1944, had the above recipe for Chinese Fried Rice. 

The Worcester Telegram (MA), May 8, 1948, published this recipe for Chinese Fried Rice.

The Boston Sunday Herald, June 18, 1950, had a recipe for Chinese Lobster Sub Gum Fried Rice. 

The first half of the 1950s continued to see Fried Rice recipes, all without using molasses. Why was this so if local Chinese restaurants were allegedly using molasses in their fried rice? Was the use of molasses more of later addition, and not originally part of the first fried rice dishes? 

In 1957, the issue acquired some clarification, and the original claims about the use of molasses in fried rice probably need some revision. 

The Boston Traveler (MA), May 16, 1957, had an article about the famous Cathay House, located in Boston's Chinatown, which was owned by Anita and Gordon Chue. I previously wrote an article about Anita Chue, a fascinating Chinese woman who made a great impact in the local area. It was noted that this was the first time that the Chues were giving out any of their recipes. They presented their Cathay House Fried Rice, which was said “But for Traveler readers, Anita has simplified their wonderful Fried Rice…”

As you can see, the recipe included the use of "1 tablespoon Chinese molasses." Anita also added, “The Chinese molasses may be purchased at any grocery in Chinatown. Don’t substitute molasses from your pantry shelf, Anita cautions. It makes the rice too sweet. Just omit it.” Cathay House was opened in 1945, so their use of Chinese molasses in the fried rice could have started as early as their opening, or it might have started sometime afterwards. 

Chinese molasses! That, and not regular molasses, may be the secret to New England Chinese Fried rice. Once you learn more about Chinese molasses, it also makes logical sense. The addition of Chinese molasses in fried rice in the local area might have originated in the late 1940s or 1950s. 

We need to understand that China was producing molasses-like products for about two thousand years. So, when Chinese immigrants arrived in the Boston area, they were already familiar with molasses. They were already used to using "Chinese molasses", also called "bead molasses," in their cooking. This is a lighter type of molasses, which is less sweet, and was often used for adding a deeper brown color to dishes such as chow mein and chop suey. It possessed more of a savory taste, with hints of smokiness. The typical Boston molasses was too sweet and heavy for the Chinese cooks.  

Chinese molasses was being imported into the U.S. as least as far back as 1850. The Daily Alta California (CA), August 11, 1850, had a brief ad selling 2000 gallons of “Chinese Molasses.” The Daily Pacific News (CA), March 13, 1851, also had a brief advertisement selling “Chinese Molasses,” which it said was a “superior article.” The American Union (WV), October 23, 1857, published a letter from Ohio, discussing Chinese molasses which was now being produced in Ohio, and it retailed for 75 cents per gallon.

The Boston Globe, January 28, 1927, published this advertisement for Fuji Bead Molasses, stating it was "Fine for gravies--and for browning." The Fuji Trading Co. was established around 1910 in Chicago, and sold a variety of Asian food products. So we can see that bead molasses was available in Boston at least as far back as the 1920s.

The Boston Globe, January 31, 1930, had an ad for the Fuji Chop Suey Sauce, and it provided a recipe which also called for their bead molasses. 

The Herald News (MA), March 19, 1931, had an ad for Steiger's Market, which sold  imported bead molasses.

The Boston Evening Globe, February 16, 1934, had another ad for the Fuji Bead Molasses, noting it added flavor and color to Chop Suey. 

********************

Many other recipes, printed in Boston area newspapers, for Chinese fried rice in the 1960s and on still didn't include the use of molasses, although people started believing molasses was used by restaurants. However, it seems unlikely that the heavy molasses produced in the Boston area would be used in fried rice, when the Chinese had a lengthy history of the use of the lighter Chinese molasses. The bead molasses had the benefit of being less sweet, adding a savory and smoky aspect, and providing a darker brown color to the rice. It was also readily available to Chinese restaurants. So, rather than use heavy molasses in your own home Chinese recipes, seek out Chinese molasses instead.