# What one food item makes or breaks Thanksgiving for you? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 19, 2013, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-food-item-makes-or-breaks-thanksgiving-for-you/674291 "2013-11-19T20:18:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-food-item-makes-or-breaks-thanksgiving-for-you/674291/1 "2013-11-19T20:18:24Z")
I love all the treats and trimmings for Thanksgiving dinner, but for me the one absolute must is a well made stuffing. Without stuffing the holiday would be lacking for me. On a side note, we were reading a book to our boys about the first Thanksgiving and at the beginning there are 2 pictures, what they ate then, what we eat now. what we eat now has a picture of Boiled Onions. It was a tray, filled with fist sized onions. Upon further research apparently some people boil onions in water and then put margarine on them and eat them. WTF? That sounds like dinner in a communist country where people wait for toilet paper on line. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-food-item-makes-or-breaks-thanksgiving-for-you/674291/2 "2013-11-19T20:21:15Z")
To the stuffing add gravy. Got to have good gravy. [snobbish attitude]And a pie that’s home made, not from the grocery store.[/snobbish attitude] ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-food-item-makes-or-breaks-thanksgiving-for-you/674291/3 "2013-11-19T20:25:51Z")
I have had a country sausage based stuffing/dressing every Thanksgiving of my life. It was the one recipe I made sure to get from my mom prior to leaving home. There were a few years when I was living in rural Alaska where I had to make it using use frozen vegetables, jimmy dean sausage patties, and toasted white bread, but I always made sure I had that stuffing. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-food-item-makes-or-breaks-thanksgiving-for-you/674291/4 "2013-11-19T20:26:57Z")
I love cranberry sauce. I know someone will scold me, but I love the canned stuff AND I love homemade. I made homemade last couple of years, so good, and it is better than the canned…but the canned just has a certain je ne sais quoi that I like. GIVE ME MY CRANBERRY SAUCE! ---
**Author:** ![llcoolbj77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb9ed0/32.png) [@llcoolbj77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/llcoolbj77)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-food-item-makes-or-breaks-thanksgiving-for-you/674291/5 "2013-11-19T20:28:07Z")
In descending order of significance: Stuffing Gravy Mashed Potatoes Cranberry Sauce (Oceanspray, out of the can, only) Turkey ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-food-item-makes-or-breaks-thanksgiving-for-you/674291/6 "2013-11-19T20:38:51Z")
> [@llcoolbj77](#): > > In descending order of significance: > Stuffing > Gravy > Mashed Potatoes > Cranberry Sauce (Oceanspray, out of the can, only) > Turkey Yes, that’s the one item for me too … a little of this and little of that makes it all worth while. Like the Chinese food it’s in the variety. I hear turkey’s in Texas are so dumb that when it rains they lift up their heads to see what’s going on and drown 😃 ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-food-item-makes-or-breaks-thanksgiving-for-you/674291/7 "2013-11-19T21:00:39Z")
My sister’s sausage stuffing and the homemade cranberry sauce. Perfection is a turkey sandwich later on Thanksgiving Night with cranberry sauce on it and on homemade rye bread. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-food-item-makes-or-breaks-thanksgiving-for-you/674291/8 "2013-11-19T21:02:31Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I love cranberry sauce. I know someone will scold me, but I love the canned stuff AND I love homemade. I made homemade last couple of years, so good, and it is better than the canned…but the canned just has a certain je ne sais quoi that I like. > > GIVE ME MY CRANBERRY SAUCE! Me too. I make a fabulous sauce that we enjoy with dinner but I always buy a can of the jelly for my traditional leftover sandwich (wonder bread, turkey and slice of cranberry jelly) ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-food-item-makes-or-breaks-thanksgiving-for-you/674291/9 "2013-11-19T21:24:02Z")
TURKEY. Every other year or so, my family goes through this craziness of suggesting something else, like ham or goose. :rolleyes: Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose, but to me it’s not Thanksgiving without turkey! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-food-item-makes-or-breaks-thanksgiving-for-you/674291/10 "2013-11-19T21:24:50Z")
My mom does these awesome stuffed mushrooms that are mandatory for my Thanksgiving enjoyment. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-food-item-makes-or-breaks-thanksgiving-for-you/674291/11 "2013-11-19T21:46:54Z")
Mashed Potato Casserole. Might be unknown outside of Wisconsin, I have no idea. Basically, it’s mashed potatoes with a metric ton of sour cream and cream cheese mixed in, then topped with even more cheese (cheddar, usually) and baked until your dairy-crammed potatoes are topped with melty cheesy dairy goodness. It has to be 12,000 calories per serving, but Thanksgiving is not the day to be counting. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-food-item-makes-or-breaks-thanksgiving-for-you/674291/12 "2013-11-19T21:51:28Z")
The turkey is by far the most important part for me. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-food-item-makes-or-breaks-thanksgiving-for-you/674291/13 "2013-11-19T21:59:53Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **Baker** : > > [snobbish attitude]And a pie that’s home made, not from the grocery store.[/snobbish attitude] I’m sorry, but it’s just not right to have a homemade pie on Thanksgiving. What you really need is about twenty homemade pies, of a dozen different varieties. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-food-item-makes-or-breaks-thanksgiving-for-you/674291/14 "2013-11-19T22:06:01Z")
On my plate: Turkey leg Mashed potatoes (w/gravy) Squash Turnip Broccoli I always specifically request the last 2 ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-food-item-makes-or-breaks-thanksgiving-for-you/674291/15 "2013-11-19T22:09:50Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’m sorry, but it’s just not right to have a homemade pie on Thanksgiving. > What you really need is about twenty homemade pies, of a dozen different varieties. You have a point!😛 ---
**Author:** ![Gullible\_s\_Travels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de0a6/32.png) [@Gullible\_s\_Travels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gullible_s_Travels)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-food-item-makes-or-breaks-thanksgiving-for-you/674291/16 "2013-11-19T23:41:32Z")
> [@August\_West](#): > > Mashed Potato Casserole. Might be unknown outside of Wisconsin, I have no idea. > > Basically, it’s mashed potatoes with a metric ton of sour cream and cream cheese mixed in, then topped with even more cheese (cheddar, usually) and baked until your dairy-crammed potatoes are topped with melty cheesy dairy goodness. > > It has to be 12,000 calories per serving, but Thanksgiving is not the day to be counting. That sounds pretty good! But I’m wondering - several posters have mentioned mashed potatoes - are mashed potatoes a special occasion food in the US? Here (Australia) they’re considered very ordinary, much more an everyday food than a special occasion food. Something easy that tastes good, and that everyone will eat. ---
**Author:** ![brettster55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brettster55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brettster55)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-food-item-makes-or-breaks-thanksgiving-for-you/674291/17 "2013-11-19T23:43:30Z")
ordered a turducken this year from cajun grocery. Sort of weird to have it shipped but so far it looks awesome. Turkey is so boring without something cool like this ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-food-item-makes-or-breaks-thanksgiving-for-you/674291/18 "2013-11-20T00:28:15Z")
> [@Gullible\_s\_Travels](#): > > That sounds pretty good! But I’m wondering - several posters have mentioned mashed potatoes - are mashed potatoes a special occasion food in the US? Here (Australia) they’re considered very ordinary, much more an everyday food than a special occasion food. Something easy that tastes good, and that everyone will eat. It’s very, very common in the US as an everyday side. It’s just mandatory at Thanksgiving, where it’s usually slathered in delicious gravy - a slight departure from the ordinary. ETA: Some people also make them much richer during the holidays, like the mash potato casserole that both August West and I make every year (I add chives and leave the cheese off the top, August). ---
**Author:** ![Marion\_Wormer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d07c76/32.png) [@Marion\_Wormer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marion_Wormer)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-food-item-makes-or-breaks-thanksgiving-for-you/674291/19 "2013-11-20T00:40:16Z")
Ham sandwiches. All of Thanksgiving to me is just the preliminary to get to the leftovers. Then I want a ham (good ham, not that crap grocery store ham pumped up with salt water and sugar) sandwich, made with two thick slices of home made bread, ham, thin cut onions, and Cherchie’s Champagne Mustard. And for a side some kind of scalloped potato, but I’ll settle for Utz’s Gourmet Mix. I’m a woman of simple tastes and since ham is so salty, even good ham, I only eat it at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Besides the women in my family can’t cook worth a darn. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-food-item-makes-or-breaks-thanksgiving-for-you/674291/20 "2013-11-20T00:51:34Z")
What makes: Gravy: must have the giblets diced up in it and be made with turkey stock that has simmered all day. Mashed potatoes made with a ricer, cream and butter. Stuffing: sage pork sausage, onions, celery, fresh bread crumbs, poultry seasoning, salt, pepper. Cooked IN THE BIRD, so the turkey juices get into it, dammit. I always blast it in the MW after it comes out of the turkey, so there’s no danger of salmonella. Cranberry sauce: my wife makes it from the berries, with sugar, OJ, cinnamon and a bit of Triple Sec; maybe some chopped pecans. Good stuff. What breaks: Going to somebody else’s house who doesn’t do these things and being served any of the following: Instant mashed potatoes. Really? Tasteless gravy. Why bother; just serve butter. Something has to save those instant spuds. Anything cooked with fucking marshmallows. Jello with bits of crap in it: it’s like you really don’t give a shit what you serve. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-one-food-item-makes-or-breaks-thanksgiving-for-you/674291.md?page=2)