Part one is a flag (American) football game in the spirit of the classic Turkey Bowl. Brian and his high school friends started their Turkey Bowl tradition when they were about 15, and it survives today. The Turkey Bowl - Hannover edition will be slightly different. First of all, most players think that football is a game with 2 goalies and a round ball that you kick around the pitch. I might be able to throw a pass better than some of them (catching might be another story). The game will take place in a park that we found - it has a big grassy area with the added challenge of tons of mole holes. It will be part football game and part obstacle course. Hopefully there won't be any major injuries. But in case there are, as you loyal readers know, I am capable of calling emergency services by dialing 112.
Part two is Thanksgiving dinner. We tried to keep the group manageable, based on the size of our apartment and more importantly the size of our oven. That didn't really work. Our head count for dinner is now at 20. I know, 20 people, 2 bedroom apartment, midget-sized oven? Never fear. Several of our guests have never had a Thanksgiving dinner before, and none of them are related to us, so there are no traditions to uphold and no in-laws to impress. Our guests are of the following nationalities:
10 Americans (including our friends Ed's parents, who are visiting fresh off the plane from California, bringing our Californian total to 4 of 10 Americans. I didn't know they could celebrate Thanksgiving in California - it's too warm.)
6 Germans (including one half Dutch, half German)
2 Australians (Very excited about turkey and sweet potatoes)
2 Englanders
1 Pole
Dishes that people are planning to bring include spring rolls, courgette (I believe that's a zucchini) and Lancashire cheese casserole, and some kind of Polish "salad" including eggs, pickles, and a bucket of mayonnaise. There are also stuffing and mashed potato reinforcements coming.
I've gone to about three different grocery stores to get the stuff I need (you can't find cranberries just anywhere), and am planning a trip to 2 farmers' markets also. One of those market trips is to pick up the turkey. In accordance with our new meat-eating standards, I've ordered a whole, fresh turkey from a local poultry farm where the animals are fed with no antibiotics, raised in open stalls, and slaughtered on-site when they are fully grown. So the happy hippie turkey is running around freely, maybe even as I write this, gobbling its gourmet food, going to the turkey spa for massages, hanging out with its turkey friends, until maybe tomorrow someone will chop its head off and get it ready for our table. That might not be entirely true, but I do know that at least this turkey can walk, because it weighs about 6 kilos (13 lbs or so). If it was bigger than that, it would not fit in the oven. We've also ordered a breast and two legs that Brian will cook on our grill, which is a charcoal Weber proudly assembled in Illinois. If that's not enough, we can always order pizza.
Here are photos of the Hoikkado pumpkins I am cooking in our oven so that I can scoop them out and make pumpkin pie.
There's no Libby's canned pumpkin here. No pre-made crust, and no Crisco either. I feel more pilgrim-like making these things from scratch, though I did have my mom mail over some gravy mix because the last thing I want to do with 20 hungry people crammed in my apartment is worry about flour lumps in my gravy.
Part 3 is the party. We've invited basically everyone we know to come over after dinner for drinks and general merry-making. I have planned very little for this part of the evening - I figure it will just sort of happen.
So enjoy your busy travel day, Americans. And your family turkey dinners. I do miss family holidays. Ours in Hannover might not be traditional but we have plenty to be thankful for, including the fact that we have made enough friends here to create a crowded, happy Thanksgiving gathering here on Saturday.
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