Thanksgiving Down Under

Setting up for the Thanksgiving feast

So Di and I had discussed doing a Thanksgiving meal a couple of weeks ago and she was kind enough to share her birthday dinner with Thanksgiving! Once the plans were set, she asked what ingredients were necessary for a traditional Thanksgiving meal. I listed off turkey, mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallows and pumpkin pie as the big ticket items! Additionally, I wanted to make my famous key lime pie. It turns out that some of these ingredients are difficult to find in Australia! First off, Di apparently had to call around in order to find a butcher that actually had some turkey! Then, I explained the canned pumpkin mix we use for the pie and was shocked that one of the department stores actually carried it! Our biggest battle though was pie crusts. I love how American manufacturers recognize that we are lazy and would prefer the option of pre-made pie crusts. This is not the case in Australia! So, when Di reported back that there were no pie crusts, as well as no graham crackers in Australia for my key lime pie crust, we had to be innovative in order to make it all work out. In the end, it all did turn out delicious. The one thing though that I found hilarious was watching everyones faces as I explained to them that we actually ate sweet potatoes with marshmallows for Thanksgiving. I kept telling everyone not to knock it until they tried it, and in the end, I think it got the Australian seal of approval!

Di's incredible turkey

I would say that Thanksgiving Down Under 2009 was a success! The turkey was incredible, all of the side dishes were visibly enjoyed, and everyone got a taste of some American pumpkin and key lime pie. It made me feel so fortunate that despite being on the other side of the world, I was still able to share this special holiday with family and friends. In the end, I think having this meal also introduced some Australians to the meaning of Thanksgiving and why it is so important to Americans. Hopefully, all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving back home. Enjoy the rest of your long weekend!