At today’s Lineup we will reprise our notes from last year’s Thanksgiving Day Lineup:
Thanksgiving Day
Happy Thanksgiving to all on this uniquely North American holiday. This day is universally celebrated throughout the U. S. in November and Canada in October to give thanks to God for the rewards and harvests that have been sent our way during the year.
While this celebration and reflection is solely an American tradition, it was originally brought to the New World by the English settlers who held similar services beginning in the late 17th century. The first recorded Thanksgiving service was held at Berkeley Plantation on the James River in Virginia on Dec. 4, 1619, although it is generally accepted that similar events had already been held in various settlements during years prior to that.
In the late 19th-century, a historical society in Plymouth, Massachusetts, saw the opportunity to capitalize on their local story and build up some tourism. So they mounted what we call today a “public relations effort” that turned out to be wildly successful and it is their tradition that has evolved into today’s celebration including the famous turkey dinners with cranberry sauce.
Norman Rockwell, 1943
People who work in emergency services are often kept away from the annual feast that is usually held for a large family gathering. But the tradition is powerful enough that some sort of culinary commemoration is held everywhere two or more people happen to be working that day. Two such experiences are still in my memory bank today.
One unforgettable Thanksgiving took place when I was working at a station in an area where we had three firehouses clustered nearby to each other. We started making plans two weeks ahead for a grand feast to be jointly prepared and attended by all three stations. And it was going to be as bountiful as we could make it. You know every shift has enough hunters on it that wild game is always on hand.
On Thanksgiving morning we gathered at the station that had the biggest kitchen and all 30-plus firefighters each brought a selected dish to put on the “groaning board.” Squirrel pie was voted down early on in the planning. But we did have a wild turkey and a haunch of venison to go along with the domestic ham and dozens of vegetables. That was one meal that was talked about for a long time.
And then many years later, a shift that I was on had a traditional dinner that included a bear roast that one of the members had bagged earlier in the year and put in the freezer. That was the first and only time I have ever eaten bear meat and I can tell you that it was one of the most delicious roasts I have ever had. The secret was in the marinading that it underwent for two days prior to cooking. Bear is generally tough and dry meat, but this secret marinade that our FF used made all the difference in the world. To this day, I can still remember the delicious and highly unique flavor of that roast.
While I’m drooling, we’d better get this equipment checked out. I need to start some more coffee. Then we’ll clear the kitchen and start on today’s Big Dinner. Happy Thanksgiving everybody.
Also on FireGeezer…
- Morning Lineup – November 25 – November 25, 2010
- Morning Lineup – November 24 – November 24, 2011
