Canadian Thanksgiving

There was an article in the NY Times this weekend about Canadian Thanksgiving. Having spent 16 years living in the US, I can write emphatically that Thanksgiving here has little in common with the out-sized American version of the holiday. Here it's simply a long weekend in October (it always coincides with America's Columbus Day weekend). The holiday is on the Monday, but most families I know have their big dinner on the Sunday, reflecting the fact that the Canadian holiday seems to have grown out of Church of England Harvest Sunday celebrations (also, anyone travelling needs the Monday to get back to where they came from). In Canada, the holiday is not much more than an excuse for university kids to go home for a few days, especially if they're only a short train trip away. Sorry, Isabel, we missed you! Since there are only three days, few Canadians fly home for Thanksgiving. Who wants to spend two of three days at airports? So, although the trains and roads are busier than usual, this is not the blockbuster travel weekend that America experiences every November. Our big holiday is Christmas, possibly because it's extended by Boxing Day.
Next there are the food differences. First off, there seems to be a lot less food "hype" here. I was always amazed, when we lived in DC, at the enormous focus on Thanksgiving food. It was talked about everywhere--in the media, at the supermarkets, with friends. Sure, we have a special meal here, but it all seems more like something you take in stride. And what's eaten is different. Yes, we usually have turkey. This year, as usual, I ordered a boneless turkey breast (turkey meat rolled and wrapped in skin) from my local butcher at Bearances Grocery. I guess it's the vegetables and the "sides" (for some reason I loathe that word) that make for the big difference. I write here about Eastern Ontario Thanksgiving food. It's the tradition I know. No candied sweet potatoes. You'd have trouble finding marshmallow fluff at the store. Green beans aren't especially popular. They're not in season at this time of year, and anyway, almost everyone here prefers the more tender yellow wax beans. What you will find are lots of local, fall vegetables like brussels sprouts, winter squashes, parsnips, and turnips (by which I mean yellow turnips or "rutabagas"). What to do with the latter? Try this, one of our fave recipes. As for dessert, apple or pumpkin pie dominate. You won't see graham cracker crusts on your pumpkin pie either, just old-fashioned pastry.
We've had our turkey, cranberry sauce,

 braised carrots and parsnips,

kale,

 stuffing (which I make in a casserole dish, not inside the turkey),

and pumpkin pie.

French side of the can.

English side.

Then, James and I drove out to the Lemoine Point Conservation Area and got some exercise and fresh air.

Milkweed losing its fluff.

Michaelmas daisies.

Finally, I worked on getting Frostfern ready to re-issue this week.

I suspect previous owners might have brought our knocker back from a sabbatical in Italy.

See you in a couple of days!