Thanksgiving Gone Vintage

Remember last year’s Thanksgiving? All day with family and friends. Reuniting, remembering and sharing. You watched some football, ate some turkey of course, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie— there is no end to the American tradition that is Thanksgiving.

But this is West Virginia. We do our own thing.  What if we, little ol’ Marion County, added something to it?

Don’t panic. I’m not suggesting we just eat pepperoni rolls and Yann dog-shaped turkeys. I’m just suggesting a little Marion County pride is all. This won’t be a complete overhaul of the Thanksgiving menu, but very minor tweaks to surprise and delight your tastebuds!

 

  • Spice up your sides!

roastedpotatoes11You don’t want to shock your guests with sudden changes. This is the perfect recipe for something very traditional, yet Italian, and altogether vintage.

Rosemary Garlic Potatoes You can leave them diced as the recipe shows, or go ahead and mash them for a more traditional texture.

 

  • Italian traditions? Pishtosh! How about some ‘Murican ones?

sweet-potato-pie     Pumpkin pie isn’t the only go-to for Thanksgiving. The people in the south do some strange yet wonderful things— like Sweet Potato Pie. Sweet potatoes are  native to South and Central America and were a staple during the colonial era. A real tradition with a twist of vintage? I think so.

 

  •      Tip your fedora to Marion’s coal mining history

Marion County is the epicenter of Italian American culture, and of course coal culture. You’re wondering how we could possibly combine Italian heritage with coal history and traditional    Thanksgiving. Let me show you:

     Bread Bowl Pepperoni Pasta: Three-in-one roll, pasta and pepperoni. All aspects of Marion County represented nicely. Make sure to bake the pasta with the bread bowl, add some marinara and a little more cheese— a Marion County special.

Thank the miners. Thank Italy. Thank history.

 

  • Appalachia & Italy

What would Thanksgiving even be without turkey and stuffing? Just another massive meal.

This next foodie throwback to our heritage is a lovely culinary expression of who many a Marion Countian is— Appalachian on the outside, Italian on the inside.

Roast Turkey with Chestnut Stuffing– BAM! Italy. Chestnuts are a mainstay of Italy and have been for quite a while. They’re the third largest exporters of chestnuts in the world and regularly use the fruit as a substitute for potatoes. Soak them in wine, roast them on an open fire, or stuff a turkey and stuff your face.

Or we can go extreme vintage, as in pre- antibiotics, pre-growth hormones, and pre-preservative. Pre-order your free-range turkey from All Things Herbal. And this might sound like a bad idea, but do your grocery shopping the day before. No, really! All Things Herbal will have dressing, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, and other Thanksgiving necessities pre-made.

 

  • Dessert!

 

It may be last on our list, but it certainly isn’t last in the meal. Well, I guess it is. But it’s never last in our hearts.

O     Pumpkin cheesecake– A more decadent way of doing dessert without sacrificing tradition.

I think we can all agree that this isn’t where Italy meets America, or history meets present. But this, this is where Italy and America fell in love. You can have your tradition and cheesecake  too!

Maybe you’re not Italian. Maybe you don’t like vintage. Instead, try your hand at the regional traditions of the rest of our nation. It’s not vintage, but it’s neighborly!

What are you doing the day after Thanksgiving? Black Friday shopping, of course!

Take some time off that evening to remember why you woke up at 1 a.m. to stand in hours-long lines, going from sale to sale, fighting people for merchandise with leftover turkey legs.

Marion County can help you remember: Take a relaxing drive through Morris Park with family and friends. Get in the holiday spirit with the 6th annual Celebration of Lights.

Blog author: Leah Nestor

Blog author: Leah Nestor

Don’t forget about Small Business Saturday– the first Saturday after Thanksgiving. And once you’ve completed all your in town Christmas shopping, take some time to remember why you ran around the entire city.

Again, we can help! The 21st Annual Holiday Historic Homes Tour is a self-guided tour of historic buildings decked with boughs of holly, full of refreshments and live music. Get in the spirit with friends, family and neighbors!

Tags: , , , ,