Canadian Thanksgiving weekend

[mmd]

This is it! What'cha gonna have good to eat?

[Lew Barrett]

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, our peaceful northern friends! We're having king crab tonight, Lindy's homemade potato chips (not like anything from a bag) and roasted asparagus. Simple, and simply delicious. It's our daughter's birthday and that's what she asked for.

[wbrent]

I like my Thanksgiving dinner like my boats - Traditional. Lots of Turkey , stuffing, potatoes, some good healthy vegetables to brighten up the plate and apple or pumpkin pie to finish her off. Dad's been shooting ducks all week so I suspect there may some served up for an appetizer. Have a great one all.

[Stiletto]

Best wishes, enjoy.

[outofthenorm]

Got plenty to be thankful for this year. The family is well, the boat project is going just fine and work is paying well, yet still leaving me time to enjoy things. We're looking forward to turkey, ham, roasted sweet potato, applesauce from fresh courtland apples and of course, pie. Lots of pie. It ain't thanksgiving without pie.

- Norm

[mmd]

Well, we have decided on a slight variation of the standard turkey meal. There's just gonna be Maureen, Gwyn, my Dad & I, so big turkey was a bit unreasonable. I'm gonna make tropical grilled turkey breasts with coconut milk and pineapple sauce served on a bed of mixed wild and white rice and garnished with lemon & lime slices, with steamed string beans bundled in red pepper rings, a mexican jalapeno pan stuffing, and Maureen's inimitable cranberry and walnut chutney. Not sure about dessert yet - maybe I'll bake an apple pie with cinnamon and orange zest.

[Ian Marchuk]

WHOOOOWEEE , Michael old trout , after posting a menu like that , you had better expect a lot of us dropping by .
Just to wish you and yours well of course.....
All the very best..... Ian

[pcford]

Speaking of Canadian comestibles:
A Canadian client gave me a bottle of Screech, the Newfoundland rum. (Or should that be Screech!)

I like the ominous label in my liquor cabinet.

[Ian Marchuk]

Yikes !!!! HOLD ON THERE PCFORD !!!!!!That stuff is best considered COMBUSTABLE , not commestible . I hope you read this message in time..... ominous , shipmate ? Methinks you dunno the half of it...... Now where is the EEEEEYYYOWWWWy thing postit whatchamacallit.....

[pcford]

Sez on the bottle that the name derives from the sound of wind in the rigging. More likely it is the sound one makes after consuming it.

Newfies are not known for sophisticated tastes, am I correct?

[Ian Marchuk]

Lemme just tell ya Bucko that you don't wanna know the half of it.

[mmd]

http://climate.uvic.ca/people/afanning/NFLD/screech.gif

The Story Of Newfoundland Screech

Long before any liquor board was created to take alcohol under its benevolent wing, Jamaican rum was a mainstay of the Newfoundland diet, with salt fish traded to the West Indies in exchange for rum. When the Government took control of the traditional liquor business in the early 20th century, it began selling the rum in an unlabelled bottle. The product might have remained permanently nameless except for the influx of American servicemen to the Island during World War II.

As the story goes, the commanding officer of the original detachment was having his first taste of Newfoundland hospitality and, imitating the custom of his host, downed his drink in one gulp. The Americans blood-curdling howl, when he regained his breath, brought the sympathetic and curious from miles around rushing to the house to find out what was going on. The first to arrive was a garrulous old American sergeant who pounded on the door and demanded, "What the cripes was that ungodly screech?"

The taciturn Newfoundlander who had answered the door replied simply, "The Screech? Tis the rum, me son."

Thus was born a legend. As word of the incident spread, the soldiers, determined to try this mysterious "Screech" and finding its effects as devastating as the name implies, adopted it as their favourite.

The opportunistic liquor board pounced on the name and reputation and began labeling Newfoundland Screech, the most popular brand on the Island, even today.

[pcford]

http://climate.uvic.ca/people/afanning/NFLD/screech.gif

The Story Of Newfoundland Screech

<snips>
"What the cripes was that ungodly screech?"

The taciturn Newfoundlander who had answered the door replied simply, "The Screech? Tis the rum, me son."

Thus was born a legend.
<snips>

Pretty much as I suspected.

In a spot of what some would call syncronicity, I noticed a post elsewhere that used the term "jake-leg" a term with which I was not familiar:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/images/pixt.gif
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
http://www.merriam-webster.com/images/pixt.gif
http://www.merriam-webster.com/images/pixt.gif http://www.merriam-webster.com/images/pixt.gif http://www.merriam-webster.com/images/pixt.gif http://www.merriam-webster.com/images/thes_tab.gif (http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/thesaurus?book=Thesaurus&va=jake+leg) jake leg

One entry found for jake leg.
Main Entry: jake leg http://www.merriam-webster.com/images/audio.gif (javascript:popWin('/cgi-bin/audio.pl?jakele01.wav=jake+leg'))
Pronunciation: 'jAk-"leg, -"lAg
Function: noun
Etymology: jake grain alcohol flavored with an alcoholic extract of ginger
: a paralysis caused by drinking improperly distilled or contaminated liquor

[htom]

Sounds like a great meal, mmd. I hope you and yours, and all of our other Canadian friends, have a wonderful day.

[uncas]

Okay, because one enquiring mind wants to know.

Why do Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in Oct.? Something to do with the harvest moon I suppose. Anyway, just curious. And yes, I can google but as there is a thread, I'm willing to accept your explanations.

I mean, Lincoln designated the date when the US celebrates it.

[bamamick]

Hope that it was/is a nice one.

Mickey Lake

[mmd]

I've heard everything from Martin Frobisher celebrating his survival of his attempt to find a north-west passage to the Orient in Newfoundland sometime in the late 1500's to carrying on the tradition of The Order of Good Cheer founded at Grand Pre in the early 1600's here in Nova Scotia. What makes most sense to me is the Puritan-influenced end-of-harvest feast brought to Canada by the United Empire Loyalists after the American Revolution. As Canada has a shorter growing season than our southern neighbours, the feast day is earlier in the autumn. I believe the day was made a holiday in October sometime between the World Wars - say, maybe in the early 1930's. The day was officially set as the second Monday in October just after I was born in the middle 'fifties.

[uncas]

mmd
Thanks. Always wondered.