Abroad in Wales

A Welsh Thanksgiving

We celebrated Thanksgiving a little late this year, but we did nonetheless!  Planning began months ago, back in our snowy South Dakota, as we planned to bring our American traditions to the U.K.  We would have turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, veggies, cranberry sauce, rolls, and of course, pumpkin pie with whipped cream.  

We knew we would have to push it back a week because of Reading Week, but it was worth the wait.  After careful planning and revising lists, we set off to find our ingrediants.  Most were found at Asda - the Wal-Mart in the U.K., which is scary.  Melissa picked out a fabulous turkey which was fourteen pounds of goodness.  Of course, I got to cart that sucker all the way up the hill.  But that was just pre-emptive calorie burning, right? 

The rest of the shopping we did the morning of, hitting up the freshly opened Pontypridd market for bakery-fresh rolls and crisp veggies.  Then back to Melissa's place by 930 to put Tom Turkey in the oven.  We had a bit of drama with that bird, as when we were placing him in the oven, Melissa remembered we had forgotten to get tin foil!  But I went on a mission to find us some tin foil and returned triumphant fifteen minutes later.  With the turkey in the oven, I returned to my room for a power nap.  

 I returned in time to help Melissa with the rest of the meal.  And by help, I mean sit down and gossip while she did most of the cooking.  But we know that saying about too many cooks in the kitchen.  But I did start peeling and chopping potatoes for my delicious mashed potatoes.  By the time I was done with that, Natalie had finally woken up and our friend Chris had shown up.  Chris, another American, is also a psychology major; we call him Clark because he looks like Clark Kent.  Tangent over.

 Soon enough, everything was complete.  We had a full Thanksgiving dinner prepared and a table full of friends that have become good as family over the past few months.  We enjoyed a good meal together, making fun of Vivek for not being able to eat four plates full of food, and then sat back to watch an old black-and-white movie.  That beat American football anyday.

Early in the morning.  Melissa is finishing up those delicious pumpkin pies and moving on to the stuffing!   

 Tom the Turkey is almost ready!

 I really had no idea how to carve that sucker.  But I did my darndest!

 Vivek, Natalie, and Clark waiting for the food!

Our lovely table.  That's 'squash' at the top of the table by the window; basically, concentrated juice you water down yourself.  There's a relish tray, and cranberries, and olives.  Rolls, mashed potatoes, glorified rice.  Just waiting on the turkey! 

Posted at 07:56AM Nov 30, 2007 by Jill S Brink in General  |  Comments[0]