There are tons of movies out there centered around Christmas, but there aren't a whole lot that feature that infamous Thanksgiving gathering. Forget the presents, this get-together is all about being thankful for the simple fact that we are all alive and together. But that also means differences; cultural, generational, political, moral - it all comes out of the woodwork in between jostling for oven space and rooting for your favorite football team.
At least I've found that to be the case over the years. And it was definitely the case in our November 2019 Food 'n Flix pick,
What's Cooking?. This Thanksgiving-centric film highlighted four families of different backgrounds (Jewish, African American, Mexican, and Vietnamese), all seemingly different from within and from each other, yet we find out they are all connected in the end. It was about life and differences and either embracing them or letting them fester. So yeah, Thanksgiving Day in a nutshell.
But amidst everything else, there was the food. Talking about it, shopping for it, comparing recipes, prepping it cooking it, laying it all out on the table, and that "hush moment"...the moment after a prayer has been offered and everybody takes in the glorious site and smells before and around them. The short period of time when food is all that matters.
I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, it's cast of characters and their stories, and the intense amount of food that was featured (which reminded me of my family Thanksgiving - there were 26 things on the menu this year!).
Let's check out the recipes that
What's Cooking? inspired the Food 'n Flix club bloggers to make this month:
We'll start with
Camilla from
Culinary Adventures with Camilla who loves Thanksgiving just as must as I do. Unsurprisingly, she found a ton of inspiration throughout the film, and used a sort of mash-up of what we saw on the Williams family table to come up with her
Moroccan Rose Harissa. It may not have been directly from the movie, but it makes a beautiful addition to any table!
Next up is
Wendy from
A Day in the Life on the Farm, who I was happy to hear was also a fan of this film. Wendy drew her inspiration from the Nguyen family table. No burnt turkey or KFC here, though, instead she drew inspiration from the "takeout" aspect with her
Sweet and Sour Pork!
Now let's check out this
A Keto Friendly Thanksgiving Menu and Recipes from
Debra from
Eliot's Eats. She could also commiserate with the antics that happened when these families came together for the holiday, and was inspired to make this meal featuring recipes for Instant Pot Seasoned Turkey and Cranberry-Apricot Spicy Compote!
Amy from
Amy's Cooking Adventures brought her adorable single-serving
Mini Pumpkin Pies to the table this month; a choice that's sure to fit perfectly into anybody's Thanksgiving menu!
Let's close things out with my contribution, a dish inspired by the Seelig family table. Mom, Ruth, mentions very early in the film that she got a recipe from so-and-so's brother, "the tall vegetarian", called Roast Polenta, which we then saw on the table as they were all sitting down to eat. I'm a huge fan of anything made with corn grits, and thought this
Smoked Gouda and Sage Roasted Polenta would make the perfect addition to my own Thanksgiving table.
Thanks so much to all who joined in this month, and I hope that everybody had a delicious and happy Thanksgiving.
Be sure to head over to the Food 'n Flix club website where we'll be sharing recipes inspired by our favorite holiday films during the month of December!
