I’ve celebrated Thanksgiving every year I’ve lived in New Zealand. It started as a tradition that my in-laws did with me, as a way to make me feel more at home (I have truly wonderful in-laws), and, when they moved down to the South Island, and we bought a house, we began alternating between hosting it in Wellington, and flying down to Nelson to celebrate with them.
The first year we had it in Wellington a friend sent me a link to this article, with feminist themed Thanksgiving recipes. I was delighted. What a marvellous idea! Elizabeth Candied Stanton Sweet Potatoes have since become a firm favourite at Thanksgiving (Rutabaga Ginsberg is also very nice).
Thinking on the theme of feminist food, Kate Sheppard’s Pie is an obvious as a choice. However, it’s food-overkill at Thanksgiving.
So, the solution: hold a Kiwi Feminist Thanksgiving, held on the Sunday after White Camellia Day (and the day after our election). A group of friends came round to celebrate all of the awesome women who have made the world a better place, bringing their own delicious and deliciously pun-y contributions to the festive table.
My photographs aren’t the best, as I was busy being a good hostess rather than a good photographer, but I thought you might still enjoy seeing the spread and getting some inspiration for your own feminist thanksgiving.
We had:
Vegetarian Kate Sheppard’s Pie (of course!):
I was incredibly pleased with how this came out. I have notoriously bad luck making anything casserole-esque, but this received rave reviews, even from the meat-eaters.
Salad de Beauvoir with Simone de Balsamic dressing:
And, since I love salads:
Oarangula Burdete-Coutts orange, kale, cashew, & chevre salad with honey dressing:
I’m particularly pleased that the ingredients for this reference her roles as President of the the British Goat Society and British Beekeepers Association.
Tahirih Tahini flavoured hummus (not shown)
Commemorative venison pies:
Pun loving geek that I am, I suggested these could be called ‘Don’t call me sweetie-pies’, but Hvitr went with the more elegant and restrained commemorative origami camellias.
Gal Gatteau cake
A slightly controversial entry in the feminist rolls – but a bit of controversy to stir healthy debate amongst friends is always welcome!
And, finally, a bit of classic American feminism, in the form of Susan B Apple-ny pie.
Over dinner we had fun coming up with more feminist themed dishes, such as:
- Mary Whole-stone-fruit hand-crafted preserves
- Elizabeth Caraway-dusted spice cookies
- Harriet More-ishson chocolate truffle balls
- Sylvia Pankhurst Pancakes
- Elizabeth Yates & Dates almonds & spinach salad
- Elizabeth Reid Mc-honey-Combs hokey-pokey ice cream
- Catharine Macaulay-Graham cracker pie
(we didn’t use many non-Western examples, because making puns out of names is insulting in some cultures).
I’m sure you can think of more though! What else should we serve at next years Feminist Thanksgiving?
