Let's Talk Turkey: Getting Ready for Thanksgiving

What do we mean when we use the phrase "talk turkey"? You can find out in this book, Let’s Talk Turkey: The Stories Behind America’s Favorite Expressions by Rosemarie Ostler. This title is available in the Library and Learning Resource Center, call number R 427.973 O85l.

While the the above book may be stretching the relevance to Thanksgiving, it does reflect the idea that we want to seriously recommend some books about this grand old American holiday. That's not to say we won't have a light-hearted post or two along the way.

Today, we'll start with a couple of books that not only will give us some recipes, but also some history of the holiday and the foods associated with it.

First up is Giving Thanks: Thanksgiving Recipes and History, from Pilgrims to Pumpkin Pie, by Kathleen Curtin. Call number: 641.568 C798g

Kathleen Curtin expands readers’ views, and waistlines, if they try the 80 recipes that she shares, about the dishes served at Thanksgiving by highlighting the variety that can be found at Thanksgiving tables around the United States. Ms. Curtin also shares the history of the holiday in the United States. The one near-constant in the long history of Thanksgiving is the turkey.

Given that the turkey has had a role from the first Thanksgiving in 1621 to today, let's celebrate the turkey with this book:

The Turkey: An American Story, by Andrew F. Smith. Call number: 641.3659 S642t

Here turkey, turkey. Smith fills his turkey book with one part history and one part recipes, over 100 of them, to tell the story of the turkey’s place in American culture.