There are umpteen celebrations that are observed here in the USA. Coming of age elsewhere, we had not celebrated Thanksgiving so I wanted to write a bit about how I adopted this holiday. For those who are reading this blog in other parts of the world, Thanksgiving is a national holiday here in the United States. It is a day of giving thanks for the blessings of the harvest. It is like Christmas, but without the frenzied hassle of gift giving. It is always celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. Most folks get the Friday off too, and that allows for an enjoyable long weekend. The first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Pilgrims in the New World in 1621 after the first successful harvest. Since then, on this special day, families gather together from every corner of the country to be with their loved ones. I’d say it is probably the most traveled day in the United States, probably more so than Christmas. Planes, trains, buses and cars are packed to capacity with families making the trek to be with their loved ones. Typically on the day itself, a whopping feast is celebrated with turkey and all the trimmings. The following day is dubbed “Black Friday” this is the day the official Christmas shopping begins in all the stores and online.
When we first moved to the USA almost 40 years ago, it did not hold much significance for me, but a few years into it and I will have to say the American Thanksgiving now holds a very special place in my heart. I’ve adopted this holiday and welcome it each year with open arms. It is probably one of the most anticipated holidays that I look forward to. We have celebrated it in many ways. Sometimes with other families, sometimes with neighbors and close friends, and in the past few years we’ve celebrated it in our very own home with our own family and invite other friends, spreading friendship and warmth thus paying it forward.
Food, glorious food! Part of the excitement for me is just that – preparing the menu, shopping ahead of time and inviting friends to celebrate with us. The aromas for the couple of days preceding Thanksgiving heightens the joy of this beautiful holiday for me. Pies and rolls are baked ahead of time. I try to make some of the dishes the day before too. The turkey is prepped on the morning of, and again there’s nothing quite like the aromas of the turkey and fresh herbs permeating the air on the day itself. I had made this Apple upside-down cake a few weeks ago and thought it would be a fitting dessert to present to you all this week. Typically apple pies and pumpkin or sweet potato pies are popular around this holiday. We will have three desserts to choose from this Thanksgiving. Pumpkin and apple pies and a chocolate tart. Now onto the recipe for this apple cake.

Apple upside down cake
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup butter, cut up
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 6 very small red cooking apples, halved, stems removed, cored
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- a pinch of cardamom (optional)
- a pinch of nutmeg (optional)
- 2 star anise pods
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- vanilla ice cream (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 deg F. Place 1/3 cup butter in a 9x9x2 inch baking pan. Place in oven for 5 minutes or until butter melts. Sprinkle brown sugar over butter, add star anise; stir. Arrange 9 apple halves in mixture, cut sides down. Bake in oven 10 to 15 minutes or until bubbly.
- Meanwhile, peel remaining apples. Coarsely shred; set aside. In bowl combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg. Add shredded apple, milk, 1/4 cup butter, egg and vanilla. Beat with electric mixer on low until combined; beat on medium for 1 minute. Spoon over apples, spread evenly (apples may be exposed, some butter may rise to the surface).
- Bake 35 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Loosen edges; invert onto platter. Spoon any topping in pan over top. Cool for 20 minutes, serve with ice cream.
I hope those of you who celebrate Thanksgiving have a warm and blessed day with your families. Wishing you all peace and love this Thanksgiving holiday. Here’s a poem I always love to recite around this holiday 🙂
May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey be plump
May your potatoes and gravy have nary a lump
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize
And may your Thanksgiving dinner, stay off your thighs
Loretta, what a lovely look at your view of Thanksgiving. You know having been born in the US, I never thought so much about Thanksgiving other than the usual 4-day weekend and collage ball. But, now living abroad, the meaning of the day and what it represents has become much clearer. So, tomorrow is just another work day here as is Friday. But, on Saturday we’ll be hosting our “American Thanksgiving in Sweden” annual dinner. We look so forward to sharing with our Scandinavian, English and Bosnian guest the spirit and meaning of American Thanksgiving. Have a wonderful celebration tomorrow.
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Thank you Ron. It’s also great to hear that you got together with a bunch of your friends to gather and share the true meaning of Thanksgiving. I’m sure you you played pilgrims and Indians pretty well eh? 🙂 It’s funny, after Thanksgiving, I really don’t look forward to Christmas as much. I find it too commercial although I do love all the parties and getting together. I hope you will share your American Thanksgiving celebrated in Sweden. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
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Gorgeous cake and insightful post. Thanks for sharing.
Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
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Thanks so much Ronit. Just a wee bit about some of us who were not born in the USA and what Thanksgiving means to us. Thought it would be great to put down in words. 🙂
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Happy Thanksgiving! It is my favorite holiday as well. All the human warmth of Christmas without the commercialization. And when I was younger and single, it didn’t make me feel left out as Christmas often did.
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You nailed it Liz, “All the human warmth of Christmas without the commercialization” and that’s exactly what I feel too. My sis who lives in England remarked that she would not have been able to handle two large holidays back to back. I never thought of it that way, but clearly it is. When the turkey is put away, the tree comes up 🙂
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Which is my favorite part of Christmas, the lights and remarkable ornaments that have been collected or made over a couple of generations of my family.
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As a European who has lived most of her life in Australia Thanksgiving naturally is a holiday we view from afar. Of all the special occasions celebrated in your country methinks it also would be closest to my heart. But, you have just taught me something I did not know ! Oh yes, Black Friday sales have been on the agenda here for a couple of weeks already and some have actually begun – silly me never realized that they always came at the tail end of Thanksgiving and were regarded as the beginning of Yule shopping ! You explained the whole holiday well: this part I am grateful for even Down Under !!
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Thanks for your thoughts Eha, as someone who was not born in the USA, it took some years to get fully immersed in the Thanksgiving holiday. But now that we’ve been here nearly 40 years, I absolutely love it. For me Christmas is way too commercialized, as I’m sure it is in Australia. I recall a visit to Perth many years ago, Santa Claus was in shorts, I had to laugh out loud and definitely made sure I took a picture to bring back home 🙂
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I love it! And we’re lucky to have you, Loretta! The cake is gorge and the poem is so fun!
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Aww, you’re sweet Mollie, thank you. I’m afraid I’m not into Christmas as I used to be, I find it too commercialized, so for me Thanksgiving is a warm and heartfelt time for all.
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So true! We’ve always tried to keep Christmas about the spirit and the people and very simple and it’s always been a fight. Oh, and about cookies, too, lol!!
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That cake looks ooey gooey delicious. I love baked apple desserts. Thanksgiving is probably our favorite holiday. I don’t have that apple corer in my arsenal of kitchen tools! I’m sure Santa has one for me, however.
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Ha ha Julie, and here was I thinking you had all the gadgets under the sun 🙂 It surely makes baked apples a cinch to prepare. I know you’ll enjoy your first Christmas with baby Olivia, how fun will that be!
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I got a different one a couple weeks ago, I used to just use a melon baller – but I hate mine! I wish I had one like Loretta’s!! 🙂
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Very well articulated. Your post resonates with me. The cake looks delicious!
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Thanks so much Anjali. How long have you been in the USA? It’s nice that you celebrate and enjoy Thanksgiving too.
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Over a decade now. Hubs has been around for over 2 decades. Time sure flies!
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