Around the World this Thanksgiving
Leading up to Thanksgiving, I’ve been thinking a lot about all the foods we’ve tried along our travel road, some exotic and wonderful and some strange enough to bring tears to the eyes of our little ones. And even though we’ve had so many amazing dishes along the way, when it comes to holiday cooking, I’m still whipping up the same old feast. Tradition is a funny thing…no matter how much you like or dislike it, it is really hard to break. I’ve never been a big fan of any of the Thanksgiving traditional foods, and yet every year I find myself in the kichen roasting the turkey and rapidly stirring the gravy. This year, I’ve decided to review some of the best and worst dishes we’ve tasted in our travels and incorporate some of them into my Thanksgiving feast…giving thanks, essentially, to travel. And, to share them with our readers as a little T-day gift, maybe this year the Crescent rolls or green bean salad can take a little holiday break!
Thumbs Up!
1. Put the Lime in the Coconut
One of the kids favorite dishes we’ve tasted on the road (or in the case I should say on the sea) originates in the tropical South Pacific. We first tasted Coconut Bread while on production filming Travel With Kids Hawaii. 
The Polynesian Cultural Center was grilling up the coconut bread in an outdoor oven and the kids went back for seconds, thirds, fourths…eventually the lovely hula girl came over with the recipe. I’m still not sure if she thought the boys would love to eat it at home or she wanted to save what was left of hers. It’s got a mild coconut flavor and would be a great accommpaniment to a more exotic Thanksgiving holiday. For more information on Oahu and for other fabulous Hawaiian recipes, get the Travel With Kids Hawaii: The Island of Oahu DVD.
2. Oui Monsieur!
On our trip to Paris, the kids fell in love with a staple sandwhich in France, the Croque Monsieur. It’s a ham and cheese sandwich
ala France, which means of course add lots of fat so it’s entirely yummy! They actually coat the bread in butter and then dip it into a egg mixture before frying it up and let me tell you it’s tres magnifique! This could be a great appetizer on T-day – cut into smaller squares of course! To take a virtual trip to Paris or to get other French recipes (including one for crepes, which was another favorite for our family), get Travel With Kids Paris.
3. Easy Peezy!
The national dish of Costa Rica is called Cosada and not only do our kids love it (we make it slightly different
than the one we tried while on location in Costa Rica), but its easy and cheap! It’s basically a mixture of beans, rice and tomatoes, and we throw in onions and cilantro for a little spice! I think we’ll use this as a night before T-day recipe with some homemade tortillas, which the boys love to roll out! Find these recipes and learn more about Costa Rica on our brand new Travel With Kids Costa Rica DVD.
May Make the Never List!
1. When most people think of luaus in Hawaii, they think of poi, the Hawaiian version of mashed potatoes, which are a grey mash of taro root. Surprisingly, the boys gave the poi the thumbs up. However, the blanc flavor and strange texture would put it on most people’s never list, especially for holidays. However, we could make a variation involving squash or yams with lots of butter that may be just what the hula girl ordered, but experimenting on that will have to wait for next year.
2. Bangers and Mash…British food is not know for its culinary genius, so it’s no surprise that heading up our list of not-to-be-served at our round the world holiday is this English staple. It’s basically a mash of potatoes and beef smushed into a casserole dish and covered with brown sauce. Made correctly, and with some additional spice, it may make a good regular dish, but not for this T-day. However, when we were in production in London, the boys loved the tradition of afternoon tea, especially high tea with scones, cookies, little sandwiches and lots of treats. While we have fun putting on tea at home, holiday food is filling enough without adding another meal for the day.
So, I’m finding there are clever ways to incorporate all my new found recipes into traditional meals, creating new traditions; hopefully ones that my boys will pass on to their own kids. And, with all the places we’ve visited filming for Travel With Kids, the list could be endless. I am so thankful for all the opportunities we have had to explore this beautiful globe and all the interesting cultures on it, and by incorporating some of these recipes, I have the chance to say thank you.
So, now that you know how I’m, going to be changing my T-day up a bit this year, let me know what you do to celebrate. Any special meals or customs? And please, let me know if you use any of the recipes and how they turned out.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving from our family to yours!
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