How to Plan an African-American Thanksgiving

This is meant to get your imagination working and to get you thinking about how you can put your own personal stamp on your own Thanksgiving; general planning tips are included too. Be creative and have fun!

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• African Cookbooks
• Southern Cookbooks
• Holiday Cookbooks
• Soul Food Cookbooks
• Vegetarian Cookbook

1. Figure out how many guests to invite. Consider the size of your home; the number of chairs, tables and dishes you'll need; and your ability to cook for a number of people.
2. Think about decorations and accents in your home that will reflect an African-American upbringing. Think about music you could play softly in the background that reflects African-American culture.
3. Decide whether you want to ask people to help you, either by bringing parts of the meal (wine, dessert, appetizers, side dishes), bringing decorations or music, or coming early to help out.
4. Determine the food preferences or restrictions of your guests. Are there any vegetarians or people with food allergies?
5. Consider the sequence of the meal and its balance. Try to balance starchy foods with lighter vegetable dishes. Consider how many courses you want to serve and how many appetizers you want to have available for noshing beforehand.
6. Think about giving the old standards an African-American accent. Consider using spices typical of African foods, such as allspice, cinnamon, cumin, ginger and coriander. Think about alternative dishes that emphasize your family's unique experience - for example, turkey b'stilla, a Moroccan turkey pie.
7. Also consider soul food staples: sweet potato pie, cornbread stuffing, macaroni and cheese, and so on.
8. Once you've planned the menu, consider the timing and preparation of each dish. Is it physically possible for you to make all the dishes you've planned? Think about your kitchen and its limitations as well. If you're making a traditional roasted turkey, for example, the bird will be occupying the oven most of the time. Consider, too, that some of your guests may prefer not to stray from a traditional menu; be prepared to have alternate courses available.
9. Use the traditional grace to acknowledge the struggles of the African-American community in American society.

Tips & Warnings

• People generally expect turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving.
• Leftovers are expected at Thanksgiving, so be sure to take that into account.