Thanksgiving is essentially a harvest celebration to be enjoyed with family and friends. It's not exactly a familiar tradition in the UK but the custom dates back to 1621, when the English founders of the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts invited the local inhabitants over for a simple yet filling dinner. It wasn't a Thanksgiving meal in its modern guise, but the hungry Pilgrims and members of the Wampanoag tribe managed to wolf down a few deer and a handful of turkeys between them.
Nearly 400 years after this inaugural Thanksgiving dinner, today's meal retains the idea of simple cooking: turkey, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie are de rigueur. According to Pilgrim legacy, the simple food recalls the rustic virtues of the Pilgrims - although whether they indulged in pumpkin pie all those years ago is a matter of debate.
The Thanksgiving holiday in the USA takes place every year on the fourth Thursday in November, marking the start of the Christmas season. This year it falls on the 24th, and many UK restaurants are casting aside their usual menu and embracing the celebratory delicacies of our American cousins.
With lashings of turkey, corn bread, cranberries and more pumpkin pie than you can possibly imagine, a Thanksgiving dinner is a hefty meal, and it's worth noting that the Pilgrims had to fast well before their slap-up meal.
Eat, drink and be merry. To celebrate Thanksgiving in London:
- Christopher's in Covent Garden and the newly opened Christopher's in the City are serving a traditional American Thanksgiving menu on Thursday. Owner Christopher Gilmour lived in the USA for 10 years, so expect authenticity. Call 020 7240 4222 (Covent Garden) or 020 7623 3999 (City) to book.
- If its American credentials you're after, Villandry carries genuine clout. US-born Martha Greene and her team will be cooking up Thanksgiving dinner at the Great Portland Street restaurant. Call 020 7631 3131 to book.
- Hoxton eaterie Cru is also getting in on the Thanksgiving act. It, too, is serving a special menu on Thursday. Call 020 7729 5252 to book.