Dwelling on Thanksgiving
Imagine being led by 25-year old Antione de la Mothe Cadillac as he and his exploration party landed on the shores of Detroit in 1701. Weary from weeks at sea, they set their sights on a land he described as “beautiful beyond belief” with the fresh water teeming with fish and skies abundant with fowl. Imagine their awe and excitement at encountering the exotic natives, cultured and skilled craftsmen, strong and generous to their visitors. More than 100,000 Potawatomi, Ottawa and Chippewa natives inhabited the land, many along the St. Clair and Detroit rivers.
History is a fickle friend and sometimes must be left to our imaginations. But is it possible the first Thanksgiving feast happened here on the shores of our beautiful City of Detroit?
Fast forward several hundred years and our city celebrates the season with many traditions. America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Turkey Trot, and tailgate parties for a much “loved” football team and game, all taking place before the turkey’s carved. It is a day like no other. A day solely focused on gratitude for the life we have and the people in it.
The cooks, chefs and hosts among us may disagree on the pace of the day, but whether you are cooking, catering or stealing away to a place that serves; may you feel the awe that the early explorers must have felt, not because the sights are new, but because when the noise stops, you feel the joy that may be found in the familiar. The tradition. The memories.
Order your Thanksgiving dinner package from Capuchin Soup Kitchen with proceeds going to “Feeding Bodies, Nourishing Spirits, and Strengthening Communities.”
Give the gift of food. Gleaners has a mission to “provide households with access to sufficient, nutritious food, and related resources.”
Still thinking or where to get dinner rolls and dessert? Try out Give Thanks Bakery, Midtown’s new premiere European artisan bakery.
Skipping all the prep and dishes this year? Here are a few restaurants open on Thanksgiving Day for a dine-in feast: Caucus Club, San Morello, Symposia, or The Whitney.
