Thanksgiving is, naturally, not an event that the French mark, and although there are a few restaurants in Paris that hold special dinners, these usually get booked up months in advance.
That means for most Americans, it’s a home-made Thanksgiving. You might have to miss out on watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and American football on TV (not to mention the public holiday), but it’s still possible to create your own special day.
We asked our American readers for their tips on creating the perfect Thanksgiving when they are a long way from US stores.
Everyone agreed that the key thing is advance planning – stores in France won’t stock up on Thanksgiving items and some of the things you want may be hard to find, so you need to get organised.
In terms of cooking, there are some items that are hard to find in France, but alternatives are usually available, although you’re likely to be doing more cooking from scratch.
Turkey
The centrepiece of the traditional Thanksgiving dinner is of course a turkey.
Remember that the French for turkey is a turkey – not Turkey as that applies to the living animal. They are available in France but farmers are mostly aiming at the Christmas market, so if you want a big turkey for Thanksgiving you will need to order it in advance from your butcher.
Reader Chris told us: “It is unlikely that you will be able to walk in and find a turkey.
“They’re bred to be ready for Christmas so you need to order in advance. They will be small (around 4 kilo) for the same reason as above.”
If you didn’t order your turkey in time, or you just fancy a change, French butchers are well stocked with alternative poultry – try a paint (guinea fowl) or oie (goose) or a farm-reared chicken (breeding chicken).
French poultry is usually not bred to be massive – farmers say it kills the flavour – so if you’re having a lot of guests you will probably need several birds.
Pumpkin pie
This classic dessert is not a particular favourite in France, so if you want one you’re probably going to have to make it.
Canned pumpkins are not easy to find, but pumpkins and squashes are very much in season in November so French markets and supermarkets will be full of them – then all you have to do is peel, bake and purée the pumpkins yourself, before you start on the pie.
If all that sounds a bit too much like hard work, be aware that in many cities there are private cooks and bakers who will bake whatever desserts or pies you want, and probably deliver them too, in exchange of course for a fee.
Trimmings
Likewise most of the trimmings of your dinner will be available in France, but probably not all in the same place.
Yams (or sweet potatoes as they’re sometimes known – Yam in French) are available from bigger supermarkets and in some markets, especially in areas with a large African population. If you want them candied, you’re going to have to add your own sweet treats.
Likewise corn is available, usually whole and on the cob rather than creamed, from supermarkets and markets.
Cranberry sauce is hard to find ready-made, but fresh cranberries can be bought at bigger markets in the winter so you can make your own sauce.
In short, if you’re expecting to run down to the market the day before and grab everything you need for your Thanksgiving dinner, then you’re likely to be disappointed – although many readers told us that ingredients are easier to find than they used to be.
Unlike in the past, it’s now fairly easy to buy everything you need, though count on paying a lot (80€) for a turkey. Sweet potatoes used to mostly only at Château Rouge markets but are everywhere. Even cranberries are easy to find. Expensive but overall quality is higher here.
— ChrisInParis (@ChrisInParis) November 20, 2018
Cooking tips
You’re likely to be doing a lot of cooking to make all those things from scratch, so several readers recommended some handy websites.
Tish Devling described Alex French Guy Cooking‘s Thanksgiving prep timeline and recipe sources for nine dishes as “pretty epic”.
While Gina Dellilios recommended food publication Bon Appetit which has a selection of articles covering various aspects of Thanksgiving from the meal from how to produce the perfect brussels sprouts to Thanksgiving cocktails and, of course, the turkey.
However even with the best intentions, if you’re living in a small apartment, the cooking itself can be tough.
One American living in France said that with this in mind, with all the baking and roasting that awaits you, you might want to ask a friendly neighbour – preferably one who has been invited to dinner – if you can rent out or borrow their oven for the day.
Decorations
And let’s not forget about the decorations.
Getting hold of those may be even more difficult than getting hold of some of the more traditional foodstuffs but don’t worry, there are lots of websites with ideas for how to make them at home – and if you have kids, no doubt they’d love to get involved in this side of the preparations.
Family Day
Thanksgiving is not a holiday in France so on the day itself you’re likely to be working while the kids are in school. Some Americans in France go the whole hog and book a day’s holiday, while others just celebrate Thanksgiving at the weekend – and some do both, taking the opportunity to have a double celebration with family and then with friends.
For Americans who have children in France, Thanksgiving provides the perfect chance to introduce them to an American tradition.
“As a father it has become important. A way to show my son a bit of good old America,” Jeff Steiner, who leads the group Americans in France, previously told The Local.
But if after reading this, you think going the whole hog and creating a traditional Thanksgiving in France is just too much effort, you could always keep the most important elements – gathering loved ones together for food and drink – and ditch the turkey.
“Just throw a dinner party and call it Thanksgiving,” said Sarah Schmidt.
And remember – it’s being surrounded by people you love that makes a successful Thanksgiving, not having the perfect pumpkin pie.
French vocab
A turkey – a turkey
sweet potatoes – sweet potatoes/yams
A pumpkin – a pumpkin
Cranberries – cranberries
The corn – corn (the ï accent over the i means it is pronounced may-eese)