When most people think about Thanksgiving, they are usually thinking about that golden-brown turkey large enough to put anyone into a food coma. But let us be realthe star of the show is rarely, if ever, the turkey. In fact, many fans of Thanksgivings would argue that it is the side dishes and desserts that really are the stars of the holiday. This year, let us just admit it: the best food on Thanksgiving is not the turkey.
First of all, there is the stuffing. There is just something uniquely comforting about a good stuffing. It is warm and flavourful and endlessly customizable. Whether it is cornbread, sourdough, or fresh herbs, it brings all the flavors of Thanksgiving together into a cohesive, satisfying mouthful. At the same time, it can be as diverse as every single preference, with add-ins like apples, sausages, cranberries, or nuts that make each recipe a little more personal. A well-crafted stuffing has a richness that is more earthly than anything a turkey could usually hope to attain, and there is a reason people go back for seconds and thirds.
Other than that, the mashed potatoes are yet another Thanksgiving classic that outdoes the poor turkey. Soft, buttery, creamy, mashed potatoes could be the ultimate comfort food, and they are infintely better drizzled in gravy. Unlike turkey, which easily dries out, mashed potatoes are always surefire delivery of pure, pillowy comfort with every bite. And they do not require some complicated recipe or hours of advanced preparation to make them special, just a liberal amount of butter, salt, and, if one is feeling fancy, a bit of garlic. Mashed potatoes are, somehow, a proxy for that simplicity we are looking for on Thanksgiving.
And then there is cranberry sauce, the Thanksgiving requisite that is rarely celebrated as the hero it is. While turkey is often seasoned fairly conservatively, cranberry sauce brings a pop of bright, tangy flavor to the table that helps balance out the richness of other dishes. That contrast is crucial: the slightly tart sweetness of cranberries slices through the heaviness of mashed potatoes and stuffing with a lively spark on the plate. Homemade or canned, cranberry sauce pairs well with savory flavors, and quite frankly, a plate of turkey without cranberry sauce would just seem incomplete.
And of course, the sweet potatoes, the other crowd-pleaser that can assume so many different identities on Thanksgiving tables. Some like them as a simple, mashed dish; others do the sweet potatoe casserole, topped with marshmallows and brown sugar. Either way, sweet potatoes bring in a naturally sweet, vibrant flavor that cuts nicely admist the more savory items on the table. Comparatively speaking, turkey can come off boring, while sweet potatoes bring a unique dessert-like indulgence to the meal. It is one of those few dishes which promise both comfort and excitement; hence, it is indispensable on every Thanksgiving.
With repsect to dessert, pie calls for an applause of its own.Whether classic pumpkin, pecan, or apple is more your thing, pie just rounds off the perfect Thanksgiving meal. Rich, spiced, full of seasonal flavors in every slice, just thinking about it makes one want to go back for more. A turkey might look good on the table, but let us face it, most people are thinking about pie toward the end of the meal. And unlike the turkey, which usually makes us so full and just wanting to sleep, pie has a way of reviving us, offereing one last delicious taske of the holiday.
So, why does the turkey still steal the show? It is party tradition, but let us get real, the sides make Thanksgiving. They add diversity and energy to the table, carrying the bold flavors and textures that you remember. The turkey’s fine, but it seldom steals the show on anyones’s plate. More often than not, a mix of the sides and desserts is what truly makes the emal.
This Thanksgiving let us give credit where it is due. Let us enjoy the silky mashed potatoes, the savory dressing, the sweet-tart cranberry sauce, and the delicious pies that really make the meal memorable. Sure, the turkey does look good as a centerpiece, but the best part about Thanksgiving is all the things that surround it.
