The Divas tandoori turkey is an inventive take on the traditional Thanksgiving turkey. (Photo by Pam Brandon)

The Pilgrims weren’t afraid of change, so why are you?

Since the first Thanksgiving way back in 1620, we’ve had, oh, around 390 years to get it right. How the original menu of fish, fowl, pumpkins, berries and nuts morphed into kitschy melted marshmallow sweet potatoes, green bean casserole and quivering mounds of canned cranberry reflects a culinary saga as bold and twisted as our American history.

Truly, we understand your commitment to tradition, but perhaps just this once — in the rebellious spirit of our ancestral pilgrims, try something new. After all, didn’t Columbus mistakenly happen upon our great land while pursuing an alternate route to India in search of exotic spices? Indeed, the pilgrims would have no knowledge of the brave new world were it not for the original foodies of Europe, desperate to escape their own culinary rut.
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