Illustration by Wenjia Tang
Scotland
David Crabtree-Logan, The Broken Tulip
“I don’t understand why you need five different pies,” quips David Crabtree-Logan, chef and co-owner of The Broken Tulip, in regards to the abundance of Thanksgiving desserts. As for pumpkin pie, he adds, “It’s kind of gross — it should be a savory.” The very American holiday of excess with a strange connection to football can be a little overwhelming for the transplanted Scotsman, but he has come to enjoy it, even closing the restaurant for the week to spend it with wife and fellow co-owner Sarianne and her family in Connecticut. There, he shares his love of fruit-based desserts — and avoids cloying sweetness — by taking a favorite lemon curd tart from home and replacing the citrus with cranberries to bridge the cultures.
India
Sunny Baweja, Lehja
“If there’s any festival, Indians celebrate like crazy,” says Lehja chef and owner Sunny Baweja. “If you see the essence of Thanksgiving, it’s family, and that’s important to every Indian festival or celebration.” Ironically, if you showed up at Baweja’s home for the holiday, the food would be quintessentially American. “We eat Indian [food] most every day of the year, so Thanksgiving is the day to make the perfect turkey and all the trimmings.” The Thanksgiving menu at his restaurant is another story; diners want something more exotic. For them, he adds a sweet touch of flair to his usually savory samosas, such as pecan with a hint of chocolate or even pumpkin — a very Indian turnover.
Liberia
Chef MaMusu, Africanne on Main
“Of course we celebrate Thanksgiving,” says Africanne on Main's Ida MaMusu. Her native country, Liberia, was primarily colonized by former American slaves who emigrated back to Africa after being freed, and close to 200 years after its founding, many of those traditions persist, albeit with a few twists. Take West African dishes such as jollof rice, with its rich, earthy flavors dressed up with cubes of turkey. Or consider pawpaw pie. No pawpaws in Africa? No problem. Switch it out for papaya to achieve a similar look and taste. Even better, call in advance and order an entire African feast for pickup on the big day to enjoy at home with family and friends.
