Cuisine and culture

On November 24, the last Thursday of the month, the US will celebrate Thanksgiving and usher in the holiday season.

"Thanksgiving is very important to all Americans," said Amy Riolo, American cookbook author, cooking historian, lecturer, cooking teacher and restaurant consultant on Thursday evening when she was in the country for the Sharjah Book Fair. "Especially with the immigrants because it is one holiday celebrated by all, irrespective of religious beliefs."

A Muslim for the past 15 years, Riolo works independently and has been involved with food, especially Middle Eastern cuisine, on which she has penned four books. She, however, candidly informs me she has not had any professional training in the field. "I studied at the Cornell University, which is the best hotel school in the world but I did not graduate from the hotel school," she explains.

Different plans

"I studied apparel and textile management. I wanted to be a fashion director but working in the fashion industry wasn't motivating. I thought I would be travelling to India to find exotic fabrics. Instead, I was sitting in this office working with these numbers." Italian by origin, Riolo's Italian cuisine however did not find favour with publishers. All her books are on Middle Eastern cuisine. "Why I specialise in this cuisine is because the Italian products market is saturated in the US and publishers rejected my works because they felt ‘so-and-so had already done it'. And this was unique because I travel to the Middle East a lot. I also focus on the history of the food. What's interesting is almost everything about food came from the region or passed through it."

Riolo informs that food cooked on Thanksgiving originally was what the Native Americans had. "Though it's probably not politically correct to talk of it, legend has it that the native Indians taught the pilgrims to plant and grow food. And when they would have the harvest, they celebrated it with food. But it just makes a nice story. However, it's known that many of the people who came to America died due to famine because they did not know how to cultivate the land.

"A traditional Thanksgiving meal includes all indigenous produce such as turkey, cranberries, potatoes, mushrooms, chestnuts which sadly no longer exist in America but were there then. Wild game and fish were on the menu too but disappeared in time, and pumpkins — all kinds of squash. It's not really a healthy meal because it has a lot of sugar and butter. But it is a wonderful meal. Usually the turkey is put in the oven and the accompaniments cooked on the stove top. Mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potato, salad, cranberry relish — the pie, however, is mostly made a day in advance. And the whole family gets together. Also it's the game season so there is some big football game on that day. People spend time at home with family. Those who don't have family usually get together with friends. Some restaurants offer thanksgiving meals but that's rare. People travel to be with family at such times. The day after Thanksgiving starts the Christmas season. So this is like the beginning of the American holiday."

She also works with endocrinologists and doctors on how to inspire their patients to eat healthy. "My mother was diagnosed with diabetes when I was 15. As I was the family cook, I had to learn to cook differently. As I grew up, I realised people don't follow the doctor's dietary instructions. So I've tried to come up with recipes that are familiar to people using traditional ingredients and recipes but healthful versions."