NYC Residents Cook Diverse Cuisines For Thanksgiving Feasts
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – A traditional Thanksgiving dinner is not the tradition in every home.
As CBS2's Dave Carlin reports, the American melting pot is credited with creating a wide array of holiday menus.
When Thanksgiving is something you did not grow up with, your turkey day menu might be a mash up – and we're not talking about potatoes.
Berta Tintin works at Leon Mexican Bakery and Grocery, which is usually turkey-free. But for Thanksgiving, their tamales get out-of-the-ordinary company.
"I'm making turkey tomorrow," she told Carlin. "Turkey for some people [that] want it. I sell turkey tomorrow -- Mexican turkey. The turkey is with hot sauce."
So on Thanksgiving, for one day only, expect to see turkey popping up in some unexpected places.
Pizza-makers may mix in a Thanksgiving spin.
"Maybe they wanted turkey," said Jorge Sanchez, of Little Italy Pizza.
"Thanksgiving is about comfort food, and for an immigrant like me, comfort food is both American comfort food and Indian comfort food," Upper West Side resident Sree Sreenivasan said.
Past Thanksgiving meals at Sreenivasan's home combined turkey with curry. But it wasn't always that way for the social media consultant who moved to New York City from India when he was nine years old.
"When you're young and first arrive in a country like America, you do want to assimilate and you want to put a little distance between you and your Indian background or your foreign background," he said. "But as you grow up, you really appreciate the importance of blending the two cultures as much as possible."
"I have a tandoori chicken or chicken curry for those of us who want a little bit of spice in there," said Roopa Unnikrishnan. "Join us, we'll pull out the table."
Bay Ridge, Brooklyn resident Natasha Nightingale is native of England. After six years here, she does Thanksgiving her way.
"Will definitely have a bit of tea – a spot of tea – after the meal," she said.
These immigrants are adding the tastes of home and coming up with delicious diversity for turkey day.