Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’ by Eileen Spinelli is easily my kids’ favorite Thanksgiving book. I say “my kids'” and not mine because it took me awhile to really appreciate this book and I probably still don’t love it as much as my children. Thanksgiving at the Tappletons‘, like many children’s books, requires a large dose of suspension of disbelief and accepting of absurdity to really enjoy, and my kids are definitely better at both of those than I am. The book starts on the morning of Thanksgiving when Mrs. Tappleton drops the Thanksgiving turkey and it slides across the road into a pond. Instead of telling the family that she has dropped the turkey and finding a way to replace it, she decides to hide the fact that there is no turkey and carry on as if nothing happened. This misfortune is compounded throughout the day as each member of the family somehow fails to buy or prepare other items for their Thanksgiving meal. Mr. Tappleton gets to the bakery too late to buy the pies, Kenny Tappleton realizes that he fed all the vegetables to the class rabbits, and Jenny Tappleton gets distracted and lets the mashed potatoes fling out of the blender all over the kitchen. When the family finally confesses to each other what has happened, they have to content themselves with a feast of liverwurst sandwiches and applesauce for dessert. Grandma Tappleton ends up saving the day, not with a perfectly roasted turkey, but with her words of wisdom reminding everyone that people are what really matters, not certain foods or traditions. I will admit that the absurdity of these events, and the fact that none of the family members tell each other, was hard for me to get past at first. But my kids love this book so much that it would not seem like Thanksgiving now if we didn’t read Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’ at least once. When I found myself randomly saying, “Stop that turkey!” and then laughing while preparing our turkey last year, I knew this book had truly become a family classic.
Discussion Questions for Thanksgiving at the Tappletons’:
- What dish would you most miss if we didn’t have it at Thanksgiving?
- What do you think you would do if you somehow lost the Thanksgiving turkey or pies?
- Do you think Grandma Tappleton is right when she says “We’re together, That’s what matters, Not what’s served upon the platters”? What does she mean by that?
- If you were responsible for making one item for Thanksgiving dinner, what would you want to make?
I couldn’t feature any of the traditional Thanksgiving dishes with this book as the Tappletons have a decidedly non-traditional meal, but I have always thought that applesauce sounds like a good addition to the Thanksgiving table. Cranberry sauce can be too strongly flavored or sour for some kids, so this applesauce might be a nice alternative for them. Or enjoy it as a healthier dessert option, like the Tappletons! The extra spices, brown sugar, and vanilla elevate this applesauce a bit and make it just right for the holiday table, whether that table has turkey or liverwurst sandwiches!
Chai Spiced Applesauce
Peel, core, and chop the apples into 1-inch chunks. Place the apples in a medium saucepan with the apple cider, water, and brown sugar. Stir to combine. Place the cinnamon sticks, anise, cardamom, cloves and ginger slices in the middle of a square piece of cheesecloth and tie the cloth into a pouch with kitchen twine.
Nestle the spice pouch into the apple mixture in the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Turn the heat down to low, cover the pot and simmer on low for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking. Once the apples are very tender, remove the pot from the heat. Take the spice pouch out of the pot and discard.
Add the ground spices and vanilla extract to the apple mixture. Using a stick blender, regular blender, or food processor, blend the apples until a smooth sauce forms. If using a regular blender or food processor, make sure to let the mixture cool for at least 15 minutes before blending and vent the lid to allow steam to escape.
Alternatively, if you prefer a chunkier applesauce, just mash the apples in the pot with a potato masher or fork. Applesauce can be served warm or cold. Keeps in the refrigerator for about a week.
Ingredients
Directions
Peel, core, and chop the apples into 1-inch chunks. Place the apples in a medium saucepan with the apple cider, water, and brown sugar. Stir to combine. Place the cinnamon sticks, anise, cardamom, cloves and ginger slices in the middle of a square piece of cheesecloth and tie the cloth into a pouch with kitchen twine.
Nestle the spice pouch into the apple mixture in the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Turn the heat down to low, cover the pot and simmer on low for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking. Once the apples are very tender, remove the pot from the heat. Take the spice pouch out of the pot and discard.
Add the ground spices and vanilla extract to the apple mixture. Using a stick blender, regular blender, or food processor, blend the apples until a smooth sauce forms. If using a regular blender or food processor, make sure to let the mixture cool for at least 15 minutes before blending and vent the lid to allow steam to escape.
Alternatively, if you prefer a chunkier applesauce, just mash the apples in the pot with a potato masher or fork. Applesauce can be served warm or cold. Keeps in the refrigerator for about a week.
