Thanksgiving

Beyond the Table
Thanksgiving is a big day for television, games and other entertainment.
One tradition is the television broadcast of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It takes place each year in New York City. Workers of the Macy’s store on Herald Square organized the first parade in 1924. Many of the workers were immigrants and wanted to hold a big parade like the ones in Europe. So, they dressed in costumes and borrowed some animals from the zoo. They also carried small balloons that floated just overhead.

Performers and balloons pass through 59th Street during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday, Nov. 24, 2016, in New York. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP)

Many professional American football games are also played on Thanksgiving. Fans of the sport enjoy relaxing and watching a game or two after eating a big Thanksgiving meal.
Some start Thanksgiving Day early - and in a healthy way. So-called “Turkey Trot” races take place in many towns and cities. These events involve runners dressing up in a Thanksgiving-related costume and running a short distance -- usually five kilometers.

A runner with a hat shaped into a piece of pumpkin pie takes part in the 40th annual Turkey Trot to raise money for the Denver chapter of the United Way in south Denver on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2013.

Many Turkey Trots urge runners to bring canned food to donate to local food banks -- non-profit organizations that give food to poor people in a community.
Serving those less fortunate
Certainly, not everyone in America has an easy Thanksgiving. The United States is home to many poor and homeless people. Some cannot afford a Thanksgiving dinner. Others are without friends or families. Many religious and service organizations around the country try to fill these needs. Some provide community dinners at churches and other centers. Some groups also deliver Thanksgiving meals to people too sick or old to leave their homes.

Then-President Barack Obama participates in a Thanksgiving service project by handing out food at the Capital Area Food Bank on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013 in Washington. The Capital Area Food Bank distributes 30 million pounds of food annually. (AP Photo)

The writer O. Henry called Thanksgiving the one holiday that is purely American. It is not linked to a religion or a certain group. Anyone in the United States on the fourth Thursday of November is welcome to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Chocolate Cake Recipe

Dear B1 students,

Since we won't have time to look at recipes, I'd like you to watch this sweet video where you can get an idea of recipe language.

Enjoy!

PS: you can see the text below


Chocolate:
How To Make Chocolate Cake

Step 1: You will need:
Units:

* 200 g caster sugar
* 200 g softened butter
* 4 medium eggs, beaten
* 170 g self-raising flour
* 30 g cocoa
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 2 tbsp milk
* 200 ml double cream
* 50 g butter
* 3 tbsp clear honey
* 200 g dark chocolate

1.
Step 2: Mix

Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5, 375F. Butter two 20cm (8 in) sandwich tins and line with non-stick baking paper.
2.
Step 3: Bake

In a large bowl, beat together 200g softened butter with 200g caster sugar, 4 eggs, 170g flour and 30g cocoa powder until you have a smooth, soft batter.
Divide the mixture between the tins, smooth the surface with a spatula or the back of a spoon, then bake for about 20 mins until the top is a beautiful golden colour. The cake should spring back when you press it. Turn it onto a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
3.
Step 4: Frosting

For the fudge frosting, heat 200ml double cream until it just begins to boil. Take it off the heat and add 50g butter, 3 tablespoons honey and 200g dark chocolate, which has been broken into pieces. Leave the mixture for five minutes so the chocolate melts, then stir it briefly to combine all the ingredients - don't over-mix it or it will lose its shine.
4.
Step 5: Ice

Sandwich the cakes with a third of the just-warm frosting and spread the rest over the top and sides. Top with shaved or grated chocolate.

Halloween and All Hallows

Here you are the text you read last Tuesday and the pumkin pie recipe too. Have a nice All Hallows bank holiday!

October 31st is a very important date for young people in Britain and America. It’s Hallowe’en! This word means ‘All Hallows’ Eve’, the night before ‘All Hallows’.
Hallowe’en is a pagan festival. It came from the Celts, when they invaded the British Isles and Northern France. In the ancient pagan calendar, October 31st was the last day of the year. At night, Celts built bonfires and dressed up in the scary Celtic costumes. They lit lanterns they placed outside their houses to frighten away devil and death.

When the Irish emigrated to the U.S.A. in the 18th and 19th centuries, they brought this tradition with them. Hallowe’en became one of the most important festivals in the U.S.A. Lanterns came to be pumpkins with candles inside and called ‘Jack o’Lanterns’.

Today Halloween is a time for fun. People wear masks, dress up as ghosts. Witches, monsters, etc. and organize parties. They also play games. Children go from house to house saying: ‘trick or treat?’ waiting for people to give them sweets and money.


PUMPKIN PIE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

- 700 g. pumkin
- 1 apple
- 1 orange
- 80 g. raisins
- 40 g. butter
- 1/2 cup condensed milk
- 3 eggs
- 1 spoon flour
- 1 spoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 level spoon salt
- 1 spoon cinnamon
- 2 spoons water
- 1 puff pastry

METHOD

--> preheat oven to 210º.
--> you may bake the puff pastry a little bit before you pour the pumpkin pie mixture into it to make sure it bakes well.
--> Prick the base of the pastry with a fork.

1. Prepare an orange juice and grate orange peel. Keep the grated orange peel for later.
2. Boil rasins in water for 30 seconds. Drain raisins and put them into the orange juice.

3. Dice the pumpkin and the apple. Melt butter in a pan. When melted, add pumpkin dices and cook over a low heat. A bit later add the apple dices and cook together with the pumpkin dices until they get very soft.

4. Mix the pumpkin and the apple with sugar, salt, flour and cinnamon with a mixer.
5. Add the eggs and mix well.
6. Add condensed milk, water, vanilla and grated orange peel. Mix well again.
7. Add raisins.

8. Pour the pumpkin pie mixture into the puff pastry.

9. Bake for 15 minutes at 210º.
10. Then bake for 35 min. at 150º until the pie is set.

ENJOY YOUR PIE!