Celebrate the holidays the Canadian way on October 10

Fancy a gathering but aren't too sure about how to thaw, prepare, let alone cook the perfect turkey? These tips and tricks should help a little.

Pair them with the comfort that the shelves at Choithrams.com are loaded with an impressive array of holiday, hosting essentials, and you're already half way there.

Thanksgiving dinner recipes for turkey, stuffing, sauces and sides are sprawled all over the internet, and of course, if it's a pumpkin pie you're looking to make, there's plenty of inspiration.

But what about the size of the bird you require, or what to serve with it? Here's a handy guide.

Canadian Thanksgiving is on Monday, October 10, and is a different celebration to that of the USA. A harvest celebration, Thanksgiving, or L'Action de grace as it's better known by many French Canadians, takes place on the second Monday in October.

How much per person?

These tips can help when deciding what size turkey to buy for your holiday gathering, and about how much turkey each guest will eat.

Here are some figures to keep in mind when you're thinking of how large a turkey to buy for your guests:

1. Uncooked whole unstuffed turkey: Around a 1.8kg for a small gathering (4 to 8 people), and about 4kg for a larger group (10 to 16). Remember: The larger the bird, the higher the meat-to-bone ratio.
2. Uncooked turkey breast (bone in): You'll need to calculate around 500g per person. This takes into consideration the bones.
3. Uncooked turkey breast (boneless): Think of about 250g per person.

Believe it or not, each of your adult guests will consume between 220g-450 of turkey meat each. So some simple maths will give you the approximate weight of the bird you require. However, if you're like most home chefs who cooked for hours, you'll want to have enough leftover turkey for sandwiches, soups, pot pies and stews later in the week.

Oysters to start

Start your meal with one of Canada’s most delectable creations: shucked oysters. Go for a simple lemon mignonette sauce — all that’s needed to bring out their briny best.

Wild rice with berries

Indigenous people in Canada were the first to celebrate the harvest. Cooking with wild rice pays homage to this.

Incorporate the tastes of piney forests and clear northern lakes, a nod to those earliest gatherings of thanks. The sweet tang of the berries will really give the rice a kick and we say throw some nuts in too.

Maple baked salmon

Whip up this festive dish that conjures the flavours of the North of Canada. Maple syrup duets with buttery salmon in so many quick and easy recipes. It's always a stunning combination and, as salmon is such a quick fish to bake, will be ready in under 30 minutes.

Tired of the same old greens?

Try this clever recipe courtesy of a chef from Vancouver, British Columbia, which uses a gently spiced coconut milk to disguise the fact the kids are eating spinach!

Simply dice a large red onion and fry it in a pan, add the spinach (fresh or frozen), or any other vegetables, and cook for a few minutes with a teaspoon of coconut oil. Add 400ml of coconut milk and let simmer for 5-10 minutes.

The marinated greens are tasty and something new.