Moving to a new country is a thrilling adventure, full of new experiences and opportunities, but let’s be honest – it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Especially when your new home is the UK, where it seems like it rains every other day! Homesickness often sneaks up on people at unexpected times. Whether it’s missing the familiarity of home or just not being able to find that one snack you love, the little things can quickly make you long for the place you left behind. For many, those feelings are most intense during the holiday season, and that’s exactly what happened to Ava last year.
Ava, originally from America, found herself struggling with homesickness during Thanksgiving. Being far from loved ones and her favourite holiday traditions made the celebration feel incomplete. But this year, Dean, her husband, was determined to make sure Ava felt the warmth of home, even in the UK. Wanting to surprise her, he decided to host a Thanksgiving feast, inviting family and friends over to their home.
Dean quickly realised that his cooking skills might not be up to the task of preparing such a big spread. His solution? Call in the big guns at Hog Roast Birkenhead to handle the catering!
Hog Roast Birkenhead was thrilled to work with Dean on planning the perfect menu for the event. While it wasn’t a traditional Thanksgiving meal, Dean decided on our Southern Slow Roast Menu, hoping the bold, rich flavours would give Ava a comforting taste of home.
On the 28th, Hog Roast Birkenhead worked our aprons off to prepare a spread that would leave everyone in awe. We marinated the meats in our secret recipe rubs and slow-roasted them for hours, resulting in juicy Cajun-spiced roast chickens, fall-off-the-bone Louisiana sticky pork ribs, and tender Texan beef brisket. To accompany the meats, we served mac and cheese, creamy potato salad, and Memphis-style crunchy coleslaw.
When Ava walked in the door after work and was greeted by the delicious aromas and the smiling faces of friends and family, her jaw dropped. She couldn’t believe the effort Dean had gone to, to bring a little piece of home to her. And when the guests dug into the spread, the flavours were even more incredible than the smells!
Sometimes, a thoughtful gesture and a hearty meal are all it takes to make a new country feel like home.