Years ago, I packed up my life into one suitcase and arrived in America with $1,000 in my pocket. I met thousands of immigrants like me over the year. Every immigrant that I know has their own remix of Thanksgiving.
We arrive in the United States with our family recipes, our spices, our memories of home—and then someone introduces us to a giant bird that we only see once a year. Our tables become fusion tables over time: soy sauce next to cranberry sauce, ginger next to green bean casserole, and at least one relative asking, “Why is this turkey always so dry?”
A couple of years ago, right after ChatGPT first launched, I decided to test artificial intelligence in the most serious, high-stakes way I could think of:
“Create a fusion and juicy Thanksgiving turkey recipe that combines
– the best of Alton Brown,
– the best of Martha Stewart,
and the flavors of Peking duck.
If it failed, we’d order takeout.
And if it worked, we’d have a new family classic.
It did not fail.
The turkey that came out of my oven that year was the best I’ve ever had – deeply flavorful, juicy, with shatter-crisp skin that tasted like it had a passport full of stamps: a little classic American, a little Food Network science, a little Beijing.
Now, as I create a life ranging from the US to Portugal, yes, I’m one of those people who took buying and furnishing a home and turned it into an expensive hobby, then accidentally made money when the property appreciated. Now, I’m branching out to another country: Portugal. This turkey is becoming my personal little symbol of “in-between” living: American holiday, Asian flavors, AI-assisted recipe, served at a table that might be Austin this year or the Algarve the next. And, since good things should be shared, here is the version of the recipe I now use and love. I made some intuitive modifications to the AI-generated receipt. Enjoy your fusion roast turkey with a blend of Western techniques and Eastern flavors for a unique Thanksgiving treat! Feel free to make it your own, add your family’s flavors, and create a fusion story of your own.
