Thanksgiving is right around the corner, which means it’s time to start planning the big meal. If you want to add a spooky twist to your holiday feast this year, take inspiration from the cult classic miniseries Over the Garden Wall and make an Over the Garden Wall turkey! This themed turkey will impress fans of the show and infuse your Thanksgiving with some creepy Unknown vibes.
Over the Garden Wall Refresher
For those unfamiliar with the show Over the Garden Wall is a hauntingly beautiful animated miniseries that aired on Cartoon Network in 2014. It centers around two brothers, Wirt and Greg, who find themselves lost in a strange forest realm called the Unknown. As they try to find their way home, they encounter all kinds of eccentric characters and magical creatures. The show has an old-timey vibe and explores thoughtful themes like facing your fears and overcoming despair.
How to Make an Over the Garden Wall Turkey
Channeling the eccentric spirit of the Unknown, you can create a turkey dish that looks straight out of the show.
Ingredients:
- 1 12-14 lb whole turkey
- 1⁄2 cup butter, softened
- 1⁄4 cup chopped fresh sage
- 1⁄4 cup chopped fresh thyme
- 1⁄4 cup chopped fresh rosemary
- 1⁄4 cup chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1⁄2 tsp salt
- 1⁄4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1⁄4 cup brown sugar
Directions:
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Preheat oven to 325°F
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In a bowl, mix together the butter, herbs, and spices.
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Separate turkey skin from breast and spread herb butter underneath.
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Place turkey in roasting pan, Whisk vinegar and brown sugar and brush over skin,
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Roast 3-4 hours until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Baste every 30 minutes.
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Let rest 15-20 minutes before carving.
Serving Suggestions:
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Surround turkey with corn husk figures of the show’s characters
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Garnish with a cluster of autumn leaves and acorns
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Add a doll in a teapot to reference Beatrice
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Scatter candy black turtles around the base
With the Over the Garden Wall vibe, this turkey will look right at home amongst the talking animals and lively spirits of the Unknown. A perfect centerpiece for fans of the show! Just be sure to keep The Beast away from the table until it’s time to eat.
Over the Garden Wall Theories
While the turkey cooks, get in the spirit by discussing some of the many fascinating fan theories about Over the Garden Wall’s deeper meaning:
Is the Unknown actually purgatory?
Many fans speculate that the Unknown represents a sort of purgatory between life and death. The residents don’t seem aware they’re dead and some can’t move on, like the Woodsman.
Are Wirt and Greg actually dead?
Some posit that the boys died in the lake at the beginning and the rest is an allegory for the afterlife. Their odd clothing supports this.
Is Wirt’s dad the Woodsman?
One theory suggests the Woodsman represents Wirt’s father who passed away, leaving Wirt to struggle with despair.
What’s with the talking animals?
The animal students of Miss Langtree likely symbolize people’s struggles while alive. Her school represents trying to connect.
Why is time odd?
Time doesn’t seem to flow naturally, emphasizing the characters being stuck in an in-between state.
The interpretations are endless, so debate and enjoy! Then dig in to the deliciously spooky Over the Garden Wall turkey.
Final Thoughts
While opinions are mixed on the series finale, most can agree that Over the Garden Wall remains one of the most poignant, beautifully crafted shows of recent years. Pay homage to this cult classic by cooking up a themed turkey this Thanksgiving. Just be sure to keep the Edelwood trees away from the table!
C’est justement à ça que l’application sert.
come to think of it… why was there a turkey slumping over the table in this house? that was never really explained, and it’s kinda creepy.
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*If it wasn’t clear, spoilers for Over the Garden Wall.*
We know very little about Wirt’s dad. All we know is that Wirt’s mom remarried, had Greg with another man, and Wirt does not have a great relationship with his stepdad. It could be that Wirt’s mom divorced her husband, but it’s also possible that he passed away. If he did, that would have drastically affected Wirt’s views on life and death, which would have influenced his decisions and emotions while in the unknown. (I should clarify that I view the Unknown as some sort of purgatory/grey area between life and death. Those in the Unknown are not ready to move on to the next stage of the afterlife, whatever that may be.) But let’s take this theory one step further: what if Wirt’s dad is one of the spirits we meet in the Unknown?
In order for this to be true, we need to assume that some people’s appearances and personalities change slightly when they enter the unknown. I don’t think this is an unreasonable assumption. Take Miss Langtree, for example. I doubt that when she was alive she had a fixation on teaching animals the alphabet. It seems like your perception of reality changes when you’re a resident of the Unknown for long enough. I don’t think the residents of the Unknown know that they are dead (or something close to it). We also have to assume that their appearances change as well, or else Wirt would have instantly recognized his dad if he saw him.
Let’s go back Miss Langtree. Assuming that she didn’t actually run an animal school when she was alive, then I think that the animal school is representative of some conflict that she did have as a living person. I’m thinking something along the lines of she spent her whole life trying to help children and was unable to connect with them to provide help, which tormented her. But I’m not here to talk about Langtree, I just wanted to demonstrate how one’s struggles in the unknown could be representative of their unresolved conflicts they had when they died.
Here’s my theory: The Woodsman is actually Wirt’s dad, and his struggles with his daughter are supposed to represent his emotional conflict over dying and leaving Wirt.
If Wirt’s dad died unexpectedly, as I think he did, he would have left behind his wife and young son. He knew that his death would have a huge negative impact on Wirt, something he would struggle with for years, and Wirt’s Dad felt guilty and scared to leave his son alone. His spirit ended up in the Unknown because he’s not ready to move on; he feels guilty over his own death and feels like he needs to do more for son than he was able to.
His conflict is represented in the unknown through the Woodsman’s daughter. The Woodsman never gets to see his daughter, yet he spends every hour of every day working to provide for her, to keep her lantern lit so that her spirit can stay alive. This is Wirt’s dad (subconsciously) attempting to make up for the damage he thinks that he caused Wirt. When OTGW reaches its conclusion, both Wirt and the Woodsman reach a sort of peace. The Woodsman realizes that he can’t continue to slave away for his daughter, which is supposed to be Wirt’s dad realizing he can’t continue to dwell on what his death did to Wirt and what he could have done for Wirt if he didn’t die. Finally at peace with himself, the Woodsman, aka Wirt’s dad, is able to move on from the Unknown.
Is this theory a stretch? Oh, it’s a huge stretch. But Over The Garden Wall is a show that ends with so much still unexplained that I really think anything is possible. Besides, even if the Woodsman is just the Woodsman and nothing more, Wirt’s dad’s death would have impacted Wirt’s decisions in the Unknown. I think it’s an interesting idea to think and theorize about.
*If it wasn’t clear, spoilers for Over the Garden Wall.*
We know very little about Wirt’s dad. All we know is that Wirt’s mom remarried, had Greg with another man, and Wirt does not have a great relationship with his stepdad. It could be that Wirt’s mom divorced her husband, but it’s also possible that he passed away. If he did, that would have drastically affected Wirt’s views on life and death, which would have influenced his decisions and emotions while in the unknown. (I should clarify that I view the Unknown as some sort of purgatory/grey area between life and death. Those in the Unknown are not ready to move on to the next stage of the afterlife, whatever that may be.) But let’s take this theory one step further: what if Wirt’s dad is one of the spirits we meet in the Unknown?
In order for this to be true, we need to assume that some people’s appearances and personalities change slightly when they enter the unknown. I don’t think this is an unreasonable assumption. Take Miss Langtree, for example. I doubt that when she was alive she had a fixation on teaching animals the alphabet. It seems like your perception of reality changes when you’re a resident of the Unknown for long enough. I don’t think the residents of the Unknown know that they are dead (or something close to it). We also have to assume that their appearances change as well, or else Wirt would have instantly recognized his dad if he saw him.
Let’s go back Miss Langtree. Assuming that she didn’t actually run an animal school when she was alive, then I think that the animal school is representative of some conflict that she did have as a living person. I’m thinking something along the lines of she spent her whole life trying to help children and was unable to connect with them to provide help, which tormented her. But I’m not here to talk about Langtree, I just wanted to demonstrate how one’s struggles in the unknown could be representative of their unresolved conflicts they had when they died.
Here’s my theory: The Woodsman is actually Wirt’s dad, and his struggles with his daughter are supposed to represent his emotional conflict over dying and leaving Wirt.
If Wirt’s dad died unexpectedly, as I think he did, he would have left behind his wife and young son. He knew that his death would have a huge negative impact on Wirt, something he would struggle with for years, and Wirt’s Dad felt guilty and scared to leave his son alone. His spirit ended up in the Unknown because he’s not ready to move on; he feels guilty over his own death and feels like he needs to do more for son than he was able to.
His conflict is represented in the unknown through the Woodsman’s daughter. The Woodsman never gets to see his daughter, yet he spends every hour of every day working to provide for her, to keep her lantern lit so that her spirit can stay alive. This is Wirt’s dad (subconsciously) attempting to make up for the damage he thinks that he caused Wirt. When OTGW reaches its conclusion, both Wirt and the Woodsman reach a sort of peace. The Woodsman realizes that he can’t continue to slave away for his daughter, which is supposed to be Wirt’s dad realizing he can’t continue to dwell on what his death did to Wirt and what he could have done for Wirt if he didn’t die. Finally at peace with himself, the Woodsman, aka Wirt’s dad, is able to move on from the Unknown.
Is this theory a stretch? Oh, it’s a huge stretch. But Over The Garden Wall is a show that ends with so much still unexplained that I really think anything is possible. Besides, even if the Woodsman is just the Woodsman and nothing more, Wirt’s dad’s death would have impacted Wirt’s decisions in the Unknown. I think it’s an interesting idea to think and theorize about.
Anonyme asked:
so how do you rate the ship pinescone?
There are things I really like about Pinescone. (For anyone who doesn’t know, that’s Dipper from Gravity Falls and Wirt from Over the Garden Wall.) They have personalities that work super well together, and while they both constantly worry about everything, I can also imagine them calming each other down when they start to panic, which is super cute. They would go on sorts of adventures together, I would absolutely watch a show starring the two of them. I don’t personally ship Pinescone, but I like to imagine the two being really good friends.
the otgw shitpost of shitposts.
I WASN;T FU CKING READY
I literally did a slow clap alone in my room. I couldn’t NOT reblog this.
Over The Garden Wall – Turkey
FAQ
Is Over the Garden Wall a retelling of Dante’s Inferno?
Why was Over the Garden Wall cancelled?
Who is the bird in Over the Garden Wall?
What’s the deal with Over the Garden Wall?