We can all agree on turkey, but often the rest of our Thanksgiving Day game plan is dictated by the geographical location we call home. Mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes? Brussels sprouts or collard greens? It's all a matter of East or West, North or South. One company recently analyzed Google search data to form a somewhat bewildering map (side salad — really, Maine?) that attempts to visually define our regional allegiances — with mac and cheese reigning supreme in the South while stuffing tops the charts in the North.
Fresh off our Bracketween challenge in October, it was time for another food fight. Enter TODAY's Sidesgiving Bracket Challenge, which kicked off Monday with "Sides Sixteen," the "Edible Eight" on Tuesday, the "Flavorful Four" on Wednesday, and now we're at the final course, aka "Starch Madness," as Carson put it.
And the winner is ... stuffing!
With 79% of over 9,000 votes, stuffing (aka dressing) dominated buttered rolls.
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Savannah, Hoda and Dylan all predicted stuffing to win from the beginning, said Carson. "Of course they did — it's an essential."
Craig had mac and cheese going all the way, but it got beat out by green bean casserole in just the second round.
"We've learned that stuffing should have gotten the essential side-order treatment (like gravy) and just gone through to the end," said Carson, which Craig adamantly agreed with. "Think about, coming out of the East, what that matchup would have been like in the semis: You would have had mac and cheese going up against mashed potatoes. That is the Tyson-Holyfield of heavyweight food fights."
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When Craig suggestion Carson be on the committee that picks the foods for these brackets, Carson said he's already working on a bracket for Christmas.
His ideas: Do you open Christmas gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? "Miracle on 34th Street" or "Elf"? Multicolored lights or white lights on your Christmas tree? Eggnog or apple cider?
"We've gotta get into tinsel, too," offered Savannah. "I think tinsel is very controversial ... my mom thinks a tree just 'isn't finished' unless it has a little tinsel."
Which means, of course, we'll be back with yet another bracket challenge, very soon.