Like many things in this country, it may not be easy, but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible.

We just celebrated our fourth Thanksgiving in France, and somehow through tenacity, curiosity, and experience, compromises and sad substitutes are on the decline. One guest even said “that actually felt like Thanksgiving in America,” and that’s how I knew we’d finally done it. It took a few years, but it is in fact possible to find all of the ingredients and create a Thanksgiving that feels like the real thing, if you know where to look. Here are my hacks, tips, and tricks for bringing Thanksgiving to life.

The Bird: You’re not going to see a giant freezer of well-priced turkeys at Monoprix, sadly. But ask your local butcher if they have a turkey, if they can order you one, and they’ll be happy to oblige. They already knew you were American, they noticed as soon as you walked in, they know why you want it, they’re used to it. They’ll also roast it for you for a pretty reasonable fee. We got ours at the very delicious boucherie/restaurant Les Provinces at Marche d’Aligre. I’ve also heard that The Real McCoy sells fresh turkeys as well as cooked, but make sure you reserve ahead.

The Cranberries: This can be one of the trickier items to find, especially if you want fresh. Everyone will tell you they saw them at Picard, but in four years I’ve never seen them there and don’t know why they’d be there. However, I’ve found them at those aesthetically pleasing but overpriced fruit and veg stalls you see on Montorgueil, for example. I found mine on Les Primeurs d’Excellence on Rue Saint Antoine. You can also get canned at American stores like The Real McCoy and In Good We Trust.

Stuffing: You can usually get stuffing mix at The Real McCoy and In Good We Trust as well, and sometimes even La Grande Epicerie, but sometimes they only have stove top, and we’re not 19 so that won’t do. Just buy some baguettes, chop them into cubes, keep them in a bag on the counter for a few days, and bam, homemade stuffing mix without the shame.

Creamed Corn: This isn’t a universally relevant Thanksgiving dish, but it tends to be a hit at our house. However, finding corn in France can be hard, decent corn even harder. Or, dryer to be precise. Marche d’Aligre sometimes has fresh corn, and other covered markets have it sporadically. It seems it’s always there when I don’t need it. However canned corn can also do just fine and tends to be available at Monoprix since no one in France really enjoys corn.

Pie Stuff: If you need pumpkin filling, Carro’s syrup for pecan pie, etc., The Real McCoy and In Good We Trust will usually have these as well. Miyam, the local/bio epicerie sometimes also carries pumpkin puree that looks amazing. If you’re really hard up, just buy a pumpkin, steam it, puree it and add a ton of sugar. That’s what’s in the can anyway. Whipped cream is available at every grocery store, just don’t forget that it isn’t always refrigerated.

Fried Onions: Believe it or not, these are in wide supply at many Asian grocery stores. They sometimes even have many versions to choose from. I’ve even managed to find brown sugar at our local Asian market. I also just spotted them at Monoprix, but if you live in Paris, you know that inventory is subject to the location you visit.

Make It Work: Look, very few of us in Paris have space to cook let alone host a large dinner. My oven is essentially the size of a small microwave, so I wedged a casserole in sideways. Our table only seats six, so we bought two saw horses and a plank of wood to extend it. I asked everyone to bring a side or dessert so I wouldn’t have to g all over town to find every hard-to-find Thanksgiving ingredient. Unlike what you’ve been told, everything is possible in France, you just have to get creative and keep at it.