392 Years of Thanksgiving

Historical records tell us that Thanksgiving celebrations for the harvest and the end of the year first began in November of 1621--392 years ago. Obviously many things have changed during the passing of those many years, and that begs the question of how different our Thanksgiving feast is from the original celebration? What exactly was on the menu almost 400 years ago? Well, look no further, because we have the answers to that question right here at Think Classic.

One of the most important parts of the average family's Thanksgiving meal is a cooked turkey. And while it is

true that the turkey is native to North America, most historians do not believe that it was the main attraction at the first Thanksgiving. There are historical records and journals from some of the Pilgrims during those early days, who partook in that celebration, that tell of large hunting groups who went out before the meal to find poultry. More than likely they came back with more than one type of water fowl, such as ducks, or geese. These birds were plucked, and stuffed with things like herbs and nuts, and roasted over a fire. However, poultry was not the only source of protein on the menu. The same sources also tell us that there was a plentiful amount of deer that was brought to the feast as an offering from the Native Americans.

We must also remember that one of the main components of the colonists diet in this region was seafood. They often used different types of lobster, oysters, clams, and various kinds of fish in their cooking, and while these things could possibly have been a part of the first harvest feast, it is almost certain that there was a large quantity of mussels, which are abundant in that region and are easy to collect. One traditional way to serve mussels was with curds.

Naturally, as a celebration of gratitude for a plentiful harvest, there were many different types of fruits and vegetables that were available, and more than likely consumed by the attendees. Corn was definitely an

important part of the feast, as it was very plentiful. However, it was usually ground into a kind of meal or mush and served hot like porridge. It is very possible that there were some leafy vegetables served, such as cabbage or spinach. Carrots were also abundant, along with peas.

Absent from the table was any kind of potato. The Spanish discovered the potato during their time in the New World, and they did take it back to Europe with them, but it was not very popular or abundant, especially in the norther region of Plymouth at that time.

Perhaps everybody's favorite part of the meal is the very end, because of the traditional pies that are served. Whether you eat the traditional pumpkin pie, or apple, or any other kind. While the Pilgrims were definitely familiar with the concept of baking things like pies, they did not have two important things in those early days: some of the ingredients that would be necessary to make a pie crust, and any kind of oven to bake it in. But that does not mean that a sweet pumpkin dessert was not available. It is believed that the Pilgrims took pumpkins, cut them open and hollowed them out, stuffed them with milk, honey, and spices, and then buried them whole in a fire pit to bake.

Another sweet side that was not included was any kind of cranberry sauce. Cranberries are certainly just one kind of fruit that was available to them, and may have been included in the feast in some other way, but the colonists had low rations of sugar that would be necessary to cook or stew with the sour berries in order to create a sweet sauce or relish.

Things are bound to change over time, and there are always differences from one household to another. But it is very interesting to look back at the beginning of this great and meaningful day of Thanksgiving and see the similarities that we still share in some ways with our ancestors.

If you are interested in looking at or using Thanksgiving recipes that have been converted from or inspired by the dishes served at the first Thanksgiving, here is just one website to help you recreate traditions from almost four centuries ago:

Delish.com: Holiday History

The food is fabulous at Thanksgiving, there's no denying it. But this season, let us not forget that the people we share it with are even more important. Let us always be truly thankful.

"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures."

-Thornton Wilder