The history of thanksgiving is a long and joyous one. It was a harsh winter when the pilgrims first arrived to the
Americas
in 1621 and it was the Wampanoag Indians who helped them survive. This led to the first thanksgiving which lasted for 3 days between the dates of September 21 and November 11 and was based off of an English celebration of the new harvest. Each state since 1817 has proclaimed the annual holiday as a custom. Each president also issued a Thanksgiving Day Proclamation which meant that Thanksgiving was the last Thursday of each month.
During the first thanksgiving the food was much different from what we traditionally eat now for thanksgiving.
The food that was first on the pilgrims menu was:
Seafood: Cod, Eel, Clams, Lobster
Wild Fowl: Wild Turkey, Goose, Duck, Crane, Swan, Partridge, Eagles
Meat: Venison, Seal
Grain: Wheat Flour, Indian Corn
Vegetables: Pumpkin, Peas, Beans, Onions, Lettuce, Radishes, Carrots
Fruit: Plums, Grapes
Nuts: Walnuts, Chestnuts, Acorns
Herbs and Seasonings: Olive Oil, Liverwort, Leeks, Dried Currants, Parsnips
Surprisingly the food that wasn’t on the pilgrims’ menu was:
Ham: The English brought pigs over but there was no evidence of them butchering the pigs.
Sweet Potatoes/Potatoes: They were not too common.
Corn on the Cob: The corn at this time of year was dried out.
Cranberry Sauce: The colonists had cranberries but the sugar they brought was long depleted.
Pumpkin Pie: There was no recipe for the pie but there was one for stew.
Chicken/Eggs: We know that the colonists brought hens with them from
England
, but it's unknown how many they had left at this point or whether the hens were still laying.
Milk: No cows had been aboard the Mayflower, though it's possible that the colonists used goat milk to make cheese.
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of celebration and getting the long weekend off and eating a great meal. It’s all about togetherness, love, sharing, and giving thanks for our blessings. It strengthens the ties between you, your family and loved ones. Guide your wishes with a message from your heart...and have very Happy Thanksgiving!
