What The Pilgrims Ate..............Nocturnal By Nature

FIRST THANKSGIVING

In 1621 the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast which is now known as the first Thanksgiving. While cooking methods and table etiquette have changed as the holiday has evolved, the meal is still consumed today with the same spirit of celebration and overindulgence.

WHAT WAS ACTUALLY ON THE MENU?

What foods topped the table at the first harvest feast? Historians aren't completely certain about the full bounty, but it's safe to say the pilgrims weren't gobbling up pumpkin pie or playing with their mashed potatoes. Following is a list of the foods that were available to the colonists at the time of the 1621 feast. However, the only two items that historians know for sure were on the menu are venison and wild fowl, which are mentioned in primary sources. The most detailed description of the "First Thanksgiving" comes from Edward Winslow from A Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, in 1621:



THE PILGRIMS' MENU

Foods That May Have Been on the Menu:

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



WHAT WAS NOT ON THE MENU:

Surprisingly, the following foods, all considered staples of the modern Thanksgiving meal, didn't appear on the pilgrims's first feast table:

HAM: There is no evidence that the colonists had butchered a pig by this time, though they had brought pigs with them from England.

SWEET POTATOES/POTATOES: These were not common.

CORN ON THE COB: Corn was kept dried out at this time of year.

CRANBERRY SAUCE: The colonists had cranberries but no sugar at this time.

PUMPKIN PIE: It's not a recipe that exists at this point, though the pilgrims had recipes for stewed pumpkin.

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.



Nocturnal By Nature

Just thought it would be fun to see how times have changed :)

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