First Thanksgiving Recipes Food Cooking International Guide
First Thanksgiving And Embellishments Over Time
By Imogen T Stubbs
In a December 1621 letter to a friend, Edward Winslow wrote of
the first Thanksgiving: "Our harvest being gotten in, our
Governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a more
special manner rejoice together, after we had gathered the fruit
of our labors; they four in one day killed as much fowl as, with
a little help beside, served the Company almost a week, at which
time, among other Recreations, we exercised our Arms, many of
the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest
King Massasoit, with some 90 men, whom for three days we entertained
and feasted and they went out and killed five Deer, which they
brought to the Plantation and bestowed on our Governor, and upon
the Captain and others."
For years, this was the only account of the Thanksgiving tradition
we had until historians began to learn new details. So what did
the Wampanoag Indians and Plymouth colonists share at their initial
Thanksgiving meal? According to historical records, "fowl"
and "deer" were the only reported items served.
Thanksgiving Inspired By One Paragraph In A Letter
Historians add that potatoes and sweet potatoes were not common
staples at that time, the autumn corn would have been dried out,
there is no evidence of butchering a pig and the process of cooking
cranberries with sugar was not yet in practice. Without an oven,
it’s unlikely there were any cakes, pies or breads. No recipe
for pumpkin pie existed, as it was probably more like stewed pumpkin,
and they had no cows on the Mayflower for milk or cheese.
It’s amazing that the first Thanksgiving was inspired by just
a single paragraph of an old letter. At the time, "Thanksgiving"
had been a puritan practice of giving thanks to God through prayer.
However, the concept of a holiday Thanksgiving meal as we know
it today was resurrected in the 1800s by Sarah Josepha Hale, editor
of the popular Godey’s Lady’s Book.
Turkey Stuffing And Other Traditions On Thanksgiving
She packed her magazine with Thanksgiving recipes and editorials
about Thanksgiving. Once lost, William Bradford’s history of Plymouth
Plantation was resurrected and published. Hale wrote ardently
about having turkey, stuffing and other traditions that bore little
actual similarity to the 1621 feast.
In 1858, she petitioned Lincoln, saying: "Let this day,
from this time forth, as long as our Banner of Stars floats on
the breeze, be the grand Thanksgiving holiday of our nation, when
the noise and tumult of worldliness may be exchanged for the length
of the laugh of happy children, the glad greetings of family reunion,
and the humble gratitude of the Christian heart."
Account Of The First Thanksgiving
In William Bradford’s account of the first Thanksgiving, he remarked:
"They began now to gather in the small harvest they had,
and to fit up their houses and dwellings against winter, being
all well recovered in health and strength and had all things in
good plenty. For as some were thus employed in affairs abroad,
others were exercised in fishing, about cod and bass and other
fish, of which they took good store, of which every family had
their portion.
All the summer there was no want; and now began to come in store
of fowl, as winter approached, of which this place did abound
when they came first (but afterward decreased by degrees). And
besides waterfowl there was great store of wild turkeys, of which
they took many, besides venison, etc. Besides, they had about
a peck of meal a week to a person, or now since harvest, Indian
corn to that proportion.
Which made many afterwards write so largely of their plenty here
to their friends in England, which were not feigned but true reports."
One hundred years after it was written, the Thanksgiving turkey
became incorporated as the central dish.
About the Author:
Imogen T Stubbs has written a number of articles on kitchen, food
and cooking including Thanksgiving
Day, Thanksgiving
Feast, Hot
Water, Refrigerator
Water Filter, Water
Filtering System, Whole
House Water.
Keep a lookout for more of her articles on this website.
Did You Know?
There is just something about fall that brings out the best in
everyone. You celebrate many different holidays during the final
months of the year but perhaps one that most people share is Thanksgiving.
This holiday is celebrated in many different countries. It may
not be in November as it is celebrated in the United States but
it is still an important day for friends and loved ones to gather
together and be thankful for all that they have. If you are hosting
a big gathering, you need to make sure you have the right supplies
for the job.
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