The image of a bountiful Thanksgiving feast, laden with turkey, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce, is deeply ingrained in modern culture. But how closely does this contemporary celebration align with the original Thanksgiving? Intrigued by this question, we delved into historical records to uncover what was actually on the menu at the first Thanksgiving in 1621. The findings reveal a fascinatingly different meal, rich in local game and native produce, offering a glimpse into the culinary realities of early colonial America.
The first Thanksgiving was not the established holiday we know today, but rather a harvest celebration shared between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag tribe at Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts. This gathering in the autumn of 1621 marked the colonists’ first successful harvest in the New World. Unlike our Thanksgiving, fixed to the fourth Thursday of November, the original feast occurred sometime earlier in the fall, closer to the actual harvest season.
It’s important to note that Thanksgiving wasn’t initially an annual event. It was a singular occurrence until Abraham Lincoln, influenced by Sarah Josepha Hale, revived it as a national holiday in 1863 to foster unity after the Civil War. Even then, the date wasn’t formally standardized until 1941 by Congress.
Deciphering the First Thanksgiving Menu
Our understanding of the first Thanksgiving menu is based on just two surviving historical documents. These primary sources describe a feast that featured prominently venison – freshly killed deer – alongside a variety of wildfowl. The meal also included a generous supply of cod and bass, and flint corn, a native corn variety cultivated by the Wampanoag. This corn was likely consumed as both cornbread and porridge, staples in their diet.
These documents offer a firsthand account of the core components of the meal. To reconstruct a more complete picture of the first Thanksgiving food, we need to consider what other food sources were available to both the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag, what foods were typical for celebratory occasions, and what the Wampanoag might have contributed directly to the feast.
Dishes Likely Served at the First Thanksgiving
Wildfowl: The Centerpiece
Wildfowl was undoubtedly a central element of the first Thanksgiving. While turkey is synonymous with modern Thanksgiving, it might not have been the primary bird, or even present at all in 1621. More likely, the feast featured duck and geese, which were abundant in the region. Passenger pigeons or swans are also possibilities, although less probable. These birds were likely prepared by boiling or roasting, and instead of bread-based stuffing, they may have been filled with onions and nuts, ingredients more readily available at the time.
Seafood: A Coastal Bounty
Seafood, often overlooked in contemporary Thanksgiving celebrations, was almost certainly a significant part of the first feast. Living near the coast, the colonists and Wampanoag had access to a variety of marine resources. Fish, including cod and bass as mentioned in the historical accounts, along with eel and shellfish like lobster and mussels, were likely included in the meal, reflecting the coastal environment and available food sources.
Produce: Harvest from the New World and Old
Vegetables played a crucial role in the first Thanksgiving menu. Native American crops, such as peas, beans, squash, and flint corn, were staples. The Wampanoag likely brought these crops to the feast and may have shared their knowledge of cultivating them with the colonists. Additionally, vegetables brought from England, like cabbage and carrots, would have been available, adding to the variety of produce on the table. The exchange of agricultural knowledge between the two groups was a crucial aspect of their early interactions.
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What Was Missing from the First Thanksgiving Table
It’s equally important to consider what was not served at the first Thanksgiving. Many dishes we consider essential today were simply not part of the culinary landscape in 1621 Plymouth.
Absence of Modern Staples
Mashed potatoes, a Thanksgiving mainstay, were absent because white potatoes from South America had not yet become common in the colonies. Gravy, reliant on flour, was also missing as the colonists lacked the mills to produce it. Sweet potato casserole, with or without marshmallows, was not an option since sweet potatoes from the Caribbean were yet to be introduced.
Cranberries and Pumpkins: Different Forms
While cranberries were likely familiar to the Wampanoag and may have been incorporated into their dishes for tartness, they were not yet prepared as the sweetened cranberry sauce we know today. Refined sugar, necessary for such a sauce, was prohibitively expensive and scarce in the colonies at that time. Pumpkins, although probably present, were not transformed into pies. Without flour and sugar for pie crust and filling, pumpkins were more likely stewed with vinegar and currants, a savory preparation rather than a sweet dessert.
Reflecting on the First Thanksgiving Feast
As we enjoy our modern Thanksgiving meals, complete with green bean casserole and mountains of mashed potatoes drenched in gravy, it’s insightful to remember the starkly different reality of the first Thanksgiving. Instead of pies and sweet sauces, the 1621 feast featured a hearty array of wild game, seafood, and locally grown vegetables, prepared in ways reflective of the available ingredients and culinary traditions of both the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag. Understanding What Was Served At The First Thanksgiving provides a richer appreciation for the historical context of this holiday and the evolution of our Thanksgiving traditions.
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