A modern Thanksgiving meal looks much different than the one the Native Americans and Pilgrims enjoyed together on the first celebration. Include some of the dishes these early Americans shared to help to make the holiday even more meaningful. Since parents often usher children out of the kitchen during this busy time, consider letting them help with these easy dishes. It will give them a fun history lesson and help to start a new family tradition.
Build Fruit Platters
The most abundant foods during this time included what people harvested and foraged. Fruit was an abundant food source, and there were many choices available. Have the kids build a fruit platter based on what the Pilgrims were eating on that important day. Include blueberries, cranberries, grapes, and melons. Plums and raspberries were also common.
Make Cranberry Sauce
Kids will need help when it comes time to put the pan in the oven and take it out, but the rest of the recipe is easy. Rinse fresh cranberries and pour in a bowl, add a couple of cups of sugar and a little water. Mix well and pour into a baking dish. It takes about an hour at 350-degrees for the berries to soften and pop.
Include Some Lobster
Lobster was an easily accessible resource for people in these coastal communities and not the gourmet food it is today. Buy precooked, shelled lobster meat. The meat is soft enough to cut with a butter knife or to tear apart by hand. Mix the meat with melted butter and pile onto a toasted roll lined with lettuce.
Pop Some Stuffing
Popcorn stuffing may seem like an odd choice, but popped corn was common during the Pilgrim era. Mix premade crumbled cornbread with three cups of popped microwave popcorn and some chopped onion and cover all ingredients with chicken broth and melted butter until the mixture is moist. Bake for about 45 minutes at 375-degrees.
Bake Some Squash
Acorn, buttercup and butternut squash were all grown by the pilgrims. Split any squash in the center and remove the seeds. Coat the entire interior of the vegetable with butter and sprinkle brown sugar over the top. Bake at 350-degrees until tender. Make certain to baste the edges of the squash with the butter as it heats and melts to prevent any dry spots.
Make a Pudding
Corn was a staple for both the native populations and the pilgrims. Choose either a basic cornbread recipe or make corn pudding, a typical dish during this era. Corn pudding is water, salt and coarse grits boiled until tender with milk and sugar added after removing from the heat. To serve it as a dessert, add raisins and spices like cinnamon or ginger. The amounts to use are:
- 6 cups of water
- Pinch of salt
- 2 cups grits
- 1 cup of whole milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
These dishes do not match exactly what the families ate on that first holiday. The pilgrims did not have sugar, but most modern dinner guests would not enjoy recipes that were free of all sweeteners. To protect smiles after a big meal like a Thanksgiving dinner, it is a good idea to remind kids to brush and floss. If they balk, tell them people avoided gum disease treatments even before the first Thanksgiving.
Native Americans used sticks, frayed on one end and sharpened on the other, to keep their teeth clean. Chewing on pine needles, sage and mint also helped clean the teeth and freshen breath. Pilgrims often used sticks or animal bones to make a handle for their toothbrushes that had hog hair for bristles. Yarrow root and leaves also helped to keep the mouth fresh and clean.
Thanksgiving is about family, and spending the day preparing and sharing meals will create many happy memories. Try one or two of these new dishes or look for your own way to add some of the foods they had on that first day, like pheasant and mussels. It is a simple and unique way to bring more meaning into the day.
About the Author
Dr. Marichia Attala is a leading Nassau County Periodontist. Learn more by visiting her website at NassauCountyPeriodontist.com
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