What was eaten on the first thanksgiving feast

I feel very passionate about the history of Thanksgiving because the real story is so much more interesting than the popular myth. So, popular myths aside, what can be ruled out of the equation from the English transplants' table?

Potatoes—white or sweet—would not have been featured on the table, and neither would sweet corn. Bread-based stuffing was also not made, though the Pilgrims may have used herbs or nuts to stuff birds. Instead, the table was loaded with native fruits like plums, melons, grapes, and cranberries, plus local vegetables such as leeks, wild onions, beans, Jerusalem artichokes, and squash.

English crops such as turnips, cabbage, parsnips, onions, carrots, parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme might have also been on hand. And for the starring dishes, there were undoubtedly native birds and game as well as the Wampanoag gift of five deer. Fish and shellfish were also likely on the groaning board. There is no concrete way to know if they had any roast turkey that day, but we do know there were plenty of wild turkeys in the region then, "and both the native Wampanoag Indians and English colonists ate them," writes Curtin in Giving Thanks: Thanksgiving Recipes and History from the Pilgrims to Pumpkin Pie.

Various accounts of the era note culinary practices included hollowing out a pumpkin and filling the shell with milk, honey, and spices to make custard then roasting everything in hot ashes. While clearly not replicating recipes and procedures of the era, they are delicious just the same! Cut lid off pumpkin and scoop out seeds. Mix remaining ingredients except butter and pour in pumpkin.

Top with butter. Place lid back on pumpkin and place in a baking pan. To serve, remove top and scoop out some of the pumpkin with the custard. Serve with whipped cream if desired. Add onion and caramelize for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in coconut milk and ginger and simmer for five minutes to reduce a little. Remove ginger and add hominy.

Season mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Add nutmeg and chicken stock and cook for 10 minutes to heat through and allow flavors to come together.

Season with more pepper, if desired. Directions: If frozen, place in refrigerator overnight to thaw. Remove goose from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to degrees. Rinse goose inside and out with cold running water, and pat dry with paper towels. Trim as much excess fat as possible from the opening of the cavity. Remove first and second joints of the wings and set them aside for use in making the stock.

With the point of a sharp knife, prick the entire surface of the goose skin, being careful not to cut into the flesh. Fold neck flap under the body of the goose and pin flap down with a wooden toothpick.

Generously sprinkle the cavity with salt and pepper and insert 2 carrot halves, 2 celery-stalk halves, garlic, thyme, and sage. Using a piece of kitchen twine, tie the legs together. Generously sprinkle outside of goose with salt and pepper, and place it, breast-side up, on a wire rack set in a large roasting pan. Roast goose in oven until it turns a golden brown, about 1 hour. With a baster, remove as much fat as possible from the roasting pan every 30 minutes.

Reduce the heat to degrees, and roast until the goose is very well browned all over and an instant-read thermometer inserted into a breast, not touching a bone, registers degrees, about 1 hour after reducing the temperature. Meanwhile, prepare goose stock, which will be used when making the gravy and the dressing.

Trim and discard any excess fat from the wing tips, neck, and giblets, and place them in a small stockpot. Enjoy a meal of historic proportions in our restored 18 th century farmhouse, and delight in our many seasonal events and festivities with your friends and family. For more information, give us a call at Call Directions Email Us. Visit our Facebook page ». Click the button below to apply. Learn more and apply online. The History of the First Thanksgiving Feast first thanksgiving meal , first thanksgiving menu , the first thanksgiving , the first thanksgiving facts , the first thanksgiving food , what year was the first thanksgiving When you think of Thanksgiving dinner, what food comes to mind?

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