Thanksgiving-2007.com

First Thanksgiving day Menu??

can somebody tell me whether these ten items individually were on, not on, very probably on, or very probably not on the First thanksgiving menu for a school project. 1. Turkey (aka Roast Turkey/Boiled Turkey) 2. Beef (aka Roast Beef) 3. Squash (aka Pumpkin) 4. Potatoes 5. Tomatoes 6. Corn 7. Peas 8. Cranberry Sauce 9. Pies - sweet (ie. Pumpkin) 10. Breads Please only serious answers, and answer each individually. Thanks

Public Comments

1. there wasn't tomatoes or cranberry sauce. lots of vegetables, squashes, beans, birds, rabbit, maybe turkey.. Times were hard for both the whites and natives. I doubt there were any sweets.
2. Hate to pop your bubble here but there were very few similarities to our traditional feast today in the first thanksgiving. 1. Turkey. Possibly but not the bird we know today. Too tuff to be roasted, much smaller, if present much more likely to be stewed and cooked for several days to be tender enuf to chew. 2. Beef. Not a chance. The few domestic cattle the pilgrims had were much more valuable as draft animals and providers of dairy probucts than as meat. The Indians likely provided red meat in the form of Venison (Deer meat) 3. Squash. Yes. The Indians raised several varieties of squash, but none you would recognise as today's pumpkin. Most resembled what we know today as Zukinni, Yellow Crookneck, or Acorn squash. 4. Potatoes. Unlikely. Potatoes origionated in south america. Were imported to europe, came to North America with the pilgrims but history shows that most of their first crops failed........little chance of spuds at the first thanksgiving. 5. Tomatoes. Another european crop. not likely included in the first thanksgiving. 6. Corn. Yes, but again not as we know it. No corn on the cob. Dried corn crushed and boiled as mush or grits likely. 7. Peas. Yes likely but not green peas like we know. More like what we call black eyed peas nowdays.......actually a bean. 8. Cranberries. Yes likely but probably not the sauce we know but an ingredient added to many dishes such as stews, breads, and boiled corn dishes. Remember, sugar was an imported item in those days. 9. Pie. Possibly squash pies or those made of berries or currants or other native fruits.........Consider the lack of sugar and milled flour for crust and you pretty much eliminiate pie as we know it. 10. Bread. I'm sure the pilgrims made bread of sorts. Again I remind you......no milled flour. No Wheat. No yeast as we know it. Native grains, stone ground on a flat rock. Corn and Millet and wild oats and rye and other native grass seeds sourdough method at best. Cooked on a rock beside an open fire or in a primative stone and mud oven. Some things probably eaten at that first thanksgiving you did not mention include Rabbit, Squirrl, ducks and other birds such as grouse and doves (pigeons). Indians dug and ate many root crops like wild garlic and onions, camas root lily bulbs instead of potatoes. So.........different menu but a similar celebration I think.