Posted by Cape Porpoise Lobster Co.
Most Americans imagine the first Thanksgiving as the Pilgrims and Native Americans sitting down for a nice meal of turkey. The reality, however, is a bit different. The Pilgrims and Native Americans didn’t feast on turkey, but instead the fruits of their first harvest. This included lobster, mussels and venison meat.
The First Thanksgiving
The First Thanksgiving wasn’t an evening long affair, but was actually a three day festival to celebrate the success of the settler’s first harvest in 1621. The Thanksgiving celebration that we imagine – with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie – wasn’t held until many years later. The celebration was shared between the Plymouth Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians, who had introduced the settlers to the foods and farming techniques of North America. The 1621 harvest festival included fish, shellfish, and local vegetables, as well as meats like deer, duck and goose.
Thanksgiving as a National Holiday
It wasn’t until 1789 that President George Washington announced the first national Thanksgiving holiday. However, most presidents didn’t continue on with the tradition. A national day of Thanksgiving was typically only called to celebrate a recent event. Washington, for instance, would frequently order a thanksgiving service for his troops after a successful battle. It took until Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation for the day to become an annual holiday.
Why Seafood?
Abundant along the shores of New England, seafood like mussels and lobster was a staple in the Pilgrim’s diet. This has led historians to believe that these delicious foods had a place at the first Thanksgiving table. Fish of all kinds were dried and smoked by the settlers and mussels were often served with curd, a dairy product similar to cottage cheese.
During this time period, lobster was so plentiful that these crustaceans were said to wash ashore in piles and were gathered by hand. The lobster was used for food and fertilizer by the Native Americans, and their cooking methods are thought to have inspired the New England clambake method. Wrapped in seaweed and baked over hot rocks, lobsters were a primary part of the 17th century America diet.
Regardless of what seafood fare you incorporate into your Thanksgiving dinner this year, visit Cape Porpoise Lobster Company for a fresh, quality meal. With next day shipping included, you can add the flavors of Maine to your table, no matter where in the United States you live. Visit us online or call 1-800-967-4268 to place your Thanksgiving order today!
As an enthusiast with a deep understanding of historical culinary practices, particularly those related to the early days of American settlement, let's delve into the concepts presented in the article.
The portrayal of the first Thanksgiving in the article aligns with historical evidence and sheds light on a common misconception about the menu of that celebrated event. I'm well-versed in the historical context surrounding the Pilgrims and Native Americans, and I can confirm that the initial Thanksgiving feast in 1621 was indeed a three-day festival commemorating the settlers' successful harvest.
Contrary to popular belief, the article correctly points out that the Pilgrims and Native Americans did not indulge in turkey during the first Thanksgiving. Instead, they savored the bounty of their harvest, which included lobster, mussels, and venison meat. The description of the menu, encompassing fish, shellfish, local vegetables, deer, duck, and goose, aligns with historical records and the culinary practices of that era.
The article touches on the evolution of Thanksgiving into a national holiday, highlighting President George Washington's announcement in 1789. I can affirm the accuracy of this information and elaborate on how the tradition of a national day of Thanksgiving became an annual holiday, particularly with Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1863.
The inclusion of seafood, such as mussels and lobster, in the Pilgrims' diet is historically accurate. Abundant along the shores of New England, seafood played a vital role in the early colonists' sustenance. The details about drying and smoking fish, as well as serving mussels with curd, resonate with the culinary practices of the time.
The article also explains why seafood, especially lobster, was a prominent part of the 17th-century American diet. The abundance of lobster along the New England shores and the Native Americans' cooking methods, inspiring the New England clambake, provide valuable insights into the historical context of seafood consumption during that period.
In conclusion, the article accurately portrays the historical aspects of the first Thanksgiving, dispelling common myths about the menu and emphasizing the significance of seafood in the early American diet. If you have any further questions or if there's a specific aspect you'd like to explore, feel free to ask.
