The First Thanksgiving
By Amber Ward

For many Americans, Thanksgiving dinner features a roast turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberries and pumpkin pie, but for

the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag Indians, the first Thanksgiving had a very different menu.

In 1621, the colonists and the Indians shared an autumn harvest feast, which is commonly referred to as the first Thanksgiving. Although Thanksgiving is celebrated in a slightly different way in the 21st century, the spirit of abundance and overindulgence are still appreciated in much the same way.

In recent years, turkey has become synonymous with Thanksgiving, but there was no turkey being served at the first Thanksgiving. The meal consisted of a variety of wild game meats, and vegetables were probably not on the menu. Of course there was corn, but it was dried since the autumn season heralds the time for winter preparedness.

The Pilgrims did not have pumpkin pie or anything else sweet for Thanksgiving dessert. Although they did bring sugar on the Mayflower, the coveted commodity was probably of a dwindling supply. They also did not have ovens, like they did in their mother country, so cakes and breads were probably hard to come by.

So what was on the menu?

No matter what the mystery meats may have been, they were definitely spiced wonderfully. Pilgrim cooking involved rich spices like cinnamon, ginger, pepper and nutmeg. Dried fruits were used to make sauces for the carefully roasted meats. And since there was no refrigeration, what was not roasted was dried, including ham, fish, Indian corn and various herbs.

The first Thanksgiving was quite different from the holiday that is celebrated today, but the intent is the same. We give thanks each November for the abundance in our lives, and we continue to celebrate with those whom we most appreciate.