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| The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth by Jennie A. Brownscombe. (1914) A mythologized painting showing Plymouth settlers feasting with Plains Indians. en.wikipedia.org |
Embrace the Past...
With the coming of Thanksgiving comes a special time to embrace the past.
The feast of which we are most familiar took place when the Pilgrims arrived and the Wampanoag Indians gathered in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621. This was a time of autumn celebration and that's right, it took place in the 17th century!
Within the history of Thanksgiving lies nuggets of trivia that nudge at the heart and tickle the funny bone.
Did you know...
- Turkey may not have been the main meat that filled the guests' bellies at the first feast?
- George Washington declared Thanksgiving to be a February holiday?
- Fledgling colonists lacked butter and wheat flour for baking, thus no pumpkin pie?
- Whether mashed or roasted, white or sweet, potatoes had no place at the first Thanksgiving?
- While cranberries were plentiful, in wasn't until 50 years later that sauces and relishes were made with the tart orbs?
"Although Thanksgiving celebrations dated back to the first European settlements in America, it was not until the 1860s that Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday of November to be a national holiday" (History of Thanksgiving. (2012). The History Channel website. Retrieved 9:52, November 20, 2012, from http://www.history.comhttp://www.history.com/videos/history-of-the-thanksgiving-holiday.)
What about corn?
So far there has been no mention of corn: roasted, boiled or popped. While corn and kidney beans were staples of the Pilgrim's diet, is it possible there was no corn gracing the table of that first Thanksgiving feast? If it was present, i.e., Indian corn, it presented itself in a form much different from that which we are familiar today. From this, a thought is interjected:
Popcorn is prevalent today as one of America’s favorite snacks but. . .
Did Pilgrim's Eat Popcorn?
Some believe to this day
Popcorn was a “parched”
treat
Brought by the
Indians
To the firstThanksgiving feast
A banquet of
harvest tradition
Surpasses any
myth of yore
Hearty,
bountiful plenty
Did grace every
table galore
Venison, goose,
duck, and eel
Beckoned the
most squeamish lad
Time of rejoicing
and feasting
Meant only the
best to be had
A cornucopia of
fruits
Berries, grapes,
apples, and plums
Competed with homegrown veggies
Squash, peas,
beans, even white corn
There were no
potatoes
Pumpkin pie hadn’t
been invented
Bread puddings,
milk, and honey
Left no appetite
unattended
Indeed more beer
than water
Quenched the
harshest of thirsts
With gin and
wine not far behind
Unbeknownst
which came first
But what about
the popcorn?
Were pilgrims
the early munchers
Of that salty,
puffed corn treat
Or was someone
else the launcher?
Not until over a century later
Did sweet yellow
corn none the least
Become the corn that traditionally “popped”
As part of a
Thanksgiving feast
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| ©2012 Awakenings Sharla Lee Shults |
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Thanksgiving Day is a federal holiday in the United States.
©iStockphoto.com/Olga Lyubkina
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Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day: A Holiday Feast
A cornucopia of
fruits, nuts, and veggies,
More than anyone
could possibly ask,
Instead of a treat,
becomes our demise.
***
Family and friends
prepare favorite recipes
Bringing various
homemade dishes to explore.
Gluttons for
punishment, a natural instinct,
Lead us back for more
and more.
***
Thirst quenched and
bellies stuffed to the gills,
Rocking chair
conversation not too deep.
Is it the rocking
motion or the turkey
That finally puts us
all to sleep?
Thanksgiving: A Celebration of Gratitude
Thanks from the
heart, as well as the lips,
More blessings than
anyone could ask
Comes with all the
trimmings this day equips.
***
Family and friends
unite in fellowship
Granting praise for
all the gifts of the year.
A candle is lit and
with prayerful hands
The true meaning of
Thanksgiving is clear.
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| ©2009 Remembering Sharla Lee Shults |
There will be many empty seats at tables across our nation this Thanksgiving as war still rages overseas. Thousands of brave young men and women in uniform are fighting two wars on foreign shores. Remember them: Our troops, soldiers, men and women, who are away from home and the ones they love for the greater good of our nation.
Support our Troops: Support America!
[Did you go to catnipoflife for a special Thanksgiving blessing? Be sure to watch the video!]
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Thank you for this lovely Thanksgiving post. I think I'll pop some corn this evening to snack on this Thanksgiving Eve!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes to you and your family.
Sharla, I enjoyed reading about the history of the first Thanksgiving. I guess we'll never know for sure about the popcorn.
ReplyDeleteDicy
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