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chicken lady
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| Posted: Oct 12 2007 at 7:56am | IP Logged
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OK first off this post may freak out left brain thinkers...  Please switch hemispheres and indulge me.
I am not "into" Thanksgiving at ALL! I dislike Turkey and I find the "traditional" foods limiting and uniteresting. I like to be inspired if I am going to work that hard at a meal. I think fresh foods, organic when possible and truly beautiful prestentations. So last night I decided I was going to buck the Thanksgiving route all together and go for something more tuly authentic to the first Thanksgiving. Somehow I don;t see the pilgrims and Indians eating like we do on Thanksgiving. So please share with me what you all envision as authentic first Thanksgiving foods. I am thinking fish, what about you?????
Thank you for your indulgence 
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CAgirl4God
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| Posted: Oct 12 2007 at 8:21am | IP Logged
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I think that is great!!!!
families can make their own meal traditions. and heck. when I was young (and now my kids lol) all I ate was the rolls and pumpkin pie anyway lol
the 1st T-day??? fish, some kind of bird/deer meat, things made with corn, whether flat breads or with yeast, to sure. don't know if pumpkins were available yet... but bet other root veggies and squashes were. so something like a stew perhaps?
Okay I looked upsome things....they hunted turkey, gathering nuts and berries, dug for clams, trapped lobsters, had cornbreads. think baout what kinds of foods were avaiable to them in New England. what was already there, that the indians may have helped them find. also what they may have grown that harvest.
now you got me curious. I am gonna have to look up some things.....
I happen to love turkey, so we are doing turkey this yr, but deep frying it, cajun style spices.... so yummy! and FAST we will make a huge green salad (I think salad greens, with candied walnuts and green apples with a honey balsalmic dressing) homemade rolls/bread and some kind of starch. I am leing the kids pick this yr...so they will eat! lol
pie will be normal... we all like pumpkin and apple pies
once yr for Christmas, when we lived in CT, we grilled steaks on the bbq, in the snow. lol now THAT was not tradional, lol. but it sure tasted great.
what kind of fish will you prepare? and how will you prepare it?
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chicken lady
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| Posted: Oct 12 2007 at 8:45am | IP Logged
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CAgirl4God wrote:
what kind of fish will you prepare? and how will you prepare it? |
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I have no idea, that is why I need all of you to give me ideas. Dh needs some convincing. I think I may be pushing him to far out of his comfort zone this time He tolerates ALOT from me, but I am sensing he may want that Turkey! Quick help me have good sources for authentic pilgrim and Indian fare. Jenn you have to have some source up your sleeve. And Cay what about a book that tells us the actual foods they ate? (this is not limited to Cay and Jenn)
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Mary Chris
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| Posted: Oct 12 2007 at 8:59am | IP Logged
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Well the Pilgrims probably did not eat salmon but that is what I would prepare...Cedar Plank Salmon....YUM!
When I read the title I thought you were asking for the best place to buy a pre-packaged Thanksgiving meal. Believe me, some years I am tempted to do just that!
I think growing up we might have had lasagna one year, we only did that one year.
I do love Thanksgiving food but we try to make it fresh. We don't do pumpkin pie, we do key lime, fresh green beans without the onions, that kind of stuff.
Well no help with your traditional fare.
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LisaR
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| Posted: Oct 12 2007 at 10:27am | IP Logged
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my vote is for lots of seafood- salmon, clams, mussels, etc. also roasted corn.
To be honest, I'm not really "into" thanksgiving either- but I do LOVE Blessed Miguel Pro, St Cecelia, and of course Presentation of Mary is very close. Maybe some foods honoring those saints also? a bit of Mexican perhaps
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JennGM
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| Posted: Oct 12 2007 at 10:36am | IP Logged
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Sounds like a little unit study, Molly.
I did a quick Google search and came up with links that concur with your plan. These are a good start, and it seems there are several books out there you could find to help you along.
Authentic Thanksgiving Menu
First Thanksgiving Food
Plimoth Plantation, lots of resources here.
Interesting interview
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chicken lady
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| Posted: Oct 12 2007 at 10:54am | IP Logged
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OK so here is a possible menu, I am all for the Lobster some of the other dishes may need some tweaking!
The 1621 feast probably consisted of the following items
(constructed from original sources and historical research by the Plimoth Plantation):
Seethed [boiled] Lobster
Roasted Goose
Boiled Turkey
Fricase of Coney
Pudding of Indian Corn Meal with dried Whortleberries
Seethed Cod
Roasted Duck
Stewed Pumpkin
Roasted Venison with Mustard Sauce
Savory Pudding of Hominy
Fruit and Holland Cheese
Keep the ideas coming!!!
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: Oct 12 2007 at 1:07pm | IP Logged
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Oh, you beat me to it! I was going to suggest duck, venison, cod, wild berries(dried, perhaps), and corn cakes!
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chicken lady
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| Posted: Oct 12 2007 at 1:26pm | IP Logged
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I am thinking a deer on a spit, with a clam bake. Hmmmm wonder how much sand I would need to have?
We are thinking we could invite over some friends in the evening for a play and berries and nuts!!! So we will be busy making costumes and writing a play. Oh and learning to hunt, after all I need a deer to roast  Wonder if dh is going to go for the deer on a spit......???? Will keep you posted.
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Red Cardigan
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| Posted: Oct 12 2007 at 1:36pm | IP Logged
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Gosh, I thought I was the only one with this dilemma!
My DH isn't into turkey at all, and my in-laws hate it, so growing up he was more likely to have a pork roast or something than turkey for Thanksgiving! I've done lots of different things, and have only done a whole turkey a couple of times. Here are a few thoughts:
Cornish hens might not be "authentic" but they're kind of fun to make and serve--everyone gets his own (or his own half, depending on the size of the birds and the age of the children) little bird.
A spiral ham is a favorite here, though we don't just have one on Thanksgiving, thanks to great prices at a local store. Still, it's very easy, and you can direct your energy toward all of the fun "fixings" you want to serve.
If your DH really, really, wants at least some turkey, why not do a turkey breast along with the fish or whatever else you want to make? A small turkey breast will fit into a crock pot, and I've made one with a little butter and some herbs rubbed on the skin--smells like Thanksgiving anytime you cook that, KWIM?
I struggle a bit with Thanksgiving because it doesn't seem like much of a "holiday" if Mom has to be in the kitchen all day. So a lot of our traditional Thanksgiving foods are things I can make ahead of time: pumpkin-cranberry bread, sweet potato puff, etc. That way I get to enjoy the day, too.
Let us know what your final "menu" is, Molly--I'll be interested in what you come up with!
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MaryM
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| Posted: Oct 12 2007 at 1:52pm | IP Logged
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We were invited to one of these dinners a few years back. It was so much fun (but not enjoyed by my traditionalist food children ). I can't remember the menu - it's that bad of me. If I sit down and think I may come up with it.
Cooincidentally, Mary Chris, the cook for this meal was our mutual friend Regina F. who now lives in your neck of the woods. I'm going to email her for the menu if she remembers.
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: Oct 12 2007 at 3:26pm | IP Logged
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We always make
Deer Poppers as a appetizer for Thanksgiving. They are wonderful!
We used to have duck and pheasant (shot the day before by my dad) for T-day when we were kids.
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SuzC
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| Posted: Oct 12 2007 at 3:41pm | IP Logged
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This isn't what you're asking for at all but this discussion made me think of the Thanksgiving I spent with a Lebanese family. When dinner was served...out came a platter full of kibbi. It kept cracking me up to see the kibbi where the turkey should be and the tabouli instead of my aunt's layered salad.  It was a delicious meal!
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DominaCaeli
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Thanksgiving when I was growing up was all about the lasagna! My father is Italian, and we always celebrated Thanksgiving with his side of the family. My grandmother did, though, prepare a small turkey on the side for those so inclined.
My husband also grew up with ethnic cuisine instead of turkey on Thanksgiving, and he isn't a big fan of turkey anyway. (Actually, we had *turducken* at his parents' place last year! ) So I'm guessing I'll be using these menu ideas in the years to come!
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: Oct 12 2007 at 4:22pm | IP Logged
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DominaCaeli wrote:
| Thanksgiving when I was growing up was all about the lasagna! My father is Italian, and we always celebrated Thanksgiving with his side of the family. |
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I had cousins that were Italian on the other side and I was always SO JEALOUS of their Thanksgivings!!!!! Lasagna, manicotti, sausages, lots cheese , etc. I alwasy tried to convince my german/swedish-dad and czech/slovenian mom that this is what WE should have for Thanksgiving too!
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Lori B
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We just celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving last weekend. We had a giant ham, sweet & sour ham sauce, golden scalloped potatoes, a raw cauliflower & broccoli salad, Nova Scotia oat buns, and steamed peas & carrots. With a caramel apple cheesecake and pumpkin pudding for dessert, it felt very "Thanksgiving-y", even without the turkey.
Although my son did want reassurance that the turkey would reappear for Christmas
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hmm with those choices of fish and things.. what about a cioppino.. nice hearty seafood stew.. some sort of bread.. I'm not all that found of cornbread.. but might go for something that adds corn to it.. rather than as the main ingredient.. you can do the turkey breast for the "tradition" (and sandwiches later)a nice green salad is great with dried cranberries and walnuts in it.
I solve the Thanksgiving turkey again thing.. by not having it for Christmas.. we get a yummy prime rib roast for Christmas.. that's the only thing I plan on ahead.. what I serve with it is whatever I want at the time.. though I often want baked potatoes with that
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MaryM
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| Posted: Oct 16 2007 at 11:52pm | IP Logged
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I talked with my friend who did this several years ago and this is what she could remember.
I do remember that we had succotash, some kind of corn bread, and apple pandowdy (they may not have had it at the thanksgiving, but it's from that time period). I couldn't get venison, but my brother grilled a buffalo roast. I know I didn't have Indian Pudding, but they always have it here for Colonial Days. It is a corn meal and molasses concoction - and it takes a long time to cook. We must have had some kind of fish, but I just can't remember.
One book I used was "Time/life American Cooking: New England" Cook book. It was helpful for background and some recipes.
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Rachel May
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Vegetarian Times this month has it's usual issue of alternative Thanksgiving fare. I gave away my copy or I would look to see if anything looked good.
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I don't have great menu suggestions, but just to make you feel better if you don't do turkey . . we couldn't go "home" for Thanksgiving the last few years because of a job and last year it was just the four of us. We made really simple sword fish and a few sides and spent the day at the National Gallery of Art and stopped to see some religious we knew who fed us pie. It was a perfect day.
In the future we hope to live near our extended family for Thanksgiving. They aren't Catholic, so it's nice to really prioritize the non-liturgical holidays with them because we don't care as much about celebrating it the "right" way.
Have fun!
Susan
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Thanksgiving "Outside of The Box"
