When one thinks of a typical Thanksgiving, one thinks of community and familialness, of friendship and gratitude–but most of all, one thinks of the food. From roasted turkey to pumpkin pie, these are the dishes that have come to define the Thanksgiving tenets of plenty, warmth and comfort.
The history of Thanksgiving–at least in the American sense– begins in the early 17th century, in a three-day feast between the native Wampanoag and English settlers in Plymouth celebrating a plentiful harvest. They feasted on meats (like waterfowl and venison), shellfish (like lobster and clams) and vegetables (like corn, pumpkins and beans). Yet, absent from these meals are the foods we today consider the ‘typical’ Thanksgiving fare–no turkey, pie, mashed potatoes or stuffing. The question, however, then arises: where did these foods come from, if they did not originate from the first Thanksgiving?
While pumpkins themselves were present at the original feast in 1621–likely hollowed-out and filled with honey, milk and spices baked in a fire–, pumpkin pie was absent due to the settler’s lack of ingredients to create pie crusts. The version known today would not become widespread until the late 18th century, with its popularity solidified by recipes published in the first American cookbook, “American Cookery”, in 1796.
Though potatoes were introduced to North America in the early 1600s, mashed potatoes did not become a Thanksgiving staple until the 1700s, when the increased farming and preparation methods of potatoes expanded the access most Americans had to the dish. With their creamy texture, and mild flavor a natural supplement to roast meats, they were soon engrained in the minds of Americans as an essential Thanksgiving side.
Perhaps the most recognizable of all Thanksgiving foods, turkey, did not come to the table until later. Much of what is now thought of as an essential part of the Thanksgiving table can be traced to the influence of one woman: Sarah Joseph Hale, an abolitionist and writer from New Hampshire who campaigned for decades for the establishment of Thanksgiving as a national holiday–her 1827 novel “Northwood: A Tale of New England,” in which she described a Thanksgiving meal of pumpkin pie, stuffing, gravy and roasted turkey, helped cement in the minds of Americans the ideal Thanksgiving feast. Though history is unclear if turkey was indeed eaten at the first Thanksgiving, even if it was, it almost certainly was a side dish due to its abundance in America.
Stuffing arose much around the same time as turkey, though the concept of stuffing dates back to, at least, ancient Rome, with early recipes including grains, spices, and nuts. While the original Thanksgiving likely featured a meal similar to stuffing, due to the shortage of flour and butter, it is more likely that they used shelled chestnuts, onions and herbs to fill their meat. Breaded stuffing came about in the 1800s as both a practical way to utilize stale bread that otherwise would be wasted and due to its ability to absorb the juices from the roasting meat, thus creating a richer and more flavorful dish.
Now, centuries after that first autumn gathering, the Thanksgiving feast–and Thanksgiving itself–has become embedded in the American psyche as both an excuse to glut ourselves and watch football, and as an opportunity to gather together with friends and family alike while giving thanks for the year. It is, however, within the foods themselves that the true spirit of Thanksgiving resides. From the roasted turkey to the pumpkin pie, all serve as symbols of gratitude and abundance, linking generations through the shared act of dining.
