365.194: Thanksgiving Menus

What comes to mind when you think of a traditional Thanksgiving menu? For me it is Turkey, cranberries, green bean casserole, broccoli casserole, sweet potato souffle, rolls, and pumpkin pie. But it varies a little in different regions of the country. This year we will be having Thanksgiving with friends from Elevate: the Montogomery family, the Bisson family, and possibly 2 or 3 others. Here is the menu we've come up with:

Fried Turkey - McCormicks
Ham - Montgomerys
Sweet potatoes - Montgomerys
Green bean casserole - Bissons
Broccoli casserole - McCormicks
Sweet potato souffle - McCormicks
Stuffing - Bissons
Dressing - Montgomerys
Cinnamon rolls/blueberry muffins - McCormicks
Jello salad - Montgomerys
Cranberry relish - McCormicks
Apple cider - Bissons
Sparkling cider - Bissons

Pumpkin pie - Bissons
Chocolate chess pie - McCormicks

Traditional, in my opinion.

But then as I was browsing through a Thanksgiving cookbook*, I came across the details of the very first Thanksgiving. After signing a peace treaty with the Wampanoag natives (and losing 46 of the original 102 that sailed on the Mayflower), the Pilgrims decided to celebrate a bountiful harvest with a feast, which was actually a British tradition, celebrating "the goodness of God." This was a three-day ordeal centered around playing games, praying/thanking God together, and feasting. According to historical research, the menu at the first feast included:

• Seethed (boiled) lobster
• Roasted goose and boiled turkey
• Fricassee of coney (rabbit)
• Pudding of Indian cornmeal with dried whortleberries
• Seethed cod
• Roasted duck and stewed pumpkin
• Roasted venison with mustard sauce
• Savory pudding of hominy
• Fruit and Holland cheese

Whoa! That is a lot of meat! I think I'll stick to my menu.

What are your favorite foods on Thanksgiving?

*All info from The Thanksgiving Table, Recipes and Ideas to Create Your Own Holiday Tradition by Diane Morgan.