Recipes From the First Thanksgiving

Nov. 22, 2006 — -- Everyone's favorite roving correspondent, Mike Barz, went on an American adventure perfect for the holiday season.

Barz visited Plymouth, Mass., site of the Mayflower's landing and the first Thanksgiving in 1623.

The folks at Plimouth Plantation shared some of the early settlers' first Thanksgiving recipes, which you'll find below.

New World pumpkins and squashes were introduced into Europe in the late 15th century.

By the time the colonists had made their way to Plymouth, "pompions," as pumpkins were called by settlers of the era, had gained widespread acceptance in England.

In New England, stewed pumpkin was everyday fare -- a "standing dish" -- particularly in the fall and winter.

This recipe for stewed pumpkin comes from John Josselyn, an early traveler to New England.

His description of the common dish is full of wonderful details that provide both a sense of how the finished dish should taste ("tart like an apple") and a vivid glimpse into a colonial kitchen ("stew them upon a gentle fire a whole day.")

"The ancient New England standing dish" is one of the earliest written recipes from New England.

The Ancient New England Standing Dish

But the Housewives manner is to slice them when ripe, and cut them into dice, and so fill a pot with them of two or three Gallons, and stew them upon a gentle fire a whole day, and as they sink, they fill again with fresh Pompions, not putting any liquor to them; and when it is stew'd enough, it will look like bak'd Apples; this they Dish, putting Butter to it, and a little Vinegar, (with some Spice, as Ginger, &c.) which makes it tart like an Apple, and so serve it up to be eaten with Fish or Flesh: It provokes Urin extreamly and is very windy. -- John Josselyn, New-Englands Rarities Discovered, 1672

Modern version:

Place the squash, butter, vinegar and spices in a saucepan over low heat. Stir and heat until all of the ingredients are well combined and hot. Adjust the seasonings to your liking and serve.

Serves 8