Thanksgiving Traditions Through the Years
Rochelle Siegel
Issue date: 12/2/05 Section: Life & Times
The fourth Thursday in November is known throughout America as Thanksgiving Day. It is a day of parades, huge family meals, football games, and the beginning of the appearance of Santa at many malls. Unlike many other holidays when people traditionally go out somewhere to celebrate, Thanksgiving is most commonly celebrated at home, with family and friends. Traditions are a big part of the Thanksgiving holiday, and every family has their own way of celebrating.
Turkeys are an American Thanksgiving tradition dating back centuries. But did you know that the turkey was not part of the original Thanksgiving meal. The wild turkeys that were in New England nearly four centuries ago certainly did not resemble the overstuffed bird we eat today. Back then turkeys were tough, resourceful, able to fly and hard to catch, definitely not the first dinner choice of either Native American or early colonial hunters.
According to historical account the first Thanksgiving meal consisted of mostly deer and fowling such as ducks and geese. Crops that were grown by both the settlers and the Native American were served. Corns, squash, potatoes, yams, even wheat to make bread were among the many foods enjoyed. Ironically, however, it is not likely that cranberries were among the foods serves since gathering them would have been more effort than it was worth.
Today there is such a large variety of food to choose from. The traditional turkey is still the meat of choice, yet goose, duck, ham, and even some fish can be used. According to the National Turkey Federation, 95 percent of Americans eat turkey at Thanksgiving. Most families center their table with a large roasted turkey.
Many regional twists have offered variations on the traditional roasted bird, including coffee rubbed turkey from Hawaii, salt encrusted turkey from New England, and deep fried turkey from the south. Along with the turkey a variety of sides are often served, such as sweet potatoes, peas, rice dishes, greens, and possibly even more exotic vegetables.
Turkeys are an American Thanksgiving tradition dating back centuries. But did you know that the turkey was not part of the original Thanksgiving meal. The wild turkeys that were in New England nearly four centuries ago certainly did not resemble the overstuffed bird we eat today. Back then turkeys were tough, resourceful, able to fly and hard to catch, definitely not the first dinner choice of either Native American or early colonial hunters.
According to historical account the first Thanksgiving meal consisted of mostly deer and fowling such as ducks and geese. Crops that were grown by both the settlers and the Native American were served. Corns, squash, potatoes, yams, even wheat to make bread were among the many foods enjoyed. Ironically, however, it is not likely that cranberries were among the foods serves since gathering them would have been more effort than it was worth.
Today there is such a large variety of food to choose from. The traditional turkey is still the meat of choice, yet goose, duck, ham, and even some fish can be used. According to the National Turkey Federation, 95 percent of Americans eat turkey at Thanksgiving. Most families center their table with a large roasted turkey.
Many regional twists have offered variations on the traditional roasted bird, including coffee rubbed turkey from Hawaii, salt encrusted turkey from New England, and deep fried turkey from the south. Along with the turkey a variety of sides are often served, such as sweet potatoes, peas, rice dishes, greens, and possibly even more exotic vegetables.