THANKSGIVING BEGINNING

PLYMOUTH CURIOSITIES
From: NEW ENGLAND'S RARITIES DISCOVERED
BY John Josselyn (1672)
This was take from the book "The Plimoth Colony Cookbook" published by the Plymouth Antiquarian Society Cran Berry or Bearberry, because the bears use much to feed upon them, is a small trayling plant that grows in salt marshes that are overgrown with moss. The Berries are of a pale yellow color after-ward red, as big as a cherry; some perfectly round, others oval; all of them hollow with a sower astringent taste; they are ripe in August and September. The Indians and English use them much boyling them with Sugar for Sauce to eat with their meat; ant it is a delicate sauce, especially for roasted Mutton; Some make tarts with them as with Goose Berries.


SAUTAUTHIG
A favorite dish of the Native Americans during colonial times was Sautauthig (pronounced sawí-taw-teeg), a simple pudding made with dried, crushed blueberries, dried, cracked corn(or samp), and water. Later, the settlers added milk, butter and sugar when they were available. The Pilgrims loved Sautauthig and many historians believe that it was part of the first Thanksgiving feast. In a letter to friends back in England, one colonist describes how Sauthauthig was prepared:
"...this is to be boyled or stued with a gentle fire, till it be tender, of a fitt consistence, as of Rice so boyled, into which Milke, or butter be put either with sugar or without it, it is a food very pleasant...but it must be observed that it be very well boyled, the longer the better, some will let it be stuing the whole day: after it is Cold it groweth thicker, and is commonly Eaten by mixing a good Quantity of Milke amongst it."
from the Plimoth Plantationís web site
Here's a recipe that gives us an idea of what Sautauthig tasted like. We call it Cornmeal Blueberry Mush but you can give it any name you want.
CORNMEAL BLUEBERRY MUSH
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup cornmeal or quick cooking grits
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey NOTE: If you are using frozen blueberries in this recipe, defrost them between 2 layers of paper towels to absorb excess liquid. If you are using canned blueberries, drain well. Fresh or frozen blueberries can be dried on a cookie sheet in a 250 degrees F oven for about 1-1/2 hours.

BRITISH BRUNCH BAKE
You can use cheddar cheese instead of Swiss and omit the 2 teaspoons of horseradish if you don't care for it. You could also use cooked bacon instead of the ham and throw in some chopped green peppers and/or onions as well.
2 English muffins, split and toasted
1 large tomato, sliced in 4
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup skim milk
3 tablespoons flour
6 large eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons chives, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 ounces cooked ham, diced
Preheat oven to 325. Generously grease an 8 x 8 x 2" baking dish. Arrange English muffin halves in bottom of baking dish. Place a tomato slice on each muffin half. Divide the cheese over top of each tomato. Divide the ham over top of each muffin. In a medium bowl beat milk and flour until smooth. Add eggs, chives, salt and pepper to the flour mixture; stir until blended. Pour the egg mixture around the English muffin halves. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden and centre is set. Cut into serving sizes to serve.

VERY OLD MINCEMEAT
8 pounds beef stew meat
2 pounds suet
12 pounds chopped apples
2 pounds raisins
1 tablespoon allspice
1 tablespoon cloves
1 pound chopped citron
3 pounds brown sugar
1 lemon
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons salt
boiled cider
In a large pot, simmer the unsalted meat until very tender. Cool the meat and then run through a food grinder twice. Place the ground meat back into the pot with the same water.(most of the water will be boiled down) Add all other ingredients to the pot and add enough boiled cider so the mixture is moistened well, but not too wet. Simmer and stir until the apples are cooked-takes about an hour. Seal in sterilized jars while still hot.

NEW ENGLAND SQUASH PIE
2 cups strained squash
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
salt to taste
3 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 cup cream
Pie shell for a 10" deep dish pie
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Add sugar and seasonings to squash, mix, well. Beat the eggs slightly, add milk and cream, beat well. Add milk mixture slowly to squash mixture, beating gently to combine well. Pour filling into the shell, being careful not to overfill. Bake 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325 degrees and bake for 40 minutes until a knife inserted slightly offcenter comes out clean.
NOTE:pumpkin may be substituted.

PUMPKIN & CORN FRITTERS
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup fresh corn kernels cut from the cob
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup flour, sifted
1/2 cup cake flour, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
6 cups vegetable oil, for frying
Cane syrup or maple syrup, for drizzling
Powdered sugar, for garnish
Heat an 8-inch saute pan over medium heat and add the oil and butter to the pan. When the oil is hot, add the corn to the pan and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Season the corn with 1/4 teaspoon salt and the white pepper. Continue to cook the corn, stirring often, for an additional 5 minutes. Remove corn from pan and set aside on a plate to cool. In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin puree, brown sugar, eggs, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and whisk to combine. When the corn is cooled, fold it into the pumpkin base. Gently stir the all-purpose flour, cake flour, and baking soda into the pumpkin base. Stir just until the ingredients are combined, so as not to over-mix. Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
In a large 6-quart pot, heat the vegetable oil to 325 degrees F. Remove the fritter batter from the refrigerator and carefully spoon heaping tablespoonfuls of the fritter batter into the hot oil to fry. Cook no more than 6 at a time, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, turning when necessary, until the fritters are a golden brown. Remove the fritters from the oil and drain on a paper-lined plate. Transfer to an aluminum foil pie pan and place in oven until all of the fritters have been made. To serve, pile the fritters onto a serving plate and drizzle with cane syrup. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve while hot.