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Saluting The Food Of The Pilgrims
This is the time of year all Americans become New Englanders. It was in the fall of 1621 that 90
Wampanoag Indians and 52 English settlers shared the food from the season's harvest. Since then,
the Thanksgiving season has been celebrated with foods based on the hearty, simple cuisine the pilgrims
brought with them and adapted to their new environment.
When English cooking met Native American ingredients, the early settlers began eating cranberries, clam
chowder, Indian pudding, pumpkin pie, baked beans and blueberry pandowdy. The English contributions included
pastry dough and the technique of steaming, used in preparing Boston brown bread, puddings and other British dishes.
Many traditional English and American Indian classics marry well because both types are hearty and especially
suited to long, hard winters. But Pilgrim-style dishes don't have to be filled with fat and calories to be
substantial and satisfying.
With a few twists, even the traditional New England boiled dinner can be updated to be more healthful, while
preserving its trademark flavor and rustic simplicity. Instead of the fatty corned beef traditionally used,
substitute more healthful skinless, boneless chicken breasts. The dish can still follow traditional lines
with the usual large proportion of vegetables and a generous use of herbs for rich flavor.
A one-pot meal, like this updated New England Dinner, provides more food and fewer calories than the traditional
corned beef version. It's a great way to pay tribute to New England this time of year.
Source: American Institute for Cancer Research
AICR offers a Nutrition Hotline (1-800-843-8114) Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET,
a free service that allows you to ask a registered dietitian questions about diet, nutrition and cancer.
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