Wednesday, November 25, 2009

The Scoop on Turkey



The Scoop on Turkey

And Other Stories from the Original Harvest Table

By Tony Conway, CMP


Sometimes, our research takes us to unexpected places. Recently, a client asked us to prepare an authentic Thanksgiving dinner for a gathering of twelve. In order to get the details right, we schooled ourselves in everything Pilgrim. Through reading widely and surveying unspoiled miles of video footage, we learned that the first harvest dinner didn't, in fact, include many of the dishes that we typically consider traditional Thanksgiving fare. We also discovered that we probably wouldn’t even be celebrating Thanksgiving Day if it weren’t for a woman named Sarah Josepha Hale.

Until the mid-1800’s “Thanksgiving Day” was considered a religious holiday celebrated solemnly through fasting and quiet reflection. In 1854, Sarah Josepha Hale, a savvy, trendsetting, editor of a widely-read women’s magazine, stumbled upon a letter written by a pilgrim named Edward Winslow. Winslow’s letter included details of the original harvest feast of 1621. Hale was immediately smitten by the story of how a group early colonial settlers and a tribe of Wampanoag Indians gathered peacefully in Plymouth, Massachusetts to feast on juicy wild fowl, venison, cornbread, and a bounty of fruits and vegetables.

Around the same time, a history book written by the mayor of Plymouth Plantation, William Bradford, resurfaced. Bradford’s book also contained details describing the original harvest feast of the early settlers. The book was stolen by looters during the Revolutionary War and remained lost until around the same time that Sarah Hale’s interest in Colonial life piqued. Reading these two written accounts launched Hale into action.

Sarah Hale became determined to keep this part of history alive. Since she was a respected editor at a popular women’s magazine—she was just the person to make that happen. In her magazine, Hale wrote appealing articles about roasted turkeys, buttery mashed potatoes, and fiery red cranberry sauce. In 1858, Hale even petitioned the president of the United States, Abe Lincoln, to declare Thanksgiving a national Holiday. Though Hale’s campaign cemented Thanksgiving Day as a national holiday, the Thanksgiving recipes she zealously wrote about were not entirely representative of the feast of 1621.

Though turkey is the main menu item that comes to mind when many of us think of Thanksgiving dinner—it may not have actually been served at the original harvest feast of 1621. We do know that some type of “wild fowl” was served; however, “wild turkey” was not named in either of the first hand written accounts. It is more probable that the “wild fowl” brought back by the four pilgrims sent out to hunt for the harvest day celebration were seasonal waterfowl such as duck, geese, and cranes. We know for sure that venison was named as a meat (in fact, King Massasoit of the Wampanoag Indians presented five deer to the Pilgrims as a harvest gift). Having said that, wild turkey may have indeed been a dish at the harvest feast of 1621, we just have no written record of it.


We know for certain that potatoes were not served because they had not yet been introduced to the colonists. We also know that corn on the cob would have been absent from the table because the Indian corn that was available to the Pilgrims was only good for making cornmeal, not for eating on the cob. Pumpkin pie would have also been missing from the menu since no butter or flour was available for making pie crust. Instead, they may have eaten stewed or boiled pumpkin sans crust. Even if the colonists did possess the necessary ingredients for pie making—they had no oven for baking. There would have been no cranberry sauce either. Only a small amount of sugar—critical for making cranberry sauce—had been transported via the Mayflower. When it came time for preparing the first harvest meal, their limited sugar supply would have been long gone. Finally, the early pilgrims did not have pigs so anything involving ham or bacon would have been omitted from the harvest table.


With so many of the traditional Thanksgiving items off the table you may be wondering what the colonists and Wampanoag Indians did eat at the harvest feast of 1621. In addition to the aforementioned venison and wild fowl—rabbit would have also been served along with grapes, plums, walnuts, chestnuts, onions, pumpkins, beans, lettuce, radishes, leeks, parsnips, carrots, cornbread and olive oil. Although fish was usually considered too “ordinary” to be served at a fine feast—some lobster, clams, or cod may have also been eaten.


It may surprise you to learn that the food they prepared wasn’t bland—in fact it was quite the opposite. Pilgrims cooked with many spices including garlic, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, pepper, and dried fruit—they also slow-roasted their meat on a spit. Pilgrims were assigned to patiently turn the spit for hours at a time until the meat was evenly done. Though the pilgrims had fewer resources at their fingertips (no ovens and no refrigeration) they made tasty dishes by using a lot of good ole fashioned improvisation.


Though Sarah Josepha Hale may have taken some creative liberties with her interpretation of Thanksgiving dinner—we must salute her for bringing this special holiday to the fore. Besides, if it weren’t for her, maybe we’d forget to be grateful. Maybe we’d tear through the Halloween candy corn at Mach speed straight through the Christmas wrapping paper and into the New Year without taking a breath—without pausing to remember the importance of coming together for a home-cooked supper composed of the very same ingredients that were found at the original harvest table of 1621—heaping bowls of gratitude and platefuls of fellowship.

Friday, November 13, 2009

LEGENDARY'S ORGANIC WASTE REPORT

We're proud to announce that we've composted over 4 tons of organic waste in one month via our program with Greenco Environmental. Check back here on a regular basis for more information on Legendary's Green Initatives. http://www.greencoenvironmental.com/

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

A LEGENDARY EVENT PROVIDES DECOR FOR WORTHY ATLANTA CAUSES

photo courtesy artstarphotography.com

From The St. Regis Hotel and A Meal to Remember to The Ritz Carlton and Around the World in Eighty Days, A Legendary Event provided unique décor for two marquee Atlanta Gala events this weekend. On Friday night, 500 guests gathered for “A Meal to Remember” benefitting The Senior Citizens of Metropolitan Atlanta. Incorporating the chairs’ vision, the tables were draped in rich Chocolate Dupioni linen and topped with alternating fuchsia and orange roses, peonies, and Gerber Daises. A Legendary Event Floral Designer Jeanna Graham described the look as “chic, contemporary and classic.”


The following night at the Ritz Carlton in Buckhead, The Shepherd Center Foundation celebrated their annual “Legendary Party” under the direction of Gala Chair Cyndae Arrendale. This year, the theme was “Around the World in Eighty Days.” After the 450 guests received their “passports,” they crossed a large wooden boardwalk and were greeted by Phileas Fogg and other characters straight from the pages of the Jules Verne classic.


The décor in the main ballroom featured a handmade patchwork hot air balloon and a 12’ x 32’ map from the late 1800’s. Each table was pin-spotted and centered with a one-of-a-kind vignette composed of old clocks, hat boxes filled with pavéd roses, and nautical enhancements. President and owner Tony Conway said, “We are so honored to have been selected to provide the design and floral for these two worthy causes.”

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Tony's "Tips from the Pros" featured in current issue of Delta Sky Magazine

(Photo by Dawn Brewer)

If you're flying this Thanksgiving season, be sure to check out some of Tony's Recession-Busting Tips featured in the current issue of Delta Sky Magazine. Instead of a sit-down dinner, Tony suggests inviting friends over for a low key "game night" where one couple brings the wine, one brings the game, and one brings the dessert. This gives the host a chance to pick up a wonderful wood-roasted gourmet pizza or to try his or her own hand at pizza-dough making. He also recommends incorporating a multitude of candles to help set the mood and suggests offering a signature drink in lieu of going to the expense of a fully stocked bar. http://deltaskymag.delta.com/