Recipes
A 17th Century Wampanoag Recipe: Succotash
Made from corn and beans, this is a nourishing dish that has
been made by generations of Native People. In the old way, a woman
soaked the corn and beans overnight in a kettle of water. The
next day, she cooked green onions (scallions) in a small amount
of bear fat. The corn and beans were added, enough to feed a family
(there were no measuring cups in those days). Then a good amount
of water was added and the pot was left to simmer over the open
fire until it made a rich broth. Sometimes corn flour or crushed
nuts were added to help thicken the broth. Chunks of meat could
be added to give the dish more flavor.
Corn and beans are Native foods. Now you know that this dish began
with Native People on this continent. Today it is popular all
over America.
Modern Recipe for Succotash
Ingredients:
-
1 can yellow corn
-
1 can red kidney beans or lima beans, drained
-
1 medium white onion, or one cup scallions,
chopped
-
3 Tablespoons oil
-
1 lb. Lean ground beef
-
Salt and pepper to taste
Add beef, stirring constantly until browned
Add corn, beans, salt and pepper to meat mixture.
Add enough water to cover and simmer on a low flame. If it starts to get dry, add a little more water. You can simmer the succotash for up to 30 minutes.
*Based on a recipe from In My Wetu, a Plimoth Plantation publication, 1983.
A 17th Century Colonial Recipe: Stewed Pompion
This is a delicious recipe for
pumpkin. It is one of the earliest written recipes from New England.
The recipe is in a book written by John Josselyn who traveled
to New England in the 1600's. (John Josselyn, Two Voyages
to New England.)
John Josselyn called this recipe a “standing dish.”
That means that this sort of pumpkin dish was eaten every day or
even at every meal. He also called it “ancient” because
English housewives had cooked this recipe in New England for a
long time.
This is his recipe the way it appeared in his book:
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
Urine extreamly and is very windy.
Notes about the recipe:
The English people in the 1600's called all pumpkins and squash
“pompions.”
Back in John Josselyn's time there was no such thing as a spelling
test! People who could write spelled words any way they liked.
Just like today, in the 1600's English people knew that that
some foods had an effect on the human body. John Josselyn says
at the end of this recipe that this food provokes urine and causes
gas (windy)!
This is the same recipe written in a modern style to try at home.
Adults will need to help with this recipe.
A Dish of Stewed Pompion
-
4 cups of cooked squash, roughly mashed
-
3 tablespoons butter
-
2 to 3 teaspoons cider vinegar
-
1 or 2 teaspoons ground ginger
-
1/2 teaspoon salt
Plimoth for Kids
COLORING PICTURES
Downloadable picture files that you can print and color.
RECIPES
Impress friends, parents and teachers with these recipes from the past.
MAKE IT @ HOME
Who needs videos? Make your own fun, 17th-Century style!
STORIES
Tales form a Wampanoag and Colonial kid's perspective.
TALK LIKE A "PILGRIM"
Grandma's, Grandma's, Grandma's, Grandma might have talked like this!
HOMEWORK HELP
Enough stuff to fill up a whole bunch of reports.
