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To
market,
to market!
An
online Thanksgiving exhibition
by Peggy M. Baker,
Director & Librarian,
Pilgrim Society &
Pilgrim Hall Museum |
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Before the days of
the freezer and the supermarket, where did Thanksgiving dinner come from?
Nostalgia may tell us that early Thanksgiving dinners were entirely
homegrown, home-cooked and home-baked from scratch. This prospect
would, however, not have pleased the Pilgrims! Their palates were
accustomed to flavors native neither to Old England nor New England.
Among the provisions on the Mayflower could undoubtedly be found the
exotic spices that we now associate with the traditional tastes and scents
of Thanksgiving - cloves, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg and ginger.
Although transportation was slow by today's standards, the Pilgrims were
not an isolated people but, rather, part of a vibrant Atlantic rim
economy. A market system soon grew up within America as well, with
centralized "country stores" providing ingredients for many a
Thanksgiving table.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, foodways were
dramatically altered by three components.
One, shipping, or transportation - as systems improved and more and
more distant parts of America were linked, first by wagon and then by rail
and truck, poultry and produce, fruits and grains, came from even further
farms to local markets. Two, "shaping" - as increasing sophistication of food
processing and packaging led to partially prepared or “ready-made”
menu items, lightening the housewife’s burden.
Three, shopping - as changes in methods of buying and selling led to the
demise of the corner grocery store and the rise of the self-service
“supermarket.”
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