Kid-Friendly Recipes

While our 21st century Thanksgiving feast may bear little resemblance to the 1621 celebration popularly known as the First Thanksgiving, Boston families do not have to travel far to learn about the traditions that are at the root of today’s holiday. In fact, if you head south for just about 45 minutes, you’ll arrive at Plimoth Plantation, in Plymouth, the symbol of where our national celebration began.

Plimoth Plantation’s 17th-century English village is a re-creation of the small farming and maritime community built by the Pilgrims along the shore of Plymouth Harbor. In the Village, set in the year is 1627, just seven years after the arrival of Mayflower, you’ll find modest timber-framed houses furnished with reproductions of the types of objects that the Pilgrims owned, aromatic kitchen gardens, and heritage breeds livestock. “Townspeople” - costumed role players - tell you about their lives in Plymouth Colony, and daily activities re-create life in 1627.

Curious to know what one of the “first” Thanksgivings looked like, we spoke with Kathleen M. Wall, culinary historian at Plimoth Plantation, for some insights.