Celebrating Our Native Foods

 Thanksgiving is a time of celebrating what the indigenous people have given us. We need to acknowledge their contribution to this great table of ours. We can use these ingredients and recipes in our own holiday dinners as well.

The New York Times Food section touched upon this Wednesday. Brett Anderson wrote about this after witnessing a buffalo hunt on fort Peck Indian reservation Montana. The indigenous tribes always thank what they've killed or picked , making sure others have food as well. That was probably the idea of what we know as the "First Thanksgiving." it was probably more of a harvest festival in 1621 in which the belief of giving back was established. Thanks to the various tribes throughout North and South america, we have a variety of different foods. The Pilgrims probably received the Three Sisters, squash, beans and corn from the Wampanoag tribe. These can easily be incorporated into our modern day dishes. squash is a no brainer. acorn squash is a nice side and can easily be microwaved if you don't have room in the oven.You can add a mix of butter and brown sugar for the hollowed middle. Squash can be easily pan roasted too. Beans can be used as an extra in salad or as a tasty hot side.Baked beans are a no fuss make and can be cooked in a crockpot. Corn is another side that will compliment the turkey. You can easily serve ti hot or cold as a salad, mixed with chopped peppers. Of course it is good , being one of the main ingredients in cornbread.

The indigenous tribes fo Mexico and Central America gave us some of the best and most famous ingredients. Without them we wouldn't have tomatoes or potatoes. Tomatoes have been gracing American salads for generations but they're also good Provencale style, sauteed in a garlicky mix of olive oil and butter and topped with heaping amount of breadcrumbs and herbs. Potatoes are another Thanksgiving veggie that have often been the shining costar. Many have them mashed but they're truly delicious Hasselback style, sliced through to form crispy chips and seasoned with oil, salt and whatever  minced herbs you'd like to flavor them. You can even top them with turkey gravy if you'd like. Sweet potatoes are another indigenous tuber from Central and South America. They  too, are great roasted Hasselback style, especially when they're sprinkled with cinnamon or honey mixed with butter.Many home bakers will also bake them into pies and even tarts.For something a little different and easier, try them in small individual galettes spiked with cinnamon, cardamon and nutmeg. 

Celebrate and use these indigenous North , Central and South American ingredients in your Thanksgiving menu this year. They are delicious but also a reminder of what was given to our ancestors. It was the tribes way of including us on their shores.