Leslie Landrigan

Oh, they would have had cranberries, definitely. The natives revered the cranberry. In fact, there is a... There are some Wampanoag people who live on Martha's Vineyard. And their Thanksgiving is the second Thursday, I think, in October. And it's Cranberry Day. And the kids get out of school and they eat cranberries. It was very, very useful. It was used as a dye. It was used as a sweetener.

It had medicinal properties.

It had medicinal properties.

It had medicinal properties.

They would have eaten the three sisters, the pumpkins, the beans, and the squash. Celery is kind of an interesting vegetable because it didn't really come to America until... the American Revolution, the 1770s, and it was It was kind of a fancy food. But think about it. You're celebrating Thanksgiving in late fall and vegetables are mushy, but there's this nice green crisp vegetable.

They would have eaten the three sisters, the pumpkins, the beans, and the squash. Celery is kind of an interesting vegetable because it didn't really come to America until... the American Revolution, the 1770s, and it was It was kind of a fancy food. But think about it. You're celebrating Thanksgiving in late fall and vegetables are mushy, but there's this nice green crisp vegetable.

They would have eaten the three sisters, the pumpkins, the beans, and the squash. Celery is kind of an interesting vegetable because it didn't really come to America until... the American Revolution, the 1770s, and it was It was kind of a fancy food. But think about it. You're celebrating Thanksgiving in late fall and vegetables are mushy, but there's this nice green crisp vegetable.

And for many years, it was the most popular item on U.S. restaurant menus next to coffee and tea.

And for many years, it was the most popular item on U.S. restaurant menus next to coffee and tea.

And for many years, it was the most popular item on U.S. restaurant menus next to coffee and tea.

Well, the people who stick in my mind are the first four women who cooked Thanksgiving. Because after that first winter, there were only four adult women left in Plymouth Colony. And there would have been some 48 others who survived. And 90 Native Americans. So that's cooking for 140 people. Here are these four women who have to pluck all the birds that the men caught.

Well, the people who stick in my mind are the first four women who cooked Thanksgiving. Because after that first winter, there were only four adult women left in Plymouth Colony. And there would have been some 48 others who survived. And 90 Native Americans. So that's cooking for 140 people. Here are these four women who have to pluck all the birds that the men caught.

Well, the people who stick in my mind are the first four women who cooked Thanksgiving. Because after that first winter, there were only four adult women left in Plymouth Colony. And there would have been some 48 others who survived. And 90 Native Americans. So that's cooking for 140 people. Here are these four women who have to pluck all the birds that the men caught.

They probably have to cut up the deer. They have no running water. They've got to cook outside. It just would have been a nightmare. I can't even imagine it. But I can tell you who they were. There was Mary Brewster, who was older. She was in her 50s, and she was the wife of... William Brewster, the spiritual guide.

They probably have to cut up the deer. They have no running water. They've got to cook outside. It just would have been a nightmare. I can't even imagine it. But I can tell you who they were. There was Mary Brewster, who was older. She was in her 50s, and she was the wife of... William Brewster, the spiritual guide.

They probably have to cut up the deer. They have no running water. They've got to cook outside. It just would have been a nightmare. I can't even imagine it. But I can tell you who they were. There was Mary Brewster, who was older. She was in her 50s, and she was the wife of... William Brewster, the spiritual guide.

There was Susanna Winslow, who was the wife of Edward Winslow, who was one of the leaders. And those two were saints, which means they were the Puritans who came for religious reasons. So the other two women were Elizabeth Hopkins and Elizabeth Billington. And the Billingtons were bad news. Her husband, John Billington, was hanged for murder.

There was Susanna Winslow, who was the wife of Edward Winslow, who was one of the leaders. And those two were saints, which means they were the Puritans who came for religious reasons. So the other two women were Elizabeth Hopkins and Elizabeth Billington. And the Billingtons were bad news. Her husband, John Billington, was hanged for murder.

There was Susanna Winslow, who was the wife of Edward Winslow, who was one of the leaders. And those two were saints, which means they were the Puritans who came for religious reasons. So the other two women were Elizabeth Hopkins and Elizabeth Billington. And the Billingtons were bad news. Her husband, John Billington, was hanged for murder.

Her son was a troublemaker who got lost and nearly started a war between the pilgrims and the natives, and she was whipped for slander. But the one who really interests me is Elizabeth Hopkins. Her husband was Stephen Hopkins, who was in a Shakespeare play.