The Story Behind Pumpkin Pie at Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time of celebration and recognizing what is going well in our lives as a family. For a lot of our customers or fans not from North America or Canada, the concept of Thanksgiving is slightly alien. So, we aim to just give a very brief introduction of the holiday and introduce some historical background to the two most popular traditional foods for the feast! 

What is Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is an annual holiday for the US and Canada and celebrated every year on the 4^th Thursday of November. First conducted in 1621 between 50 Pilgrims and 90 Wampanoag Indians. Although it has recently seen some revisionism it is still a holiday based around a festival of joy and thanks which we can all get behind!

What Are the Biggest Features of Thanksgiving?

• Thanksgiving Day Parades
• 3 NFL Games
• Shopping Sales
• Turkey
• Pumpkin Pie

Leading into our segment of the reason and huge demand for pumpkin pie during Thanksgiving.

Why Pumpkin Pie?

There are a few factors playing into the choice of pumpkin pie. Whether they are environmental or social, they each factored into the choice of pumpkin becoming a staple part of the celebrations. Although not served at the very first thanksgiving itself. The first reason being seasonal. Pumpkins are harvested around this time of year a flourish under these weather conditions. So traditionally even hundreds of years ago they were a go to vegetable. Even now pumpkins are harvested in vast numbers across the US for Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Pumpkin was a staple part of the Native American diet. Native Americans have been harvesting pumpkins and squash for thousands of years, leading to them using it in a number of foods. In 1621 was possible the first time for some of the settlers to see or try pumpkin.

How is Pumpkin Pie in Comparison?

Variations or approaches towards pumpkin pie have remarkably been in circulation in English writing since around 1670. Using spices, nutmeg apples etc anything to add flavor. Although now some parallels can be drawn as Nutmeg Pumpkin pie, still one of the most popular dishes.

Although pumpkin pie as we currently know it most likely was not consumed at the original feast, pumpkins and their large part of the feast can’t be denied in bringing the togetherness of the people there at that time. The joy and thankfulness can’t be forgotten and this is why pumpkins will always play a key part throughout this holiday!