Food
Colonists hunted and ate many game animals, including geese, ducks, bears, pigs and even beavers. Those that lived along the coast ate much seafood. Some even reported lobsters that were 5 feet long. Many people were ashamed to eat salmon and oysters because they were so cheap and common. Potatoes and tomatoes were some of the new vegetables grown in America, but many English colonists refused to eat them, thinking that they were poisonous. Most colonists didn't drink water because they thought it could make people sick. (This was often true because some water sources were unclean and contained bacteria.) Low alcohol drinks replaced them; everyone drank it even the children, and it was drank with every meal.
Cooking
The cook, who was always a woman, didn't use published cook recipes to prepare a meal. The first cookbook published in America wasn't until 1742. The meals weren't cooked with gas, but in front of a fireplace. Working so close to the fireplace often led to injuries or death.
Eating Manners and Set-Up
Children followed very strict rules at the dinner table. Their rules at the table:
- They weren't allowed to talk at the dinner table unless told to
- They couldn't ask for anything at the table
- You couldn't make any noise while chewing
- You couldn't smell your food before eating it
- When you are finished you have to leave the table immediately
Instead of using plates, they used wooden trays called trenchers. Trenchers were usually shared between 2 people, and if the family could afford them they would use heavy pewter platters to serve food. The dining table was usually a long wooden board set up on logs. Usually only the head of the household had a chair because they were rather uncommon. If the children didn't have chairs they would stand behind the parents and wait for the food to be handed to them. Linen napkins were used with every meal-and they were much needed. Most people ate with their hands, if a food was too soupy they would use a wide wooden spoon. Forks were almost unknown and knives were only used to cut and serve meat.
