52 years after Juan Ponce de Leon walked ashore on Florida’s east coast -- and over five decades before the Pilgrims founded Plymouth Colony -- Pedro Menendez de Aviles (Ah-vee-lays) stepped onshore at what would become the city of St. Augustine, in September of 1565.

As was customary, his landing party celebrated the safe voyage with a Mass of Thanksgiving. This was followed by a communal meal to which Menendez invited local Timucuan Indians, making it, in the words of noted Florida historian Michael Gannon, “the first community act of religion and thanksgiving in the first permanent [European] settlement” in North America.

What did Florida’s first thanksgiving feast include? Based on Spanish ships’ records, the main dish was probably cocido (co-see doh) a stew made from salted pork, garbanzo beans, and garlic, with hard sea biscuits and red wine on the side. If the Timucuan contributed from their food stores, there may also have been corn, beans, and squash; wild game like turkey, venison, and gopher tortoise; and shellfish and seafood like mullet, drum, and sea catfish.

So, while enjoying your Thanksgiving day meal, take a moment to reflect on Florida’s rich native and Spanish heritage.

Courtesy of the Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources