Summary of America's Real First Thanksgiving: St. Augustine, Florida, September 8, 1565 by Robyn Gioia

Uncover the delicious truth of America's Real First Thanksgiving in St. Augustine, as Robyn Gioia shares a captivating blend of history and culinary culture.

Welcome to the real Thanksgiving, folks! Spoiler: it's not in Plymouth, it's in St. Augustine, Florida, and it happened back in 1565. Yes, you heard that right. Forget the turkey and pumpkin pie; we're taking a historical detour to feast on some truly juicy facts instead!

In this fascinating little gem of a book, America's Real First Thanksgiving, author Robyn Gioia transports us to a time when the Spanish were busy trying to get their act together in the Americas. We kick things off with Don Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, the founder of St. Augustine, who decided that a meal commemorating his arrival was in order-because nothing says "I've just claimed this land" like a party, am I right?

Now, Menéndez's crew was not about to sit around moping, and that's where the party begins. They invited local Timucua natives to join in on the festivities. Because nothing screams "welcome to the neighborhood" quite like rolling out the culinary red carpet and expecting everyone to chow down with you. The book details how the menu wasn't gluttonous turkey but rather a mix of game birds, fish, and even some good ol' corn-which actually sounds more like a fun summer BBQ than your typical Thanksgiving. Sorry, Uncle Bob, but your green bean casserole doesn't make the cut here!

Gioia dives deep (but not too deep, this is only 50 pages, remember!) into the interactions between the Spanish settlers and the indigenous people. Thankfully, no one brought out the awkward family questions; instead, they shared the meal in a gesture of friendship and solidarity. Ah, history's idealized moments that make you wonder if they actually had small talk about the weather before diving into the feast!

This is where we get to nerd out about some cultural intersections. The book outlines how the Spanish and the Timucua combined their culinary traditions, resulting in a unique fusion that would probably leave even the most seasoned chef drooling. And let's face it, if our version of Thanksgiving had a bit of that flair, we might all be a little more forgiving of Aunt Margie's infamous stuffing.

So what we have here is a charming retelling of a lesser-known Thanksgiving narrative that begs the question: Why do we only celebrate the Pilgrim version? Gioia calls out the historical oversight and encourages us to rethink our Thanksgiving story. I mean, can we get some love for St. Augustine's kick-off event in the history of holidays?

And because it's a mini book, you'll breeze through it faster than you can say "pass the gravy." So get ready to impress your friends at the next holiday gathering with this juicy tidbit of American history-they're bound to be shocked once they discover the real origins of Thanksgiving. Spoiler alert: it's not just another day to stuff your face and watch football!

What's a holiday without its quirks? Gioia delivers a historical feast that combines humor with education, all while making you crave a big plate of food. Who knew history could be this delicious? So grab a copy and prepare to bring a little extra seasoning to your Thanksgiving conversations!

Maddie Page

Classics, bestsellers, and guilty pleasures-none are safe from my sarcastic recaps. I turn heavy reads into lighthearted summaries you can actually enjoy. Warning: may cause random outbursts of laughter while pretending to study literature.