Thanksgiving dinner: Truly American

I was just thinking about where all those foods we serve at Thanksgiving originated. Well, it turns out that they are, indeed, overwhelmingly American in origin.

Turkey, the centerpiece of the meal, was native to eastern North America. Mashed potatoes -- c'mon, you can't have turkey without mashed potatoes: well, potatoes originated in South America. Corn and gren beans, standard vegetables, also both originated in the Americas, beans in South America, corn (maize) in southern Mexico.

Having pumpkin pie for desert? Thank the natives of what is now central Mexico. Ditto sweet potatoes (my mother always included a dish of sweet potatoes with Thanksgiving dinner), although they seem to have been more widespread, occurring down into South America.

So you see, Thanksgiving dinner really is an American feast.