Sufferin' Succotash

Materials

Prepare main ingredients prior to lesson.

Butternut or acorn squash, cooked and cubed

Shop for canned black beans and a large can of hominy (Mexican grocery stores have the big cans for the best price)

For authenticity, squash blossoms can be harvested in the early morning while they are still closed and placed directly on ice and frozen until ready for use.

Equipment: can opener, colander, spoon, measuring spoon, measuring cup, large frying pan, cook stove

Procedures

1. Discussed origin of beans/squash; reminded kids about how to make hominy.
2. Squash originated in the Eastern US ie. summer (crookneck) and winter (acorn) squash and ornamental gourds. Pilgrims found seed corn in storage pits which helped them survive the harsh winter in Cape Cod. Squanto taught them how to grow corn, then likely beans and squash. Those have been called the “Three Sisters”.
3. Incas, Mayas and Aztecs were the first to grow beans. Pinto beans are a type of kidney bean. Peas came from England. Later bean cultivation spread up through the Southwest and into North America. The Anasazi planted corn, beans and summer and winter squash.
4. Most cultures had some kind of traditional succotash containing corn, bean, sunflower seeds and seasoning. Squash blossoms (flowers) could be mashed and used to thicken soup but if dried and ground were used as seasoning. Eventually, succotash meant any dish that included beans and corn and people ended up adding things like fresh or dried meat, carrots and/or potatoes.
5. Holiday traditions are passed from one culture to another and then adapted to another’s. The Native Americans called succotash or “sukquttahash”. Today, in New England, succotash is eaten on Forefathers' Day on December 21 to commemorate the Pilgrims’s landing at Plymouth Rock. They started observing this holiday in 1769. Now succotash usually includes meat or poultry, navy beans or peas, and root vegetables. It is known as “stew from the stalk”.
6. Asked what their own family traditions were and if they knew where they came from. As an extension activity, teacher can have them write about what their family does during the holidays, if anything.
7. Cooked succotash and talked to simulate holiday tradition of cooking and chatting in our family. Described our family tradition of gathering in the kitchen in talking.
8. Kids did worksheet while food cooked on camp stove.