Everything the colonists ate came from the land. People hunted and fished for food. The colonists also planted crops for food. They brought seeds with them from Europe to plant. The Native Americans introduced crops like pumpkins, squash, and potatoes to the colonists. The Native Americans helped the colonists plant their crops and taught them different ways to grow crops.
The kitchen was a separate building from the house. On one wall there was a huge fireplace. The fireplace was used to cook the meals. Meat and vegetables were cooked over the fireplace in large pots and kettles. Most could also be cooked on a spit. Turning in the spit allowed the meat to cook evenly.
Colonists did not have refrigerators, so they kept their food cool in the cellar. The cellar of colonial homes was below ground, like our basements. But unlike our basements, cellars are not connected to the rest of the house. Some plantations also had ice houses, built mostly underground that held large blocks of ice. The ice was collected during the wintertime from the local streams and kept the food chilled for a long time.
Sample some colonial recipes!!