Use duplicated student activity sheets or copy onto the blackboard or poster board the directions for Sautauthig in old English (as described in a letter by John Winthrop Jr. to the Royal Society in London in 1662) and the updated version of Sautauthig--Blueberry Cornmeal Mush. Ask for volunteers to read both versions.
	Ask students to compare the language of the old recipe with the modern one.
	Discuss all the different ways of preserving food using blueberries as an example.
	Have students participate in (or demonstrate) preparation of Blueberry Cornmeal Mush--enough for each student to taste (or ask a parent to bring in prepared dish for tasting).

Parents:

Your child has been learning about one of North America's few native food crops -- BLUEBERRIES. They were around long before the Pilgrims arrived. The Native Americans loved blueberries and used them in many ways--as food, as medicine, even as a dye. The early colonists quickly learned how to use blueberries and created many wonderful blueberry dishes. Today, North Americans still love blueberries--it is one of our favorite fruits.

One of our lessons discusses a recipe for Sautauthig, a corn and blueberry pudding that the Pilgrims learned to prepare from the Wampanoag Indians. Some historians believe it was served at the first Thanksgiving.

We have attached an updated recipe of this colonial favorite so that you can prepare it at home with your child. We hope you enjoy it.

Sincerely,

The Blueberry Council Recipe:

A favorite dish of the Native Americans during colonial times was Sautauthig (pronounced sawí-taw-teeg), a simple pudding made with dried, crushed blueberries, dried, cracked corn(or samp), and water. Later, the settlers added milk, butter and sugar when they were available. The Pilgrims loved Sautauthig and many historians believe that it was part of the first Thanksgiving feast. In a letter to friends back in England, one colonist describes how Sauthauthig was prepared:

"...this is to be boyled or stued with a gentle fire, till it be tender, of a fitt consistence, as of Rice so boyled, into which Milke, or butter be put either with sugar or without it, it is a food very pleasant...but it must be observed that it be very well boyled, the longer the better, some will let it be stuing the whole day: after it is Cold it groweth thicker, and is commonly Eaten by mixing a good Quantity of Milke amongst it."

from the Plimoth Plantationís web site

Here's a recipe that gives us an idea of what Sautauthig tasted like. We call it Cornmeal Blueberry Mush but you can give it any name you want.

CORNMEAL BLUEBERRY MUSH

1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup cornmeal or quick cooking grits
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
2 cups fresh, frozen or canned blueberries or 1/2 cup dried blueberries (see note)

Yield: about 6 regular servings or 12 tasting-sized servings (about 4 3/4 cups)

NOTE: Today, we don't have to pick and dry blueberries in the summer to enjoy them year round. We can always find them in our local supermarket --either fresh, frozen or canned, sometimes even dried. If you are using frozen blueberries in this recipe, defrost them between 2 layers of paper towels to absorb excess liquid. If you are using canned blueberries, drain well. Fresh or frozen blueberries can be dried on a cookie sheet in a 250 degrees F oven for about 1-1/2 hours.