Many observers thought meals were informal affairs, often one-dish preparations like those the Iroquois simmered in large pots and usually served at noon. According to the memories of an Onondaga, supported by the testimony of James Smith, a 1755 visitor, there was no concept of regular meals, but rather food was available all day and eaten as one became hungry. The Delaware and Huron apparently scheduled two daily meals, morning and evening. Other meals were described in which a series of separate dishes were served, sometimes not at the same time, according to an ethic against mixing foods. When certain foods were scarce, their sudden availability brought on feasting that may have lasted for days. These feasts might have celebrated fresh meat in wintertime and maple syrup and first fruits in the spring and summer. Such meals may have been related to the Indians’ genetic ability to store vast quantities of nutrients and to draw on them during times of hunger.
