and winery near what is today San Diego. Sorry California. You’re about 200 years late to that party. Winemaking began in Florida when early settlers discovered Florida’s native grape, the muscadine, growing in clusters along the northern tracts near St. Augustine and Jacksonville. Historical record prove American winemaking began with French Huguenots at Fort Caroline. After the Spanish from St. Augustine decimated the French village, it makes sense they learned of the grapes and winemaking from either the few Huguenots they allowed to live, or the Timucuans who would have observed the practice at Fort Caroline, less than 50 miles away.
San Sebastian Winery
San Sebastian Winery, located in one of Henry Flagler’s old East Coast Railway buildings near historic downtown St. Augustine, carries on the tradition. It is the second largest winery in the state of Florida. They have won more than 500 medals for wines made from muscadine, scuppernong, and hybrid bunch grapes indigenous to the southeast.
More History
President Thomas Jefferson didn’t observe Thanksgiving. Possibly because of his Louisiana Purchase in 1803 in which he wanted Florida included. Technically, it wasn’t but soon became part of the US in 1821 in exchange for US recognizing
Spanish control of Texas west of the Sabine River. President Abraham Lincoln, in 1863, recognized Thanksgiving as the last Thursday in November. However, it was President Ulysses S. Grant who signed it into law on June 28, 1870, making it a national holiday. Ironic similarity with Washington recognizing Thanksgiving after successfully leading a rebellion to leave the control of their lawful ruler, while Lincoln and Grant had fought and succeeding in preventing the southern states from breaking away from their lawful ruler. One more piece of ironic history; there were 13 colonies that rebelled against England and 13 states that rebelled against the US.
2023 ~ SEASON’S EATINGS | -15-
