Ask Mike: The turkey
Hey Guys,
Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same without football, awkward family conversations, and tasty turkeys. But one has to wonder — of all possible meals for Americans to stuff themselves with, how did turkeys get drafted for duty? Was it just the turkey’s bad luck?
An excellent article from Slate.com explains that unlike turkeys, cows were considered “more useful alive than dead and commercial beef wasn’t widely available until the late 19th century.” There goes the idea of a Thanksgiving burger. Turkeys, by contrast, were “fresh, affordable, and big enough to feed a crowd.” Ham and brined pork weren’t considered appropriate for special occasions, and hens were thought to be too valuable.
Timing and cost were also key factors. Slate writes that a turkey born during the spring could grow to a hefty ten pounds by the time Thanksgiving rolled around. And turkeys cost considerably less than geese and chickens. All these factors were good for hungry Americans but bad news for turkeys, who quickly became forever associated with the holiday in which gluttony is encouraged.
While calling somebody a turkey is not exactly a compliment, it’s worth noting that Ben Franklin was a huge fan of the birds. In a letter to his daughter, Ben wrote that he wished the turkey had been chosen as the national symbol of the United States. Eventually, of course, the bald eagle won out. On the eagle, Franklin wrote: “For my own part I wish the Eagle had not been chosen the representative of our country. He is a bird of bad moral character.” Maybe so, but it’s hard to imagine a smiling turkey on top of flag poles and on the back of the $1 bill.
What are some of your favorite Thanksgiving traditions? At my house, we like to eat until we feel sick and then argue over who gets to lie down on the couch. All in all, not a bad tradition.
Thanks for reading,
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cause they’re fat… im srry idk
I’m on a diet… Thanksgiving is gonna be terrible, to say the least. Just sitting there, looking at all the food… Especially the turkey! My favorite thing to do with turkey is split a roll, fill it with turkey, and dip the whole thing in mashed potatoes and gravy. I’m looking forward to that, albeit less of it than usual!
If I remember what I was taught in school turkey became the traditional meat at Thanksgiving the first day of giving thanks, after the Pilgrims survived a dangerous trip across the Atlantic to come to the “New World”. Been too long ago to be certain, but I think they had also survived a winter in what was to them a wilderness; some had become ill and some had died of starvation.
The “natives” of this new world had taught them ways that made them more comfortable in this world and foods that helped them survive. To show appreciation to the natives, the Pilgrims invited the natives and the natives brought turkey as an offering to add to what was being served at this first Thanksgiving.
Mike,
Hi, great article! Where did Turducken originate from and why? Just curious that’s all.
Happy Holiday,
Jennifer
lol Happy Thanksgiving.
great article! i always wondered that, though it doesn’t technically concern a vegan such as myself, it’s great to know stuff like that.
i hope everyone has a splendid thanksgiving :]
The native Americans were reputed to have provided turkeys at the first “Thanksgiving” hosted by the Pilgrim Fathers since they were seasonal fare on the native menu. Wild turkeys were easy to catch in the autumn when they foraged on the forest floors of the Eastern seabord and easy to transport live and fresh between populated centres which were some distance from each other.
Easy to prepare, the birds provided an excellent source of protein and required little exertion on the part of hunting parties sent out from the native settlements.
I live in canada, thanksgiving was in october, we usually don’t do anything, just eat as we always do, we acually never eat a bird on thanksgiving, we usually just end up eating something fast or we just eat out
i think it is because they seem to always be around this time of year… i saw a bunch on the side of the street yesterday… i saw at least 5 in my yard a couple days ago and now there was a picture of them on the front page of my towns newspaper…. they probably just saw thm and ate them up.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! XO
I enjoy corn on the cob, and mashed potatoes w/ gravy lol!!
Gluttony is a lifestyle, not a hearty meal.
My Dad told me it’s because turkeys are very rare in America, and Thanksgiving and Christmas are annual. So, we Americans have turkeys only during the holidays. Hope this helps.
Oh, how I sometimes wish I were an American
So – why is it that you’re “assuming” that turkeys are associated with football?
Its just a commercial coincidence that football and turkey day, just happens to go together.
This is something that ONLY happens in the United States of North America.
In other parts of the world today is like any other day, although its often considered because of the emphasis on family & getting together with close friends in the states that its a particularly depressing time and otherwise a good time to go to the favorite watering hole to get drunk with other unattached individuals who don’t have close familial ties.
Which is why there are so many Drunk Drivers getting into accidents and destroying innocent bystander’s holiday cheer.
Not every unattached individual is strong, some are susceptable to the influences of commercial propaganda on the tv & other media.
Some resort to drinking & others turn to drugs, then there are those who lurk on the internet and troll simply because they’re bored and disgusted with people who think they’re better than them – just because they have family to hang with.
Not all families are happy, and not all families can be together during the holidays.
Its not such a great holiday, if your mom or dad beats you.
Its not such a great holiday, if you’re overseas and far from your loved ones.
Then there are those who are locked away for some error in their ways, who can’t be with those they love.
I’m just stating in good conscience, because the holiday is too commercialized and the commercials very rarely mention having care and considerration for others who don’t have what quite a lot of folks seem to take forgranted.
^_^
hey nice title by the way mr. turkey
It was the biggest available animal to serve in quantity in the area at that time of year.
I’m soo glad that it was the turkey that got chosen! turkeys are soo good and im glad that out of all the other birds that could have been chosen that the turkey got chosn
BWAAA BWA BWA BWAAAAA
(TURKEY LANGUAGE FOR ARE YOU A CHICKEN OR A TURKEY)
Favorite family tradition for Thanksgiving is the making of the stuffing. Every Thanksgiving morning we would gather at my grandparents home and beast out 3 or 4 of the largest bowls of stuffing. It would begin with cutting up 20 or so onions which would make the whole kitchen smell and we would all be crying. While these cooked we would break the bread. Grandpa would practically but the store out of french bread from the bakery. Once this was broke into pieces, we would begin the seasoning, adding onions and the special juoice grandpa made from the turkey juice, canned milk and chicken broth. This tradition also turned into a competition on who’s bowl tasted the best and every year my son would win. He always had the right mix of spices, juice and onions. Since my grandparents passed away and my son passed just a few years ago Thanks giving has not been the same, even though we try the memory seems to remain better than the actual day now. Maybe it is time for a new tradition.
Happy Thanksgiving! Thanks for the history.
Nice blog
Tanks
awesome article you wrote there and i hope you have a wonderful thanksgiving
Since my grandparents passed away and my son passed just a few years ago Thanks giving has not been the same, even though we try the memory seems to remain better than the actual day now. Maybe it is time for a new tradition.
Really like it! Actually thrilled to see you touch on this subject, most people seem to fly right passed it. Keep it up, I bookmarked your site and will keep checking on your posts as time goes on. Thank you!
nice article