RSS
Home
Let's talk turkey
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
A "tom" (male) turkey in full display
Did you know that our majestic national symbol, the bald eagle, almost lost that prestigious honor to none other than the wild turkey? It's true. Benjamin Franklin wanted the wild turkey to grace that position.
The modern day domesticated turkey is descended from its wild counterpart, Melagris gallopavo. The turkey is raised throughout the temperate parts of the world, and part of its popularity stems from the fact that modern farming has made the turkey very inexpensive, as opposed to the amount of meat produced. It is of course the domesticated breeds that adorn our holiday table.
The male turkey is referred to as a tom, although across the Atlantic Ocean, in Europe, the male is called a stag. The female is a hen, and the chick is called a poult. Domesticated turkeys can live for up to 10 years.
Most domesticated turkeys are bred to have white feathers because their pin feathers are less visible when the body of the bird is dressed , but brown feathered turkeys are raised also. The fleshy bulge atop a turkey's beak is the snood, and the one attached to the beak's underside is the wattle.
Most agree that the turkey doesn't possess above average intelligence. It used to be said of the turkey that, during a rainstorm, the turkeys were so dumb that they kept looking skyward until they drowned. However, it was discovered that this behavior was not a behavior at all, but from a genetic nervous disorder known as tetanic torticollar spasms.
Prior to the 20th century, pork ribs were the most common food of the holiday season, and although tryptophan is blamed for the post-meal drowsiness we tend to experience after the large meal, it is, in addition, from all the other foods, not to mention the consumption of alcohol that contribute to the drowsies. So as you feel yourself drifting away after your holiday feast, don't just blame the turkey.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
