Turkey History & Trivia From the first Thanksgiving to today's turkey burgers, turkeys are a part of the American tradition dating back hundreds of years. However, many of us still know little about these wonderful birds. The following are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about turkeys. Turkey Lore Early explorers to the New World quickly acquired a taste for turkey and took birds back to Europe. By the 1500s, turkeys were being raised domestically in Italy, France and England. When the Pilgrims and other settlers arrived in America, they were already familiar with raising and eating turkey and naturally included it as part of their Thanksgiving feast. Some experts think the first Thanksgiving dinner was served by the Pilgrims in 1621. Others credit the settlers of Virginia's Jamestown with celebrating the first Thanksgiving as their version of England's ancient Harvest Home Festival. President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863, supposedly as a response to a campaign organized by magazine editor Sara Joseph Hale. In 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving Day forward one week, as it is presently celebrated. A Bird of Courage Benjamin Franklin, who proposed the turkey as the official United States' bird, was dismayed when the bald eagle was chosen over the turkey. Franklin wrote to his daughter, referring to the eagle's "bad moral character," saying, "I wish the bald eagle had not been chosen as the representative of our country! The turkey is a much more respectable bird, and withal a true original native of America." A Visit to the White House Since 1947, the National Turkey Federation (NTF) has presented the President of the United States with a live turkey and two dressed turkeys in celebration of Thanksgiving. The annual presentation of the National Thanksgiving Turkey to the president has become a traditional holiday ritual in the nation's capital, signaling the unofficial beginning of the holiday season and providing the president an opportunity to reflect publicly on the meaning of the Thanksgiving season. After the ceremony, the live bird retires to Disneyland to live out the rest of its years. Holiday Turkey In 2007, more than 271 million turkeys were raised. About 235 million were consumed in the United States. We estimate that 46 million of those turkeys were eaten at Thanksgiving, 22 million at Christmas and 19 million at Easter. Nearly 88 percent of Americans surveyed by the National Turkey Federation eat turkey at Thanksgiving. The average weight of turkeys purchased for Thanksgiving is 15 pounds, meaning that approximately 690 million pounds of turkey were consumed in the United States during Thanksgiving in 2007. Fried Turkey: A Tasty Treat Deep fried turkey originated in the southern United States but today it is popular throughout North America. Quickly cooked, deep-fried turkey is rich in flavor - with a golden brown crispy exterior while moist and fork-tender on the interior. It's a perfect twist for barbecues, block parties, tailgate parties, holiday feasts and informal wedding receptions. In fact, some charitable organizations have replaced traditional holiday dinners with deep-fried turkey extravaganzas. Commercial catering operations offer deep-fried turkey and restaurants feature the golden crisp bird during the holidays. But throughout the year, more and more folks are setting up 30-40 quart pots on concrete, filling kettles with high smoke point oils, patting the turkeys dry, putting on long heavy-duty gloves and cooking juicy turkeys. A Deep Fried Delicacy: The How-To on Deep Frying Turkey Love Those Leftovers Americans enjoy a wide variety of ethnic cuisines and leftover cooked turkey is an ideal way to incorporate such flavors in home cooked meals. Some of our most popular recipes for leftover holiday turkey are: Sandwiches Turkey Cranberry Croissant Turkey Reuben Sandwich Turkey Monte Cristo Sandwich Soups, Chilies and Stews Using It All Turkey Soup Turkey Tortilla Soup White Turkey Chili Salads Turkey, Mandarin and Poppy Seed Salad Asian Turkey Salad Colorful Turkey Pasta Salad Casseroles Easy Cheesy Turkey Enchiladas Turkey Pot Pie Creamy Creole Turkey Bake Additional Applications For Breakfast: Turkey Mushroom Quiche For Appetizers: Turkey, Bacon Mushroom Caps For Entrée: Turkey Cutlets with Soba Noodles and Cilantro-Peanut Pesto Even More Leftover Recipes: click here. Ready for a Nap? Many people report drowsiness after eating Thanksgiving dinner. While turkey often receives the blame, studies suggest that carbohydrate-rich meals may cause sleepiness by increasing the number of tryptophans in the brain. Therefore, the unusually large, multi-coursed, carbohydrate-rich meal most people eat on Thanksgiving is more likely the cause. Compare the White and Dark Meat White meat is generally preferred in the United States while other countries choose the dark meat. A turkey typically has about 70 percent white meat and 30 percent dark meat. The two types of meat differ nutritionally. White meat has fewer calories and less fat than dark meat. The rich flavor of dark meat is especially valued in soup and stew recipes. Dark meat holds up well in rich marinades and is a perfect choice for grilling and barbecuing. Moon Food When Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin sat down to eat their first meal on the moon, their foil food packets contained roasted turkey and all of the trimmings. For Your Eyes Only Turkey is listed among the top 10 foods for your eyes because it’s rich in zinc (plus the B-vitamin niacin protects against cataracts). Turkey Feathers and Fluff It's estimated that turkeys have 3,500 feathers at maturity. The bulk of turkey feathers are composted or otherwise disposed of, however, some feathers may be used for special purposes. For instance, dyed feathers are used to make American Indian costumes or as quills for pens. The costume that "Big Bird" wears on "Sesame Street" is rumored to be made of turkey feathers. Turkey feather down has been used to make pillows. America Gobbles up Turkey Turkey consumption has more than doubled over the past 25 years. In 2007, per capita turkey consumption was 17.5 pounds compared to 8.3 pounds in 1975. It's easy to see why when you consider the many benefits of turkey. Taste The naturally mild taste of turkey combines readily with different seasonings, making it an ideal choice in spicy ethnic dishes, as a substitute for higher-fat meats in favorite recipes and as a complement to other foods on the plate. Health Turkey is low in fat and high in protein. The USDA's Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 recommend two to three servings each day from the category that contains meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts. The Harvard University researchers encourage consumption of poultry more than red meat. The "Healthy Eating Pyramid," places poultry in a food group with fish and eggs and suggested up to two servings, while red meat and butter are placed in a different group to be consumed "sparingly." Choosing turkey to meet those dietary guidelines means giving your body the benefits of protein while sparing additional fat grams and cholesterol. Versatility Turkey can be used in so many cooking methods, including stovetop, oven, microwave and grill. The wide range of cuts and products available such as ground turkey, turkey ham, turkey franks, turkey pastrami, turkey sausage and deli turkey make turkey easy to incorporate into any meal. Turkey is increasingly packaged in smaller portion sizes that are perfect for singles or small families. Convenience The variety of turkey products available makes it easy to prepare meals quickly. Pre-cooked turkey products, such as turkey breast and turkey ham, can be sliced and heated for dinner, used in sandwiches or cubed and added to pasta, chili and soups. Turkey cutlets, tenderloins and ground turkey are quickly browned, grilled, sautéed or stir-fried. Did you Know? Only tom turkeys gobble. Hen turkeys make a clicking noise. Domesticated turkeys cannot fly. Wild turkeys can fly for short distances up to 55 miles per hour and can run 20 miles per hour. June is National Turkey Lovers' Month! Famous Peoples Favor Turkey Dishes President Andrew Jackson ranked turkey hash #1 among his favorite foods. Who's a Turkey Lover? Everyone! Americans of all ages love turkey because of its healthful, "comfort" food profile. A national study on turkey consumption found nearly half of U.S. consumers eat turkey at least once every two weeks with more than a quarter eating turkey lunchmeat. Ground turkey has high appeal among all ages, genders and economic levels. Away-from-home consumption of turkey sandwiches continues to grow, appealing to about everyone: eaters between 18-64 years old, dual-income families and employed singles.