The Terrific History of Thanksgiving Turkey
Happy Thanksgiving, our lovely readers! Whether you’re staying in or traveling afar, we hope you can take the time to see family, watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and eat some good food- especially turkey, the most iconic and, dare we say, legendary food served at the annual meal. But why does turkey steal so much of the spotlight during this time of year? Join us as we go through the origins of the dish, its rise to legend, and the new recipes that we have today.
So, what led to a tryptophan-filled fowl becoming Thanksgiving’s favorite dish? To figure that out, we need to go back to the first meal. Unlike the worst family arguments had over dinner, the first Thanksgiving is not well-remembered. In fact, only one 17th-century letter written by Edward Winslow is the surviving testimonial of the first Thanksgiving. However, the events of this first festival inspired much of what we do and eat now. It is said that a wild fowl was served by the Pilgrims, but many hypothesized that this fowl was any of the birds available at the time, not just exclusively turkeys.
As America exited colonialism and evolved into a full-fledged nation, turkey became more popular to serve at various holiday meals. This is due to a combination of the bird being plentiful on farms and in the wilderness, being able to feed many people with only one, and literary works such as A Christmas Carol and Northwood romanticizing the meal. That last reason is possibly why Thanksgiving turkey is as revered as it is: turkey has become idolized. Sure, people eat turkey everyday as lunch meats or soups, but Thanksgiving turkey is seperated from these casual connotations. Because of the famous meal that it stars in, Thanksgiving turkey is seen as a much more noteworthy dish than its other variations.
Even though Thanksgiving turkey has defined distinctions, people put forth their own spin on the dish. A popular trend in recent years is to deep-fry the bird, adding a new dimension to it. Usually, this type of turkey is cooked outside by being dunked into a deep fryer filled with oil. However, it can be a dangerous way to prepare the meal, so it’s not too mainstream yet. Another more simpler but nonetheless unique take on Thanksgiving is the Bobbie sandwich at Capriotti’s. While this sandwich is available year-round, its origins are rooted in one family’s Thanksgiving traditions. A relative of the chain’s founders would prepare sandwiches made out of leftovers the following day. After being revised for the restaurants, the Bobbie became a beloved sandwich. It’s even gone on to win various awards, such as “Best Sandwich” and “Best Sandwich Shop.” Of course, on the topic of leftovers, we come to the most important version of Thanksgiving turkey: the leftovers of it. Some of us simply reheat them the day after. Many of us however, have dishes that reprise the leftover turkey, stuffing, mash potatoes, and other foods. Here at Original Breath Builder, we turn our surplus sustenance into turkey casseroles or soups. Even in this form, the turkey becomes the star once again.
Now that you know the testimony of Thanksgiving turkey, we hope you remember it as you gobble up dinner in a few weeks. Be sure to share it and delicious meals with those that you love and are thankful for. Again, from Original Breath Builder to you, we wish you a happy Thanksgiving.
