By taking turns around the table or using Zoom, you’ve shared with your loved ones this Thanksgiving what you’re most thankful for. Now utilize these Thanksgiving-related facts to test your guests, and celebrate your heightened comprehension with a glass of wine. Cheers!.
Gobble, gobble! It’s turkey time, folks! But have you ever wondered which country takes the crown for gobbling down the most turkey? Buckle up, because we’re about to embark on a delicious journey around the world to discover the top turkey-loving nations.
The Big Bird Showdown: USA vs. Israel
Hold your drumsticks, America! While you might be the land of Thanksgiving feasts and turkey trot marathons you’re not the undisputed champion of turkey consumption. That honor goes to the land of falafel and hummus Israel.
Yes, you read that right. Each year, Israelis consume an astounding 28 pounds of turkey, compared to the average American’s 15 pounds. 3 pounds in the dust. So, what’s the secret to Israel’s turkey obsession?.
Land of the Shawarma: Turkey Takes Center Stage
In Israel, turkey isn’t just a Thanksgiving staple; it’s a year-round culinary delight. The high cost of red meat makes turkey a more affordable and accessible option, and it’s become a popular ingredient in shawarma, a beloved Middle Eastern street food.
From Pilgrim’s Platter to Global Phenomenon
Even though we may not be the world’s largest turkey consumers, the US has contributed significantly to the spread of turkey love worldwide. Turkey exports have increased dramatically since the 1990s, with Mexico benefiting the most. In 2011, Mexico imported nearly 400 million pounds of turkey from the US.
A Feast for All: The Global Turkey Trend
The rise of turkey consumption isn’t just limited to Israel and Mexico. China, Hong Kong, Canada, and the Dominican Republic are also among the top importers of this versatile bird. So, what’s driving this global turkey trend?
A Bird for All Seasons: Why Turkey is Taking Flight
Several factors are contributing to turkey’s global popularity:
- Free Trade: Trade agreements like NAFTA have opened up new markets for US turkey exports.
- Economic Growth: As economies in developing countries improve, consumers can afford to buy more meat.
- American Pickiness: Believe it or not, our preference for white meat has helped boost exports. The dark meat that Americans aren’t so keen on becomes available for trade, making turkey more accessible worldwide.
- Versatile and Delicious: Turkey is a lean, healthy protein that can be enjoyed in countless ways, from traditional roasts to innovative dishes like turkey shawarma.
The Future of Turkey: A Gobble-licious Outlook
With its affordability, versatility, and growing popularity, turkey is poised to remain a global culinary star. So, whether you’re enjoying a Thanksgiving feast in the US, a shawarma in Israel, or a turkey stir-fry in China, remember that you’re part of a global gobble-fest.
Bonus Round: Turkey Trivia
- Did you know that the Aztecs and other native cultures in North America also enjoyed turkey? They relied on the Meleagris ocellata, a different breed from the North American Meleagris gallopavo, for meat and eggs.
- The UK has a long tradition of celebrating Christmas with a roast turkey dinner.
- In 2007, when China’s pork industry faced a major crisis, the USDA showed the Chinese how turkey could be used as a substitute in many of their processed meats.
That’s it, people! The next time you savor a juicy turkey dish, keep in mind that you’re a part of a global culinary tradition that has been spreading across the globe for centuries.
‘People of the First Light’
The Wampanoag People have lived in southeastern New England for more than 12,000 years. Their name means “People of the First Light,” and they still call Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Cape Cod, and the interior of the island home. The Pilgrims were taught how to cultivate the land and made friends with the Wampanoag Indians.
Sarah Josepha Hale, a well-known magazine editor and writer, began fervently advocating for the creation of a national day of prayer and appreciation in 1827. Abraham Lincoln’s proclamation in 1863 that Thanksgiving would always fall on the last Thursday of November to honor Union victories and to pray for the soldiers serving in the field was partially due to her efforts. Before that, each state governor decided when to celebrate a day of Thanksgiving.
Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be a national symbol of the United States. But Thomas Jefferson opposed him. It is believed that Franklin named the male turkey “tom” to spite Jefferson. Benjamin Franklin wrote to his daughter in 1784, “I wish the bald eagle had not been chosen as the representative of our country; he is a bird of a bad moral character.” like those among men who live by . robbing. The turkey . is a much more respectable bird . a true original native of America,” and “though a little vain and silly, a Bird of Courage. In actuality, the turkey did not become a staple of the holiday feast until after World War II, when the bird became a symbol of American plenty thanks to the poultry industry’s aggressive marketing campaigns and the development of larger hybrid turkeys.
President Franklin D. In order to prolong the holiday shopping season by one week, Roosevelt declared in 1939 that the holiday should be observed on the fourth Thursday of the month (and never, as in 1939, on the fifth). This decision was made in response to a request from the National Retail Dry Goods Association. The issue was still very controversial in 1941 when the House of Representatives passed a resolution making the last Thursday of November a legal national holiday. The Senate amended the resolution, setting the date as the fourth Thursday, and the House eventually agreed.
First Things First
Just four married women and half of the pilgrims who sailed on the Mayflower survived the first harsh winter of 1620–1621. In Plymouth, Massachusetts, the Wampanoag Indians and the Pilgrims gathered for a three-day feast in the fall of 1621, feeling thankful for their survival. Chief Massasoit, fifty colonists, and ninety Indians attended the three-day harvest feast, which the four women prepared the food for.
It took the 102 Pilgrims 66 days to reach America. One passenger, a servant of Deacon Samuel Fuller, died, and one child was born at sea. That child was Oceanus, son of Stephen and Elizabeth Hopkins. Unfortunately, he died during the first winter. The Pilgrims landed at the tip of Cape Cod on Nov. 11, 1620, but since the land was not good for farming, they moved to Plymouth. To eat, the Pilgrims used a knife, spoon, a large napkin and fingers . but no forks. They also shared plates and drinking vessels. In the Pilgrim household, the adults sat down to dinner and the children waited on them.
What country eats the most turkeys?
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