Holiday Feasts: Why Turkey?
Thanksgiving marks the beginning of several celebratory feasts. The turkey day, Christmas, and New Year’s Day call for some type of feast and celebration. With the end of the Thanksgiving feast, I paused to wonder about the food I had just devoured. Specifically, why turkey? After a brief search, I discovered a variety of meats served during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Each of the centerpieces, whether they be turkey, goose, or pork; held a significant meaning to traditional diners. In the United States most holiday revelers held Turkey as the primary dish of a festive meal. Whether at Christmas or Thanksgiving, the bird of choice remained the gobbler. The wild turkey must be hunted and killed. And so, early feasts celebrated the holiday and the hunting skills of family members. As you move into the twentieth century, turkeys became domestic farm animals and more easily attainable. Goose and pork, on th...