Skip to main content

Turkey Day



The stores may already be decorated for Christmas and some radio stations may already be playing the same 50 Christmas songs, but Thanksgiving is still around the corner. Thanksgiving is the holiday where families come together and celebrate all they are thankful for. Declared as an official holiday by Abraham Lincoln in 1864, Thanksgiving is one of the few holidays with roots to this country’s history. Along with the history, and the gratitude of this holiday, the turkey is an essential part of Thanksgiving.
Ben Franklin favored the turkey over the bald eagle but since it didn’t end up being America’s national bird, how did it become the seasonal bird on our dinner plates? Turkeys probably weren’t the main course of the first Thanksgiving meal that took place between the pilgrims and indians in 1621. According to accounts from William Bradford, the governor of Plymouth, Massachusetts, it stated in his journals that fowl, deer, or fish were served instead of turkey. But turkeys were indigenous to the Plymouth area which made them easy to come by.
Throughout the years, many traditions have changed. Whether people added dishes or took them away, there was always one constant thing in common. This begs the question, if deer and fish were most likely served at the first Thanksgiving, how has turkey remained the dominate food choice? Well, turkeys are more plentiful and can better feed an entire family. The convenience and bounty of this festive bird granted it the right to become the family favorite in the classic holiday tradition.
Another tradition that involves the turkey, is the pardoning of the turkey by the president. There are a few stories that deal with this ceremony. The first is a commonly told story about Abraham Lincoln and his unofficial pardoning of the turkey when his son, Tad, pleaded on behalf of the turkey’s life. Lincoln was going to have the turkey be prepared for a Christmas dinner when his son passionately stated that the turkey should have a chance to live. This tradition didn’t become official until George H.W. Bush declared that it become an annual ceremony after he performed the pardoning of the turkey in 1989.

Thanksgiving is a humbling holiday centered around food and family. Traditions span from watching the Macy’s Day parade and the football game, to eating cranberries and pumpkin pie. Turkeys are a huge part of Thanksgiving and they’ve spanned the history of America. Even if your Thanksgiving doesn’t include turkey, the important thing is that we give thanks, just like those who gave thanks throughout history.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Benefits of Local Restaurants

This New Year’s is an ideal time to try something different, something local. It always pays to try something new and local restaurants can offer just that. With their personable experiences and lively atmospheres, local restaurants may be the perfect place to find a new New Year’s tradition. The first thing that makes local restaurants great is that the owners have creative control over how the place is run. If owners have a solid vision for their restaurant, they have the key to creating a memorable experience for their customers. They can accomplish this through things like appealing menus with local specials and more accomodating services. When owners of local restaurants are personally invested in their business, it’s amazing how the hard work they’ve put in can be seen throughout. This hard work and effort reflect good service and a welcoming atmosphere more effectively than chain restaurants. The other creative aspect that gets put into a local restaurant is the bran
Post a Comment
Read more

Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice

What’s one thing people look forward to when autumn comes around? The food. More specifically, the desserts. Although Thanksgiving is still a month away, it’s hard not to talk about the seasonal treats that come with this time of year. Pumpkins are a huge part of autumn cuisine and that’s because September and October are the best time to pick pumpkins. There are many different recipes that are perfect for this time of year and some may seem a little unexpected. If you ever do a search for pumpkin recipes, you’ll be met with everything from classic pumpkin pie recipes, to recipes for pumpkin pasta sauce. There are even recipes for pasta casserole and spicy pumpkin chili. Pumpkin spice itself is making its way back into restaurants as a seasonal signature favorite. Whether it be a pumpkin spice latte, shake, or cupcake, mixing ginger, nutmeg, and allspice is a great way to incorporate the beloved fall flavor into any dessert. Fun Fact: If you ever wanted to know how much Am
Post a Comment
Read more

Eating Local Feels Right

One of the great things about Oconomowoc is the amount of restaurants that we have to chose from. Our one of kind community has many local restaurants that might just house one of the best dining experiences you’ve ever had. Did you ever ask yourself, why should I support a local restaurant instead of that familiar chain down the street? Here are some differences between the chains and local restaurants. When you go to a chain style restaurant, you’re likely going into an environment that is systemized and repeated at every restaurant across the nation.  The restaurant my offer levels of convenience and familiarity that may have them be a choice for the night out.  They stand out in your mind because they are you have seen their ads on TV or the internet and in many cases the service is standardized so that every time you go you know what you’re in for. At a chain restaurant, you may feel rushed and like you have to finish your meal as soon as possible in order for the next party t
Post a Comment
Read more