Let's Talk Turkey

Many of us will be seeing one very shortly.  Here its 9:30; thus 12:30 on the East Coast and … the oven door is sliding quietly, quietly shut .  Another excellent meal on the way to our rumbling bellies.

Not however in Japan (God knows what time it is there right now anyhow.)  Thanksgiving is not celebrated there.  In stark contrast, many of the Japanese celebrate Christmas when the big holiday treat has been KFC!  That's right - Kentucky Fried Chicken!  Since 1974 when the good people at KFC tried a new market.  It was a  hit alright, some 3.6 million families buy it every year!  Reservations at your favorite outlet are encouraged.  Reminds me of pre-ordering a honey-baked ham for Easter where if you snooze, you lose.

Who eats more turkey than us?  This surprised me and may well you -  Israel!  They log in with an average of 25.4 lbs. per person!  Here we're a very poor second with 17.5 lbs. per person.

Paltry amount or not, the top turkey-producing US states are Minnesota, North Carolina, Arkansa, Missouri and Indiana or 2/3rds of all turkeys produced for US consumption

Perhaps you have heard denigrating expressions such as, "Turkeys are so stupid that they drown in the rain."  They keep their faces turned up to the sky, if you didn't know.   For awhile, people denigrated others in friendly conversation as "You turkey..."

Top speed on a domestic turkey?  20 mph.  A wild turkey?  50-55 mph.  How come?  Domestics are bred for size and weight and they literally are bogged down by their own bodies!

Lastly the heading for this column "Let's talk turkey" does not mean that you and friends don't lift a few and start gobbling, replacing the American language as we know it.  Several meanings; among them - to speak affably or frankly and it was first noted in a newspaper article in 1824 and
 still (sadly)
no one seems to be fluent in talking like a turkey. (Damn you computer)

Sidebar:  This morning Richie brought me up to sped on local weather conditions.  At 6:50 a.m. it was 47 degrees and raining like a bastard.  Now even granted my stupid-as-a-turkey status, even I could see and hear it on the skylight pounding rain.  It was the 47 degrees that startled me.  Now at 5 to 10 a.m. it is soaring!  48 degrees!  Hmmm I bet that if everyone in Redondo Beach who is roasting a turkey and they left the oven and front doors open a sliver we could get it up to 50 by 2 p.m.!  Definitely a "think about."  The hell with the gas bill.  Mass turkey roasting does only happen once  year...Spend a little!