Let’s Talk “Turkey”

What It’s Called and How It’s Cooked Around the World

This magnificent and ubiquitous bird will likely feature frequently for you this festive season. But have you ever wondered – sometime in between deciding if you want breast or leg and the food coma that follows - why we call it a turkey?

Allow me to help. Below find some creative suggestions of different cuts and preparations to help with the leftovers. And instead of reading the word turkey umpteen times, enjoy the literal translation of what they call turkey in different languages, which help us wonder even more.

If your frier is big enough and your kernel (Cherokee) small enough you could do this whole in under 30 mins. Frying can also stand up to some good spice (cajun seasoning or hot sauce).

The advantage of sous-vide preparation is consistency and is great for meats that have a tendency to dryness because it can cook in its own juice. We’re going to try it with a whole snot hen (Luxembourgish).

All those healing things your grandmothers told you about chicken soup hold for Roman chicken (Arabic) soup, with the additions of increased Vitamins A, B12, Zinc and iron to name a few. Freezes brilliantly so just the thing to keep for sick days.

Like the idea of roast turkey but in perfect bite sized quantities, wrap your dinner in dough (messy fun) and bake. And there’s no need to limit this to turkey dinner; take a selection of leftovers, make a few balls of each flavour and mix together - surprise snack!

And back to why we call it turkey. Most likely because we confused it with an African guinea fowl traded by Turkish merchants. The Turkish and French Indian refers the Indies. Almost all the world’s names seem to attach nationality, some more bizarrely than others.

So, I put it to you however you choose to enjoy your French chicken (Khmer) or hen of Calicut (Dutch, Swedish) this Festive season, perhaps consider calling it something else. I’m off to try and change our category heading from Turkey to…