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Take Two with A Martinez
Take Two

Why turkey on Thanksgiving? A food historian explains

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This is a traditional American feast but some other countries around the world also celebrate Thanksgiving.
A traditional Thanksgiving feast.

Why is turkey the star of the show on Thanksgiving? Andrew F. Smith, author of "The Turkey: An American Story,” explores this question.

Americans consume around 240 million turkeys every year, and that number continues to go up.

But why is turkey the star of the show on Thanksgiving? Why not a nice fat chicken, or a juicy roast beef? 

"The Turkey: An American Story,” explores this question, and author Andrew F. Smith joins Take Two to explain more.

You can learn more about Smith's book on his website.

INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS

Is turkey native to America?

When did Thanksgiving turkey start here? Did it involve the pilgrims?
When was the first Thanksgiving?
Was a turkey part of those meals?
How did preparation of the meal evolve over time?
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