Did you know?
- Ben Franklin proposed the turkey as the official United States bird?
- In 1863 U.S. President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November to be a national holiday and day of Thanksgiving.
- Franklin Roosevelt modified the date slightly to make it fall earlier in November but in 1941 the date was established by Congress to fall on the fourth Thursday of November.
Since 1970, turkey production in the United States has increased nearly 110%. 88% of Americans surveyed by the National Turkey Federation eat turkey on Thanksgiving while the turkey industry employs 20,000-25,000 persons in the United States.
Here are some interesting facts:
- The average weight of a Thanksgiving turkey is 15 pounds with about 70% white meat and 30% dark meat
- The heaviest turkey ever raised was 86 pounds, the size of a large dog
- The male turkey is called a tom;the female turkey is called a hen; baby turkeys are poults.
- Turkeys can see movement almost 100 yards away. They can see in color but do not see well at night.
- Turkeys lived almost ten million years ago
- It takes 75-80 pounds of feed to raise a 30 pound tom turkey
- In 1920 U.S. turkey growers produced one turkey for every 29 persons in the U.S. Today growers produce nearly one turkey for every person
- Male turkeys gobble. Hens do not. They make a clicking noise
How will you cook your turkey this Thanksgiving? Deep fried turkeys are a growing concern to insurance carriers and agents alike. Statistically more cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year. According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) nearly 4,300 fires occur on Thanksgiving causing 15 deaths and almost $27 million in property damage, many of them that could have been avoided. The top 7 states for Turkey fryer fires are: Georgia, South Carolina, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Texas.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has prepared some safety tips for deep frying your turkey:
NEVER leave the fryer unattended – check the oil temperature frequently. If it starts to smoke, turn off the gas supply immediately
NEVER use your fryer too close to combustibles or inside garages, porches, carports or homes and always in an open area away from fences and other structures
ALWAYS use the proper amount of oil in fryer
ALWAYS cover bare skin when adding or removing food
ALWAYS raise and lower food slowly to reduce splatter and avoid burns
MOST IMPORTANTLY: Should a fire occur, call 911 immediately and do no attempt to extinguish with water. Use common sense and don’t let an act of carelessness turn this year’s feast turn into an inferno!
Looking for a New Recipe to Try This Year?
Thanksgiving Cranberry Bread or Muffins
¾ cup sugar
1 egg beaten
1 ¼ cup orange juice
3 cup bisquick
1 cup fresh cranberries cut in half
Nuts if desired
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix sugar, egg, juice and bisquick. Beat vigorously for 30 seconds. Batter may be slightly lumpy. Stir in cranberries. Pour into well-greased loaf pan (9x5x3) OR into well-greased muffin pans.
(This recipe will make 12 muffins and two of the tiny loaf pans or 24 muffins)
For large loaf bake approximately 45-50 minutes. For muffins approx. 20-25 muffins. Don’t over bake!
-Donna Baronti, AAI – Commercial Account Manager
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