Tryptophan Dinde ...

Top 5 surprising turkey facts:

The average American eats 17.6 pounds of turkey per year, more than double the figure for 1970, according to the National Turkey Federation. To feed the growing appetite, some 273 million turkeys will be raised in the United States in 2009, and a good number of them will be consumed on Thanksgiving, after which many Americans will loll about, overstuffed, sleepy and in many cases intoxicated.


[b]1. Turkeys can fly[/b]
Wild turkeys feed on the ground, which might explain the myth of their flightlessness. They can in fact soar for short bursts at up to 55 mph. But their tendency to stay on or near the ground contributed to successful hunting that brought the wild population of turkeys down to about 30,000 in the 1930s. There are now 7 million of them.

[b]2. Dark meat is rare because ...
[/b]Meat is muscle. And muscle is fed by blood. In the blood is myoglobin, which binds with oxygen and stores it in muscles for when it's needed. Myoglobin also makes meat dark. Muscles that are used most, like those in drumsticks (legs), have more myoglobin. Domestic turkeys are too fat to fly, so they don't use their breast muscles much, which is why breast meat is white. The breast of a wild turkey is entirely different, darker (and far tastier for those who are game).

[b]3. Turkey eggs wouldn't sell
[/b]
Chickens are champion egg-producers. Turkeys, not so good. Turkey eggs are bigger, so their nests tie up coop space. And farmers have learned that they make more raising turkeys for meat rather than eggs. Oh, and some turkeys are protective of their eggs, making the gathering more challenging.

4. It's not the turkey that makes you sleepy
Turkey contains a natural chemical called tryptophan, which we need to build proteins for our bodies. Indeed, tryptophan is also related to the production of serotonin, which helps us sleep. But all meat has about the same amount of tryptophan. Cheddar cheese has a lot more. What really makes you sleepier after a Thanksgiving meal compared to other meals is eating too many carbohydrates, from potatoes to pies. Alcohol can contribute, too.

[b]5. Dinosaurs had wishbones, too [/b]
The wishbone, called a furcula, is the fusion of two collarbones at the sternum. It's where a bird’s flying muscles hook up. It's elastic and great for flapping. Turns out T. Rex and the Velociraptor had wishbones, too. While they didn't fly, this fairly recent discovery is one of the many bits of evidence that shows birds evolved from dinosaurs.

Turkey Terms:
Caruncle - brightly colored growths on the throat region. Turns bright red when the turkey is upset or during courtship.
Gizzard - a part of a bird's stomach that contains tiny stones. It helps them grind up food for digestion.
Hen - a female turkey.

Poult - a baby turkey. A chick.

Snood - the flap of skin that hangs over the turkey's beak. Turns bright red when the turkey is upset or during courtship.

Tom - a male turkey. Also known as a gobbler.

Wattle - the flap of skin under the turkey's chin. Turns bright red when the turkey is upset or during courtship.

Scientific genus and species: Meleagris gallopavo
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{ Left over turkey starts to go bad very quickly and should never be left on the table after the feast is over. De-bone and store leftover meat in the fridge as soon as possible. There are some terrific recipes for left over turkey including:
Creamy turkey pie
http://southernfood.about.com/od/turkeypierecipes/r/bl50909f.htm
turkey a la king
http://southernfood.about.com/od/turkeyrecipes/r/bl31011i.htm
turkey salad
http://southernfood.about.com/od/turkeysalad/r/bln348.htm
turkey and cornbread pot pie
http://southernfood.about.com/od/turkeysalad/r/bln348.htm

Formidable Emma ... Bravo et Merci ... égal et even steven !!