Thursday, November 24, 2011

America's Fascination With Breast - A Thanksgiving Story

America's Fascination With Breast - A Thanksgiving Story

Yes. It's true. Americans love breast. It's a fact. I'm not going to dispute it. I'm a breast man myself. Though I like a little bit of thigh as well but that's neither here nor there. The fact remains that when it comes to choice of piece of meat, the white variety takes the cake. Or in this case, the gravy boat.

Later today Americans will eat about 40 million turkeys. Well, not just today. In the month of November that number is a pretty solid fact. The one question you should be asking yourself is how those turkey's came to be. And no, it's not a simple tale of the birds and the.. um.. birds. It's a matter of artificial insemination.



As strange as it sounds, about 100% of the turkey's that are consumed by the mass market that you don't buy at Whole Foods for three times the regular price are a byproduct of science tampering with the genetics to get you a better turkey. And by better I mean one with a huge rack.

The general idea is that people want the white meat, the breast meat, because it increases the surface area for gravy to be poured onto it. You also have to factor in that dark meat is considered cooked and ready at a higher temperature.



Broad breasted white pushed out the classic turkey as it grows bigger and faster than regular turkeys and most of all, they have been selectively breed to have bigger breast. This larger breast gets in the way when they try to mate. So as a result, the modern turkey business is dependent to artificial insemination.

For about five months, once a week an employee goes to the male Turkey and gives a new meaning to the word Turkey Jerky, then they go to the hens and pass on the product they collected. This whole process goes on for about five to six months in an effort to meet consumer demand on this most thankful of holidays.

I guess that's just food for thought as you cut into your turkey today. And what if you don't want these mutated freaks? You need to look for a heritage bird, which as I have mentioned earlier will cost you three times the amount of one of these huge rack turkeys.

But hey, at least one turkey is breathing a sigh of relief today. A turkey named Liberty was given the pardon by Obama



Which you have to admit, is pretty ironic given the current political climate. Naming a turkey Liberty that ISN'T going to be killed when it seems pretty clear that liberty has gotten its neck chopped off.

Anyhow, Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy your food.

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