"GREATEST OF ALL FOWLES"

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 303, 23 December 1939, Page 5 (Supplement)

"GREATEST OF ALL FOWLES"

THE turkey retains its popularity as a Christmas dish, proving that Archbishop Thomas Cranmer of Canterbury was no mean epicurean judge when he declared it one of the greatest of all "fowles." That was way back in the year 1541, 17 years after its introduction into England. The original home of the bird may never be definitely decided, but speculators seem to be impressed with navigator Cabot's discovery in South America. He capturcd a few turkeys there; caught them 11 the jungle; and perhaps these were the progenitors of the tribes that spread through Europe. Why the name of "turkey?" Were not the first of the tribe natives of that country? Authorities believe not and contend that the "gobbler" named himself when lie articulated his peculiar "turk-turk-turk-turk" cry. At any rate, the proud strutter did not take long to establish himself in England, and that he acquired a high reputation is

The Turkey Is In Town.

ByRichard Ross

exemplified by the records , detailing many magnificent Christmas feasts in the annals of British history. In one special and . elaborate form of preparation the turkey "cocke" was first killed, then stripped of its skin (and feathers), cleaned, and the body stuffed with a rich mixture, after which it would be roasted. Covered again with its &kin and plumage, the artist would be called in to glorify it, and finally it would be brought to the table with more than a modicum of ceremony. They knew how to celebrate at the dining table in those days! Then there was the turkey pie of various birds—a lark stuffed into a pigeon;

those two stuffed into a partridge; the three into a pheasant; the four into a goose; then all into a turkey. Roasted in butter it: must have been truly a "dish fit for a king." These days the birds are moved almost completely;-by motor truck and by train fed by motor truck, but there was a time when the; turkey drover "trekked" them by foot along the highways for many miles. Many large (and wild) mobs were moved in this manner in the "good old days," be fore the advent of motor transport. Sometimes the drovers would experience great difficulty in getting their charges to the nearest trucking yard; and a man who "steady the leaa" when a mob ol turkeys stampeded was always in demand at Christmas time. One expert employed a simple and successful trick when handling a stubborn consignment; he would coax the birds along by walking ahead and dropping a trail of grain. By the time those "gobblers" reached market you could depend on their being extra well.fed! That turkey-droving was an art became the declaration of many a farmer.