[Sca-cooks] Turkeys ARE Period!

[David Friedman]

...

>  > Johann, isn't there also some reason to think that the Turkey came in
>  > through the trade routes from the middle East and thought of as native to
>  > India or Turkey?

...

>I'm not Johann, but I can answer that with an almost definitive "No."  While
>several things are thought to have come into Europe from North America via
>Asia, the connection is the Spanish trade between the Philippines and the
>West Coast of Mexico and South America, the Manila galleons.  The Spanish
>did not enter the Philippines until 1543 and the trade with Mexico didn't
>start until 1564.  The entrance of the North American turkey into Europe
>pre-dates both of these events.

One account I have heard is that turkeys were brought from Spain to 
England by merchants who traded from the eastern Mediterranean to 
England via Spain. They were referred to as "turkey merchants," hence 
the name for the bird. I have no idea if the account is correct.
-- 
David/Cariadoc
www.daviddfriedman.com