How the American bird we know as turkey got the moniker ‘turkey’ and not _huexoloti_ (Aztec) or _guajolote_ (Mexican)-authentic early American names for American turkeys-has much to do with the fact that Turkey was the center of the world at the time Christian Europeans began taking a few baby steps toward finding an alternative route to India. [snip] When corn, tobacco sprouts, and, of course, our _huexoloti_ arrived in the heart of the thriving and vibrant Ottoman Empire-seated in what we now know as Turkey-they came into the hands of probably the most advanced farmers and husbandmen in the world. Turkish farmers had previously seen the nearest cousins of the _huexoloti_ from Asia (pheasants) and from Africa (Guinea fowl). But these birds were skinny runts compared to the majestic _huexoloti_. Making use of sophisticated growing and seeding techniques, savvy Turkish farmers within a few short years had produced surplus quantities of corn and tobacco-enough to export to other parts of the world. And with smart breeding and feeding practices they also grew vast flocks of big breasted _huexoloti_. Within the space of just twenty years or so from the time these […]