Turkey—as You Like It | A Thanksgiving Conversation from 1939

The Kitchen Radio Hour | Stories from the kitchen, for wherever you’re listening.

A Thanksgiving Conversation from 1939

Artistic reconstruction inspired by surviving historical photographs of the November 14, 1939 broadcast.

On November 14, 1939, listeners tuning in to the USDA’s National Farm and Home Hour heard a Thanksgiving conversation between Ruth Van Deman of the Bureau of Home Economics and Wallace Kadderly of the Department of Agriculture’s Office of Information.

Their subject was turkey: its history, its size, its stuffing, and the best way to roast it. But what survives on the page is also a wonderfully spirited exchange between two broadcasters.

Meet the Voices Behind the Broadcast

These original photographs offer a glimpse of the broadcasters behind the surviving 1939 script. The photographs are archival; the studio scene above is an imagined reconstruction.

Archival black-and-white photograph of Ruth Van Deman reviewing radio scripts in a broadcasting studio — Archival photograph of Ruth Van Deman reviewing scripts.

Archival black-and-white photograph of Wallace Kadderly seated at a broadcasting microphone — Archival photograph of Wallace Kadderly, identified with a 1945 issue of Broadcasting.

Thanksgiving in Transition historical-themed illustration — Thanksgiving in Transition — an illustration accompanying this 1939 radio history.

Listen to The Kitchen Radio Hour

Join Bianca for Turkey—as You Like It, a documentary-style journey through this 1939 radio conversation, preserving the speakers’ period expressions, gentle humor, and practical Thanksgiving questions.

Watch the episode on YouTube

Autumn Kitchen Radio Hour illustration for YouTube

Watch Turkey—as You Like It on YouTube

Listen on Substack

Autumn Kitchen Radio Hour illustration for Substack

Listen to the complete Thanksgiving broadcast on Substack

A Turkey “On the Hoof”?

Roasted Thanksgiving turkey on a platter in a November 1939 newspaper photograph — The November 16, 1939 edition of an Oregon newspaper contains a photograph of a beautifully roasted turkey on a platter, accompanying an article titled *Cooking the Thanksgiving Dinner*. It was published just two days after Ruth and Wallace’s broadcast!

Wallace knew how he liked his Thanksgiving dinner.

The turkey should be generously sized, with enough left over for cold slices the next day. Its stuffing ought to be savory bread crumbs—and decidedly on the dry side.

Black-and-white historical photograph of two children helping stuff a Thanksgiving turkey — A vintage Thanksgiving kitchen scene: children helping prepare a turkey for stuffing.

When Ruth explained how much turkey to allow per guest, Wallace wanted to know whether she meant the bird’s weight “on the hoof.”

Their conversation takes us into the practical world of a 1939 kitchen, where a market bird might still have its head and feet attached, where trussing was part of preparing the roast, and where a printed timetable from Washington could be a welcome companion to the cook.

The Little Blue-and-White Folder

During the broadcast, Wallace offered listeners a free USDA publication called Poultry Cooking.

The Bureau of Home Economics issued the folder in July 1939, with instructions for selecting and preparing poultry, roasting timetables, savory stuffing, and giblet gravy.

Listeners were told to mail a postcard bearing their name, address, and the words “Poultry Cooking” to the Bureau of Home Economics, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.

We have located the original 1939 folder, and you can explore the complete historical PDF below.

Cover of the USDA Bureau of Home Economics July 1939 Poultry Cooking folder — The original July 1939 *Poultry Cooking* folder, issued by the USDA Bureau of Home Economics.

Scanned historical pages explaining poultry roasting from the 1939 USDA Poultry Cooking folder — A look inside the folder: the original poultry-roasting instructions and timetable.

Original 1939 Poultry Cooking — Free archival PDF download:

Read or download the complete July 1939 USDA booklet

Archival note: The booklet documents cooking practices and scientific recommendations of 1939. Its roasting temperatures, timings, and handling advice should not be treated as current food-safety instructions.

Wallace’s Savory Stuffing

The booklet includes a savory bread-crumb stuffing intended for a ten- to twelve-pound turkey, using bread crumbs, fat, celery, onion, parsley, and seasonings.

It’s a delightful companion to Wallace’s repeated insistence that his stuffing be dry and savory. The original recipe can be read in the downloadable folder.

From the Archives to the Airwaves

The episode draws upon the surviving November 14, 1939 USDA radio script and the Bureau of Home Economics’ July 1939 Poultry Cooking folder. It is a modern narrated adaptation of the historical conversation.