Thanksgiving 2015

Hi,

I heard business analyst Terry Savitch on the radio the other day talking turkey. She suggested if you have the freezer space to buy your turkey now. There are likely to be price increases of at least 20% due to reduced populations from Avian flu. She felt it may increase more than this estimate, so buying early may be money in the freezer.

I have no immediate possibility to consider buying a turkey, though someone else might.

Yes, I feel like it is too early to mention Thanksgiving. if it were not for the turkey news, I would have passed on mentioning.

Regards,

A "heads-up" is always appreciated! This will be our first of 36 Thanksgivings where we won't be hosting the entire clan, one of the "cons" of moving up to Alaska. I'm wondering just what we'll end up doing all together.

Indeedy. It's never to early to talk feast. We already have canned pumpkin and cranberries so we're nearly there.

Turkey shortage across the country could ruffle Thanksgiving plans

At Maine-ly Poultry in Warren, one of the largest turkey farms in the state, John Barnstein is raising 800 fewer birds this year — and not by choice.

In June, he was dismayed to find his Canadian supplier couldn’t fill his order. This was a first in his 25 years in business.

Farmers and grocers in Maine, and around the country, have been feeling the impact of virulent highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, that sent tremors through poultry farms across the country last spring and decimated turkey flocks by 7.5 million. There were no confirmed cases in Maine, but the scare is affecting growers here

Unfortunately, chickens and cattle have also been hard hit in the last two years, so cheap alternatives are not abundant. Maybe we'll need to opt for what they used to call "city chicken" in the 1800s -- that is, pork (since chickens were still a luxury back then).

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

I heard business analyst Terry Savitch on the radio the other day talking turkey. She suggested if you have the freezer space to buy your turkey now. There are likely to be price increases of at least 20% due to reduced populations from Avian flu. She felt it may increase more than this estimate, so buying early may be money in the freezer.

I have no immediate possibility to consider buying a turkey, though someone else might.

Yes, I feel like it is too early to mention Thanksgiving. if it were not for the turkey news, I would have passed on mentioning.

Regards,

Or stick with canned:

Canned pumpkin pie filling also likely to be scarce this Thanksgiving, due to rains in June that wiped out some of the crop.

It strikes me that this discussion underscores how much we have to be thankful for -- because instead of worrying about starving to death, we're just worrying about whether we'll have a traditional dinner. I feel grateful.

Hi,

Turkeys are on sale at Jewel for 78 cents a pound until Wednesday.

Regards,

We prefer the smaller turkeys. It has become harder and harder to buy the smaller birds-lots of Tom out there-big birds! I don't know if they are breeding them bigger than years gone by. If it is just my family we have cooked chickens stuffed with dressing as my kids like the flavor better. I have bought turkeys from the large chains and Harrisons. Almost bought a free range no hormone bird in Amish Country, Indiana but we did not have time to wait for the processing and did not want to make a return trip. Now the farm has closed. Missed the opportunity.

C & D Family Farms (Crysal in the white van ) is taking orders for turkeys--and they have both smaller and larger birds.
Here's the info:

"As market season is coming to an end I would like to thank all of you for your continued support of our farm as well as our co-op.

It is time to order your Gunthorp Farms Thanksgiving Turkey. Turkey prices are the same as last year, $4.25 per pound.

Turkey sizes will range from 14 to 24 pounds. There will be some smaller turkeys. The smaller turkeys will all be frozen, only the 17 and up pound turkeys will be fresh. Please indicate if you would prefer a fresh or frozen turkey.

I request that all orders be made by e-mail so they do not get lost. We will try to accommodate all size requests within 2 pounds.

If you would like to place an order for something other than a whole turkey, please e-mail it to me. Please tell me if it for Thanksgiving or if it for another date. Typical holiday dinners include: prime rib, standing rib roast, duck, goose, rack of lamb, pork crown roast. If you don't need a whole turkey you can also get boneless skinless breasts or bone-in skin on breasts.

Home delivery will begin the week on November 1. I have not figured out my exact schedule yet as this year I really need to take the suburbs into account.

Give me your opinion, I am thinking Tuesday for suburbs, Thursday start south and go north and Saturday start north and go south. What do you think?

I will still be sitting in the parking lot in Beverly every Sunday from 8 to noon."

Here's the contact info--for some reason, I can't get the page with this info to link and I couldn't find it on their actual website (love them but technology just isn't their thing LOL).

Note that their prices are the same as last year, bird flu being no factor when the birds aren't farmed commercially. We got our bird from them last year and it was delicious!

There are also other lovely birds to eat. As a kid we adored Cornish hens stuffed with a white and wild rice blend.

A few years ago we had Thanksgiving with a chef/farmer friend and he served tea-smoked squab that everyone enjoyed except two who couldn't get over it and of course the plant-eater (me).

Pairs, it's funny about the squabs. First, they're hard as deuce to find. Second, how do you fix them? But, OTOH, many food folks swear that they are simply the best of the birds, including wild pheasant. Dunno, I'd like to try.

When I was a kid, a buddy of mine and I would bike out to some local farm, and offer to clean the farmer's barn of wild pigeons. Which we then did, using our bb guns to deadly effect. We'd share out the birds, take them home, and our families would totally enjoy them. I remember the pigeon as being very rich, all dark meat, and relatively abundant for such a small carcass.

I'd real be interested in what other LTHers might say about squab/pigeon.

Geo

Geo wrote:Pairs, it's funny about the squabs. First, they're hard as deuce to find. Second, how do you fix them? But, OTOH, many food folks swear that they are simply the best of the birds, including wild pheasant. Dunno, I'd like to try.

When I was a kid, a buddy of mine and I would bike out to some local farm, and offer to clean the farmer's barn of wild pigeons. Which we then did, using our bb guns to deadly effect. We'd share out the birds, take them home, and our families would totally enjoy them. I remember the pigeon as being very rich, all dark meat, and relatively abundant for such a small carcass.

I'd real be interested in what other LTHers might say about squab/pigeon.

Geo

Let me email him but he had a WW II house with a kitchen smaller than a guest room and I think they were smoked over a grill outside in a covered wok with lapsang souchong tea. This was back before you took pics of food.

On a related note, one year we were going to that same chef/farmers' house for the holiday and I dropped off pheasants that Mr.pairs4life had hunted. I brought them into the restaurant and he introduced me to a partner, now known to the world as the guy with his name on delicious, but expensive, ginger ales. Anyhow, when the partner realized what I was doing he saw to it that our chef/friend shared the pheasants I brought in. There were more than enough birds.

Those pheasants look mighty good pairs! Kudos to Mr. pairs for his marksmanship!

I've heard people complain that pheasant is dry. I think that it's rather that improperly cooked pheasant is dry!!

Geo

Geo wrote:Those pheasants look mighty good pairs! Kudos to Mr. pairs for his marksmanship!

I've heard people complain that pheasant is dry. I think that it's rather that improperly cooked pheasant is dry!!

Geo

Just like turkey. Mine was never dry when I used to eat animals and make a stunner that was the BA cover for a Cajun seasoned bird with a jambalaya stuffing. Ooooo, weeeeeeeee! That was delicious.

boudreaulicious wrote:Note that their prices are the same as last year, bird flu being no factor when the birds aren't farmed commercially. We got our bird from them last year and it was delicious!

Unfortunately bird flu is not isolated to large scale farmers, it can hit small scale as well. Of course it is a problem you don't wish on your enemy.

Regards,

if I host - ill run down to Yordy Turkey farm by Peoria and get a fresh bird - @ $2.69/lb. In 2013 they were $2.59 - so not a bad hike. I figure the bird is the star of the show, let it shine.

http://www.yordyturkey.com/?products

Cathy2 wrote:

boudreaulicious wrote:Note that their prices are the same as last year, bird flu being no factor when the birds aren't farmed commercially. We got our bird from them last year and it was delicious!

Unfortunately bird flu is not isolated to large scale farmers, it can hit small scale as well. Of course it is a problem you don't wish on your enemy.

I heard on a radio program the other day (sorry that I don't remember which one) that migrating birds can also spread bird flu to commercial and game birds.

I'm looking for ideas for trad and non trad buffets. Something below the cost of a gold coast hotel would be welcome.

I have always liked the holiday buffets at Reza's--I don't see the menu online right now, but they're usually about $25, include both traditional and Middle-Eastern food (i.e., turkey, pumpkin pie, a variety of kababs, etc.), and don't require reservations. I've only ever been to the one in Andersonville, and don't know if they have them at their other outposts.

Reza's
5255 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60640
www.rezasrestaurant.com

jimswside wrote:if I host - ill run down to Yordy Turkey farm by Peoria and get a fresh bird - @ $2.69/lb. In 2013 they were $2.59 - so not a bad hike. I figure the bird is the star of the show, let it shine.

http://www.yordyturkey.com/?products

damn, got talked into getting my oven fixed - lived fine without it for the past 18 months( a couple kettles and a WSM are a fine oven replacement) - So im hosting and not running off to Denver like last year...

made the roll down to Morton, IL. on this past Saturday as I am pretty busy this upcoming weekend & wont have time - got a fresh bird $2.69/LB. - 19Lbs. - gonna toss it in my box freezer til Saturday then pulled out for defrost -



Saw Ho-Ka is selling their birds for $2.99/lb......

I was a big fan of Ho-Ka up until I had my first Yordy.

jimswside wrote:

jimswside wrote:I was a big fan of Ho-Ka up until I had my first Yordy.

Jim, thanks for posting about this place. Looks great. My in-laws are Peorians so I get down there from time to time. Do you have any experience with Yordy's smoked turkeys? A smoked turkey from Harrington's of Vermont has been part of my family's tradition for longer than I've been alive, but they top out at 11 lbs., and shipping nearly doubles the price. I'll have to pick up a Yordy bird for comparison's sake (as well as sandwiches).

ndgbucktown wrote:

jimswside wrote:

jimswside wrote:I was a big fan of Ho-Ka up until I had my first Yordy.

Jim, thanks for posting about this place. Looks great. My in-laws are Peorians so I get down there from time to time. Do you have any experience with Yordy's smoked turkeys? A smoked turkey from Harrington's of Vermont has been part of my family's tradition for longer than I've been alive, but they top out at 11 lbs., and shipping nearly doubles the price. I'll have to pick up a Yordy bird for comparison's sake (as well as sandwiches).

I have not tried a smoked turkey from here, I would bet it would be good - they are starting with a good bird.

Carnivore in Oak Park has smoked turkey per their Facebook page

This year, so far, will be the lacklusterest Thanksgiving. I'm really looking forward to it. I'm making a pie (maybe two), corn pud'n, duck, and some super healthy delicious vegetarian-ish side. Maybe a soup. Dat's dat.

Our local group of young artisanal 'farmers' (for want of a better name: they have a dairy herd and make cheese and sell raw milk; two flocks of genuinely free-range chickens for meat and eggs; a small herd of beef cattle, ditto lambs, and ditto pigs--all pastured; plus a butcher shop and an absolutely first-rate brewery with a pavillion served Thurs-Sat by the butcher's food truck) this year raised a 100-strong flock of heritage Bronze turkeys, and *I* got lucky and snagged one! Yee-hah!

More anon...

Geo

We are 8 days out. I thought NY Times would be chock full of ideas but oops looks like they are leaving that content to online.

What else are you eating/making aside from bird?

Beats me. I need a green side that isn't asparagus, heavy on carbs or fat. Kale salad is sticking out right now. I'm up for suggestions.

I may also make whoopie pies to go with the pumpkin pie. We might be serving my parents dessert so I might as well go whole hog.

Pie Lady wrote:We might be serving my parents dessert so I might as well go whole hog.

How do you make dessert out of a whole hog?