[danimalarkey]

I know there are a fair number of Chicago-area members around here. Anyone know where I could get a local turkey for Thanksgiving? Something in the area, regionally produced, etc etc? I'd like to try something nicer than Jewel's Butterball this year.

Also, is there a good, on-line resource for finding other local, regional producers of poultry, meat, vegetables and so on? A directory of some sort?


thanks,
dan

[dano1]

have you tried your local butcher?

[danimalarkey]

Originally Posted by dano1

have you tried your local butcher?

I'll admit right now that I may not have searched hard enough, but I've had a tough time finding a local butcher shop that I've been happy with. When I look them up in the yellow pages, all I seem to find are wholesalers, and the others... well, I wasn't too impressed.

But yours is an excellent tip, dan01, and I appreciate it. anyone with a recommendation for a butcher shop in the city?


-dan

[MikeLM]

Dan- you can't have tried very hard.

Lots of shops offer Ho-Ka fresh turkeys for the holiday season. They're raised by HOward KAuffman farms in Waterman, IL, not very far west of the city.

www.hokaturkeys.com/

Also check a market in Glen Ellyn: http://mcchesneyandmiller.com/

You can probably locate a closer supplier at the Ho-Ka site.

We've had them frequently for Thanksgiving and always found them excellent.

For Christmas, though, we always order a Missouri country ham from Esicar's Smokehouse in Cape Girardeau, MO. For Christmas, they cure the hams and hang them starting in August. By December, they're tough as a boot and DELICIOUS. What you get is not a wimpy, "spiral-cut" tasteless piece of ham. You get... well, you get the back leg of a hog, skin, bones, and all. It's up to you to cook it (or, unless you have a commercial kitchen, be sure to have Esicar's cook it for you for a paltry $2.50. It must be COMPLETELY covered with water to cook, which requires a **** of a big pot.) Then skin it, remove most- but not all - of the fat, stud it with cloves and smear with orange juice-mustard-brown sugar slurry, and bake just enough to brown and warm thoroughly.

If I sound smitten with the ham, it's because I am. I first tasted such a ham, butchered and cured at my father's family farm in Jackson, MO (just up the road from Cape) when I was about 2-1/2 years old, which is quite a while ago.

I still remember that first bite VIVIDLY and I decided on the spot I never wanted to eat anything else for my whole life. I didn't succeed in that, since it's pretty much a salt bomb, but I do indulge every year at Christmas.

You can reach Esicar's (in which I have no financial interest whatsoever) at 573-335-9283 and get one of these wonderful things delivered to you for Christmas. Each ham comes with a complete set of operating and serving instructions. But- be sure to heve them cook it unless you've got the really big equipment.

They also offer great bacon, sausage, smoked cheese (but it's a process cheese) and other goodies, all redolent of hickory smoke.

Bon appetit.

Mike

[panini]

MLM,
great info, I visited those sites and wanted one of their turkeys myself.
We always have a bird and piggy, but well after we have had all the authentic Thanksgiving fare. Calamari, Vegie lasagne,smoked eggplant parm, Ossobucco Romano, bragiole,etc.

[MikeLM]

..."we have had all the authentic Thanksgiving fare. Calamari, Vegie lasagne,smoked eggplant parm, Ossobucco Romano, bragiole,etc."

This is "Thanksgiving" in Napoli, or what????

Mike

Pretty funny. Sounds like great eating, anyway.

__________________

[Nicko]

I have always gone witht he Hoka turkeys they are excellent. If you want to get them in Chicago another place is www.pasture2plate.com.

[Pete]

Another way to go about it is to check out http://www.localharvest.org
You can do a search of farms, in your area, that are raising local, organic and/or heirloom turkeys. The downfall is it is probably too late for this year. Many of these small farms make you pay in advance, but it is worth a try.

[danimalarkey]

thanks for all of the tips, everyone - no Butterball for my table this year.

Now, all I have to do is convince my friend that's bringing the green beans to use fresh green beans instead of the frozen ones she wants to use...