source for local turkeys?

have you tried your local butcher?

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. :bounce:

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

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.:lol:

..."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 :confused:

Pretty funny. Sounds like great eating, anyway.

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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.

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.