A Tale of Two Turkeys

It was the best of times, it was the... Yeah, it really was the best of times. I have a lot to be grateful for this year... not the least of which is a JOB!!! Yay! So, I decided to go all out on my celebration, and have TWO - very different - turkeys!

Those of you who know me, know that I am NOT a vegetarian. I am, however, interested in conservation, biodiversity, sustainable farming and heirloom vegetables. Farming isn't happening much in Iselin, but I did order some heirloom seeds for my garden last year. I'm saving some seeds from each harvest and planting them again next year.

Did you realize that some seeds only grow plants without seeds, so you have to buy new seeds every year? And a lot of people plant the exact same variety year after year, in garden after garden; but there are many different varieties of any given plant. Eventually, the old, unusual varieties disappear; but by preserving many different varieties, I believe you make our food supply stronger and better able to defend itself from pests and disease.   Same thing with Turkeys.  We all always get the supermarket turkey, which is bred to be lots of white meat and very mild.  They are raised in factories and never go outside.  I wanted to try something different.  No, not beef. 

Yeah, this is stuff I think about sometimes. Doesn't everyone? No? So, this year, I decided I wanted to order a free-range, organic, "naturally raised" kind of turkey. And I like the idea of a "heritage" turkey, which means that it is a variety not normally found in the supermarkets. I really wanted to go right to the farm and pick one up, but I didn't see a listing for a turkey farm anywhere around here.


(And I don't want to go hunting for the infamous Iselin Turkey! He's a wild one, and I'm hoping he stays free and has lots of little turkeys that will spread throughout Iselin.)

I did find a listing for turkey farms that were farther away, and it just so happens that they DELIVER! The down side is that a turkey of the size that I usually would order for my Thanksgiving dinner and everyone who joins us was just TOOOOO expensive.

I was worried if I'd get it on time.  I'm lucky it's so little, because it was delivered yesterday evening, and yes, it was nicely packaged and frozen solid.  (I knew it was coming in frozen; I'd rather it was frozen than spoil on the UPS truck.)  But here is the box...

Butterball Turkey and Heritage Turkey Farm Turkey

I switched them around here - the Heritage is on the left, Butterball on the right

Anyway, I compromised. I ordered two smaller turkeys from the farm in Wisconsin, for the price of the one larger one. And I've decided to save one of them for the next holiday dinner;

AND I got my Shop Rite turkey, and I'm cooking that too.








I'm cooking both varieties together, in the exact same way. And I'll let you know if there is any difference between them, and if there is a difference, which one is better? I'll have a poll of my family, and I'll let you know the results of the poll.

Heritage (L) and Butterball (R) fixed with butter, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper, and stuffed with celery, onions, and other aromatics...

Here they are, all prepared to go into the oven.


Happy eating!