posted on November 19, 2005 12:55:45 PM new the line was too good to resist. Anyway, here is an interesting article on turkeys just in time for the holidays:
Americans pay more to know Turkey before eating
Fri Nov 18, 2005 10:31 AM ET172
NEW YORK (Reuters) - She's a small-breasted beauty from a good family in the American Midwest who enjoys spending time outdoors. She eats only natural foods, is drug- and disease-free and her video can be found on the Internet.
It may sound like a lonely hearts ad, but it's all information about a turkey that can be found on the Web from Heritage Foods USA, a marketer for family farmers.
The site sells heritage turkeys, which are birds that descend from the first domesticated flocks in the United States. When raised, they are allowed to roam free while fattening, and are not subjected to industry practices like beak cutting, which is used to speed up feeding.
Rare-breed heritage turkeys, which have pedigrees and are exhibited in shows much like dogs', are relatives of the turkeys the Europeans took from the United States in the 1600s. The European birds were then brought back in the mid 1800s and bred with wild American turkeys.
"People are starting to want to know more about the food they put in their bodies," Patrick Martins, co-founder of Heritage Foods USA, said on Thursday.
"With the Web, everyone now knows everything about their favorite Hollywood movie star. Now the light is starting to shine on the horrid conditions in the American food supply, and we don't have anything to hide."
In fact on Heritage's Web site, www.heritagefoodsusa.com, consumers can see live footage of the farm where their bird once frolicked, read a profile of the farmer who raised it, and punch in a bar code number to find out its age and where it was slaughtered. This close to Thanksgiving, which falls on November 24, there is little footage of the frolicking birds themselves because most have already been slaughtered for the holiday.
Such detailed information on the provenance of food destined for the dinner plate is now available because of Americans' growing penchant for eating healthy.
"The market for heritage turkeys and other food is a small niche, but it appears to be growing," said Bob Golding of food industry consulting firm Technomic Inc. in Chicago. "Heritage is perceived to be better tasting and nutritious, and it's part of an overarching trend of concern with health and nutrition."
Even so, "'Butterball' is still selling a lot of turkey," he said, referring to the popular ConAgra Foods brand, adding that a Web cam to view the farm where your Thanksgiving dinner was raised is a merchandising ploy.
It is a small part of the poultry market, but this year, Heritage Foods USA received an order for 1,000 turkeys from Costco Wholesale Corp., the largest warehouse club retailer in the U.S. Such an order from a mainstream retailer offers proof that heritage turkeys are not just for the "educated elite" anymore, Martins said.
Still, heritage turkeys cost about $7 to $10 a pound (450 grams), compared with less than $1 a pound for a conventional turkey. They are typically smaller than factory-reared birds.
But increasingly, people don't mind paying more for quality.
"Today, consumers are very educated," said Nick Cacace, meat and poultry director for the Gourmet Garage market in New York. "They don't mind paying a few extra dollars for heritage or heirloom turkeys because it's good for you and they were not raised in an overstuffed pen."
Since Heritage started selling heritage turkeys in 2001, sales have doubled each year, with 2005 Thanksgiving sales of around 10,000, Martin said.
The American Bronze or Bourbon Red heritage turkeys taste better than supermarket birds because their flesh is dark and more richly marbled with fat and requires a knife to cut it, Martin said.
The birds have a following among top chefs and will be served at big-name restaurants including Alice Waters' famed Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California
posted on November 20, 2005 05:42:53 AM new
This made me think of a joke my aunt sent me....
One year at Thanksgiving my Mother went to my sister's house for the traditional feast. Knowing how gullible my sister is, she decided to play a trick. She told my sister she needed something from the store.
When my sister left, my mother removed the turkey from the oven, removed the stuffing, stuffed a cornish hen, put it in the turkey and re-stuffed the turkey and put it back in the oven.
When it was time for dinner, my sister removed the turkey from the oven and proceeded to remove the stuffing. When the spoon hit something, she reached in and pulled out the little bird.
With a look of total shock on her face, my mother exclaimed, "You've cooked a pregnant bird!" At the reality of this horrifying news, my sister proceeded to cry.
It took two hours to convince her that turkeys lay eggs.
posted on November 20, 2005 07:30:40 AM new
It is extremely difficult for me to even believe people would be 'nuts' enough to pay $7 to $10 a pound for ANY turkey...let alone a small breasted one. Less usable meat.
I'll stick to my Butterball turkeys....wonderful and reasonably priced.
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twig - That story is sooo funny. Some people are just so gullible...lol Thanks for sharing it with us.
posted on November 20, 2005 02:36:29 PM new
LOL, Twig! That was a good one. Reminded me of a time, years ago, when I got a baby cockatiel...I was tellin a friend about all the changes the chick would go through as he matured: his head would turn yellow, his bottom tail feathers would come in a silvery-gray color, etc. etc. She was nodding as I explained and looking raptly at the bird. Then I said, "but he'll look the weirdest after his beak falls off, until he grows a new one." My friend stared at me and said "Really?!? His beak will fall off?" Broke me up.
Linda: Yeah, they're expensive, but I think I'd like to try one some time, just to see the difference in taste. Maybe it would make me like turkey more, because I have never liked it all tha much.
____________________
"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." -- George W. Bush
posted on November 20, 2005 03:27:25 PM new
bunni - Well I normally buy a 25-27 # turkey...and at say $10.00 a pound...don't think I'd be able to afford the rest of the trimmings.
But I think they have a great advertizing gimmick going there. Convince people they're so much healthier. Any range/land raised turkey would be just as nutritious as their's would be. Just couldn't get one of those at the grocery store...have to go to a turkey farm or a regular farm where they're allowed to roam freely as they grow.
But here's to you getting to try one someday. If and when you do...let us know please.
And your story was funny too. Some people are just very gullible and then there's those who love telling them a 'story'. lol
edited as I'm always dropping those darn "n't"s
[ edited by Linda_K on Nov 20, 2005 03:31 PM ]
the line was too good to resist. Anyway, here is an interesting article on turkeys just in time for the holidays:
