Even though Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, I’ve only ever eaten the sides. I was a strict vegetarian until a year or so ago, and after a couple of childhood dinner table standoffs my extended family accepted that I wasn’t going to snap out of vegetarianism any time soon. There was one regrettable tofurkey year which involved a pre-stuffed beige blob that resembled a turkey egg more closely than an actual turkey, and it was never repeated. Last year was my first turkey day as a meat eater, but I spent the holiday in Southeast Asia cooking a slapdash meal of apple butter and pimento cheese in a conference room with my friends while trying to come to terms with the fact that having constant access to tropical fruits also means that sweet potatoes are an expensive import and winter squash basically doesn’t exist.
This year will be the first Thanksgiving where I actually consume turkey, and I’m excited to be part of the tryptophan-induced haze that I’ve only ever observed in relatives. I can’t wait to fly home, compulsively refreshing my This American Life app to see if they release one of their hilarious not-really-annual Poultry Slam episodes (foie gras nerds: check out the 2011 episode featuring Blue Hill’s Dan Barber on why ethically raised goose liver is possible), and tuck in.
But where is the best place to buy a turkey? If you a) have backyard space and b) are capable of several months of planning (me neither) you bought your turkey as an adorable baby chick several months ago and are preparing for the meaningful day where you butcher it or have it butchered and prove to yourself that you are capable of acknowledging what you eat and respecting it fully. I hope to be you one day. But for now, I’ll settle for responsibly sourced (and delicious) meat from Marlow & Daughters.
Marlow is making Thanksgiving easy by providing a one-stop shop for all your turkey needs. You can buy a brining kit or a smoked turkey — your call. The birds are local, pasture raised, hormone and antibiotic free. You can pre-order now and pick your bird up anytime between Sunday and Thursday of Thanksgiving week, and they also have a huge range of side options including selections from She Wolf Bakery.
Tom Mylan, featured in the video above, is no longer with Marlow & Daughters. He is at The Meat Hook though, and we covered his new meat book a few weeks ago.
Featured photo credit: Marlow & Daughters
