It's Not Too Early To Talk Turkey

By Lisa McLaughlin

It might seem premature to be planning Thanksgiving on Labor Day, but if you want a "heritage" turkey on your holiday table, you have to act fast. Nearly all the 400 million turkeys eaten in the U.S. every year are Broad Breasted Whites. Bred for maximum white meat, these birds could not exist in nature. Their short legs and oversize breasts leave them unable to run, fly or even copulate; they have to be artificially inseminated. As an alternative, Slow Food U.S.A., a group dedicated to preserving unique regional foods, has encouraged more than 30 farmers in 17 states to begin raising heritage turkeys, like the Narragansett and the Bourbon Red, for local markets. These turkeys, descendants of breeds from the Pilgrim era, have richer, more savory meat than their supermarket cousins. Supplies are limited. For information on where to find a heritage turkey, go to www.slowfoodusa.org

--By Lisa McLaughlin