forage

First off, the disclaimer… These instructions are for suggestion only. Please use your own judgement and a meat thermometer to decide if your turkey is cooked properly or not. Every oven cooks a little differently and this is the method we use but there are hundreds of ways to prepare a turkey. This is what works for us, but if you have a different method, by all means go ahead.

Remove the neck and any organs from the inside of the turkey. Rinse off the turkey with cold water and then pat completely dry with paper towel. Stuff the turkey with your favourite dressing if you prefer. Brush the turkey with about ½ cup of melted butter. Season with about 1 tablespoon of regular salt or 2 tablespoons of kosher salt. Sprinkle with pepper and other herbs. Try thyme, sage, rosemary, savoury, fresh or dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan with 2 heads of garlic (cut in half), about 4 cups total of 1/2 inch dice carrots and celery, ½ cup of cubed butter, and the neck and organs. Wrap the entire roasting pan and turkey in foil.

Preheat the oven to 425F. Place the turkey in the center of the oven.

Roast at 425F for 30 minutes and then turn the oven down to 350F. Roast at 350F for 15 minutes per pound less the 30 minutes already at 425F. Uncover the turkey for the last hour of cooking to baste and brown. So, for a 20 pound turkey, roast for 30 minutes at 425F, and 4 ½ hours at 350F for a total of 5 hours (5 ½ hours if stuffed). Uncover at the 4 hour mark (4 ½ hour mark if stuffed).

If you aren’t sure if the turkey is done (and aren’t too worried about the appearance of the turkey) you can cut in between the thigh and body of the turkey. Free range birds will tend to be a little pink down in here because they are so dense but the meat should look cooked. If it doesn’t, you can cut between the thigh and body on both sides and bake the turkey a little longer. When the turkey is out of the oven, wrap it in foil and let it sit for at least 15-30 minutes before carving. Enjoy!

Forage is open Monday through Wednesday this week from 2PM to 7PM and then we’ll be closed Thursday, December 24^th through Sunday, January 3^rd, 2010. If you have preordered a turkey, we’ll have them on Tuesday and Wednesday during regular Forage hours.

This past year has been a difficult one for the local food movement. The weather has not cooperated at all and 2009 will go down as one of the least successful farming years. When you combine that with a downturn in the economy the result was not as many customers and not as much available to sell. Does this mean there is no hope? Well after my weekly trip through the farmers market I can tell you there is still hope and optimism out there. Many of our farmers are ready to put 2009 behind them and begin with a fresh new year. They are hopeful for more stable weather and know that their customer base is growing. As people look for ways to eat healthier, reduce their impact on the environment, and connect with the people who grow their food they are looking to our local farmers to become an important part of their daily lives and communities. We want to thank our farmers for bearing the risk for feeding us. We want to thank them for their perseverance and determination. We want to thank them for all the good, clean and fairly produced food. We also want to thank all of our customers who support these farmers through their support of Forage. 2010 will prove to be a pivotal year for eating locally and we look forward to sharing that with you.

On behalf of everyone who is a part of Forage we want to wish you a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays and all the best in health and happiness for the new year!

Here’s the menu for the week of December 21^st:

Monday - Beef Stroganoff

Hoven Farm organic beef in a mushroom cream sauce served over white rice $13

Tuesday - Chicken Paprikash

Sunworks Farm organic chicken, peppers, tomatoes, smoked hungarian cherry peppers, and sour cream with egg noodles $13

Wednesday - Vegetable Pot Pie

Potatoes, carrots, parsnips, rutabaga, and peas in a herb cream sauce with a biscuit top $9

This Week’s Stew – Italian Bison Stew $8

This Week’s Soup – Chicken Noodle $7

Something Sweet – Pudding Chomeur
(Maple Syrup Pudding) $5

Forage Hours Monday to Wednesday 2PM to 7PM – 3508 19^th Street SW – PH(403)269-6551

Forage will be closed Thursday, December 24^th 2009 through Sunday, January 3^rd 2010

We’ll return on Monday, January 4^th, 2010

Well hopefully we have the whole email thing figured out now and you are receiving your Monday email as usual! We had a modem that was failing over the last few weeks and the new seems to be running fine. Just in case, I’m going to put the information for our Forage for the Holidays items in this email again.

We’re stocking the shelves with great items for entertaining and enjoying as we celebrate the holidays. We’ve got more of the Holmquist Orchard Hazelnuts, Winter’s Turkey Breast Roast, Vital Green Organic Chocolate Milk, Ladybug Proof and Bake Croissants, and Sylvan Star Gouda.

We are now taking preorders for Tourtieres. This year we are making them with pork, beef, bison, and veal along with our blend of Forage spices, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic all wrapped in pastry. They are frozen and need to be thawed and baked and will easily feed 4 adults. Tourtieres need to be pre-ordered by Tuesday, December 15^th for pickup during Forage Hours Thursday, December 17^th through Wednesday, December 23^rd. Don’t forget that we are also taking preorders for fresh Winter’s Turkey’s. The Forage for the Holidays page on the website is now up.

We are also adding Mulling Spice from The Silk Road Spice Merchants. This is a new company started by a young couple here in Calgary. Their Mulling Spice has Indonesian cinnamon pieces, allspice berries, cloves, mace, cardamom pods and dried orange peel. Just steep in apple cider, cranberry juice or red wine and you have a comforting festive treat. We’ll add more of their spices in the near future.

This week we have some great comfort food to help you get through the busiest days of the season. We have Roast Pork, Brown Ale Chicken Pot Pies, delicious Braised Beef Shanks, and a Squash Risotto Cake. And for what ails you, Chicken Noodle Soup and Mom’s Chocolate Cake!

Here’s the menu for this week:

Monday - Roast Berkshire Pork

Broek Pork Acres Berkshire pork rubbed with herbs and slow roasted. Served with mashed potatoes and gravy $14

Tuesday - Brown Ale Chicken Pot Pie

Sunworks Farm organic chicken, carrots, and rutabaga in a Wild Rose Brown Ale sauce topped with whipped potatoes $11

Wednesday - Roast Squash Risotto Cake

Sudo Farm squash risotto cake served with braised cabbage $12

Thursday - Braised Beef Shank

Hoven Farms organic beef shanks braised for hours with herbs and wine served with roasted potatoes and root vegetables $13

Friday - Roast Organic Chicken

Sunworks Farm roast organic chicken served with smashed potatoes and our famous gravy $40 whole $26 half $15 quarter

This Week’s Stew – Italian Bison Stew $8

This Week’s Soup – Chicken Noodle $7

Something Sweet – Mom’s Chocolate Cake $4

Forage Hours Monday to Friday 2PM to 7PM – 3508 19^th Street SW – PH(403)269-6551

We’re a day late because our modem went down yesterday. Sorry for any inconvenience that may have caused.

Having fun yet? Ready to kiss this year of weather extremes goodbye!

Now, picture it. A large lake front mansion in Austria. Curtain clad children gather around Maria as a thunderstorm crashes outside. They are frightened and so Julie Andrews begins to sing a song to lighten the mood. And these are a few of our favourite things…

We’re starting to stock the shelves with great items for entertaining and enjoying as we celebrate the holidays. We’ve got more of the Holmquist Orchard Hazelnuts, Winter’s Turkey Breast Roast, Vital Green Organic Chocolate Milk, Ladybug Proof and Bake Croissants, and Sylvan Star Gouda. Look for most of this to be on the shelves by tomorrow.

We are now taking preorders for Tourtieres. This year we are making them with pork, beef, bison, and veal along with our blend of Forage spices, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic all wrapped in pastry. They are frozen and need to be thawed and baked and will easily feed 4 adults. Tourtieres need to be pre-ordered by Tuesday, December 15^th for pickup during Forage Hours Thursday, December 17^th through Wednesday, December 23^rd.

Don’t forget that we are also taking preorders for fresh Winter’s Turkey’s. We will have a Forage for the Holidays page on the website up tomorrow too.

Here’s the menu for this week:

Monday - Italian Pork Meatloaf

Broek Pork Acres pork meatloaf with italian seasonings, rosemary gravy, and mashed potatoes $14

Tuesday - Chicken Tamale Pie

Sunworks Farm organic chicken, beans, peppers, tomatoes, and corn topped with a cornmeal crust $13

Wednesday - Macaroni and Cheese

It’s back! Is there anything more comforting? Multiple cheeses including cheddar and sylvan star gouda with macaroni $9 Add a green salad $4

Thursday - Lamb Shank

Barbados Blackbelly lamb shank from Cakadu Heritage Lamb braised with herbs, wine and tomatoes served with garlic mashed potatoes and roast squash $17

Friday - Roast Organic Chicken

Sunworks Farm roast organic chicken served with smashed potatoes and our famous gravy $40 whole $26 half $15 quarter

This Week’s Stew – Beef Stew $8

This Week’s Soup – Tomato Basil $7

Something Sweet – Gingerbread Cake $4

Forage Hours – Monday to Friday 2PM to 7PM – 3508 19^th Street SW – PH(403)269-6551