The Jewels Of Food.com

As I get older, I seem to be getting more nostalgic. Some of those things that come around again appear to have a greater meaning and purpose. I recently hooked up my turntable and pulled out my vinyls. It's been at least two decades since I cleaned off a record and dropped the needle on the groove. Funny enough, one of the songs that I came across is a single (remember the 45's?) from Carly Simon entitled Coming Around Again. Maybe there is something special about the way things used to be. Food is no exception.

I didn't think too much about it until recently during my weekly Saturday morning journey down to the farmers market at the St. Lawrence. I was praising Rowe Farm Meats staff member Mikel Dander for the exquisite taste of their chicken. I regularly make an old fashioned chicken soup, and find their chickens make the best stock.

Mikel proceeded to tell me how their chickens are on a three-week slaughter cycle, and how the largest (oldest birds) are actually the most flavourful. "If you like our chicken, you have to try our Heritage turkey." He added. Not one to pass on a good food experience, I decided to take him up on the challenge and ordered the bird for the following weekend.

So what is a Heritage Turkey you might ask?

Heritage turkeys are nineteenth, and early twentieth century turkey varieties. The birds were developed before the use of high protein feeds. Since they were not developed to grow as quickly as the primary turkey the Broad Breasted, many heritage turkeys are smaller at slaughter time than would be a Broad Breasted turkey of the same age.

It also means that to grow a twenty or more pounds bird, it may be twice as old at slaughter than a standard commercial turkey. Once again, age brings flavour, and so the Heritage turkey has more flavour in its flesh partly because it is older when it is slaughtered.

Heritage turkeys have a more balanced ratio of dark meat to white meat, while the standard, a broad breasted turkey has more white breast meat.

At my request, Rowe Farms provided me with a couple of recipes. To be true to the real taste of the bird, I chose to make the traditional roasted Heritage turkey recipe, however, the Rosemary and Maple Roast Turkey recipe also piqued my interest.

The results? The turkey was deliciously moist and flavourful with a slightly more fibrous texture than the Broad Breasted. The bird also seemed to produce less fat than traditional turkeys I have made. Personally, I recommend a Heritage over a traditional turkey anytime.

Part of the adventure in reliving the past is bringing others you love forward on the journey with you. My son Gabriel has a real appreciation for music. It seems since I taught him how to spin vinyl, he thinks it sounds better and is way cooler than CD's or an iPOD. Introducing him to a Heritage turkey is tonight's adventure.

For more info on Rowe Farm Meats, visit www.rowefarmmeats.com or call them at 519.822.8794.

In an uncovered roasting pan, follow the recipe of choice. Prep time will only take about 15 to 20 minutes. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your bird.

Note: Because Heritage turkeys have a more equal ratio of dark and white meat, the cooking process is different. Heritage turkeys are best cooked at a high temperature of 425 to 450 F.

Recipe: Traditional Roasted Heritage Turkey

Ingredients:

1 Heritage Turkey
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
Oiled parchment paper

Directions:

Bring the turkey to room temperature. Rinse with clean water and dry the skin and cavity.

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Season the turkey inside and out by rubbing with salt and pepper.

Using a sheet of parchment paper*, rub or brush oil onto both sides of the paper and tent the parchment paper over the breast of the heritage bird. Any oil with a high smoke point will do; canola, vegetable, etc.

Attach the parchment paper to the bird with small pieces of foil or clean, oiled wooden clothes pins.

Roast the bird until the thigh temperature reaches 120 F and remove the parchment paper. If you choose, you may baste the bird with the pan drippings when you remove the parchment paper since the oven will be opened anyway at this point.

Return to the oven and continue roasting until the thigh temperature reaches 145 F (not the customary 160 F) and the skin on the breast develops to a crisp, golden colour.

Let the bird stand 15 minutes before carving.

Recipe: Rosemary and Maple Butter Roasted Heritage Turkey

Ingredients:

1 Heritage Turkey
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
Oiled parchment paper
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary

Directions:

Bring the turkey to room temperature. Rinse with clean water and dry the skin and cavity.

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Bring butter to room temperature and whip together with remaining ingredients.

Season the turkey with salt and pepper. Loosen the skin on the breast with your fingers and sandwich the maple rosemary butter between the skin and the breast meat and on the inside of the cavity.

Attach the parchment paper to the bird with small pieces of foil or clean, oiled wooden clothes pins.

Return to the oven and continue roasting until the thigh temperature reaches 145 F (not the customary 160 F) and the skin on the breast develops to a crisp, golden colour.

Quick roasting at high temperatures requires that the oven temperature be maintained at that higher temperature. Opening the oven to baste the turkey will cause wide variations in oven temperature. When adding a seasoned butter under the breast skin, the bird will become self-basting.

Let the bird stand 15 minutes before carving.

* Using parchment paper allows the roasting breast meat to 'breathe.' The traditional 1960-70's method of covering the breast with foil actually causes the breast meat to steam instead of roast because the foil does not allow any air or steam to pass through it.