Happy Thanksgiving

First of all, the important stuff: both brgrs will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday, but we’ll be open—and waiting for you to come in and take a load off (and fill up on something other than turkey)—on Friday, and for the rest of the weekend.  At Third Avenue (between 60^th and 61^st—right around the corner from Bloomingdale’s) we’re even opening a couple of hours earlier on Black Friday—at 9 am instead of 11 am—to accommodate any shoppers who might need to fuel up before, after or while they hit the sales.

Now for actual Thanksgiving Day…  While Thanksgiving might not exactly be a brgr holiday, as we head into Thursday, I confess that I am looking forward to turkey as much as anyone.  Sure, that’s partly because brgr is closed that day so I have to look for other options, but it’s also because there are really great turkey choices out there.  While there is no such thing as a grass-fed turkey, I have been looking into turkeys raised with the same core values as our grass-fed beef.  (Why, you might ask, have I been doing research on this?  Well, as you know we have three delicious turkey brgrs on our menu, and I’m currently working on finding a farm that can provide us with the same sustainable product that’s in keeping with the values we bring to all of our grass-fed beef brgrs.)  The general rule is to avoid turkey that is raised in confined spaces and fed only a grain diet.  Basically, you want a turkey that’s spent it’s life on pasture (and been moved to fresh pasture every day) eating grass, clover, insects, worms, and anything else they come across.  This diet has the same effect on turkeys that a natural, grass-fed diet has on cows:  it makes their meat tastier and healthier.  And, of course, it’s better for the environment. 

I know that many of you likely have your turkeys already, but if not—or in planning ahead for next year—there are a few things to look for when shopping for a more responsible turkey:  1) Look for a heritage turkey.  These are genetically diverse birds that are of the same species that existed in the past. They’re raised outdoors on a natural diet. 2) Look for organic and/or sustainable choices at your local butcher shop, or 3) Check out your local farmers market.  You might be surprised at the local, sustainable choices.    

The availability of good options when it comes to turkeys and beef makes me optimistic that we’re beginning to embrace real change in the way we eat, our need to know where our food comes from, and our desire for all of our foods to be grown and raised the way nature intended.  Those are brgr’s values, and it makes me happy to see them becoming mainstream rather than exceptional.

Happy Thanksgiving, and I hope to see you on Friday—loaded down with shopping bags and ready for a tasty grass-fed beef brgr.