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Nov 19
Love0

Heritage Turkeys: Worth Their Weight in Gravy?

By BBBlog

Traditional Thanksgiving dinners (and oftentimes other holiday dinners) have, at their heart, a big, fat turkey. And we love them, right? In a letter to his daughter, Benjamin Franklin, expressed his admiration for everyone’s favorite Thanksgiving centerpiece this way, “For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison [with the Bald Eagle] a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America… He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.” Clearly, the turkey is much more than just tasty in old Ben’s eyes—it is also admirable, a bird of good character. The idea of a turkey’s character may not matter so much on the tongue, but if you’re looking to show your gratitude instead of just pleasing your taste buds, maybe this year you should think about that bird of old and consider buying what is now called a “heritage turkey” for the big meal.

A heritage turkey is a throwback to a bygone age—some might say a tastier, kinder and healthier age. Heritage turkeys are the ancestors of today’s Broad-Breasted White industrial turkeys, which will be perched, juicy and golden, on most of your dining room tables in a few days. Heritage turkeys were mostly developed in the US and Europe and were identified by the American Poultry Association’s turkey  Standard of Perfection of 1874. The term ‘heritage turkeys’ comprises a few different breeds, namely Standard Bronze, Bourbon Red, Narragansett, Jersey Buff, Slate, Black Spanish, and White Holland. Later, the standard came to include the Royal Palm, White Midget and Beltsville Small White. In the 1960’s, large corporations overtook the turkey market, and relied on the modern Broad-Breasted White because of its particularly large breast and shorter growing time. Your typical supermarket variety of turkey grows to about 32 pounds in 18 weeks, whereas as a heritage turkey takes about twice as long to reach the same weight. You can hear the price multiplying, can’t you?

So, I’ll break it to you: Heritage turkeys are pretty expensive. Nationally, the average turkey in your supermarket costs about $1.39/pound but a heritage turkey can cost as much as $7.00 and up per pound. Why the huge discrepancy? Earlier, I mentioned that the growing time for a heritage turkey is roughly twice as long as the more common Broad-Breasted White turkey, and that longer growing period incurs a lot more costs. Most farmers who raise heritage turkeys do so in a very different environment than an industrial turkey farm. Heritage farms generally have more space for the turkeys—large barns to roost in at night, and acres and acres for them to roam, forage and explore while taking in some nice, fresh air. This is a huge difference from your typical commercial farm where birds are crowded into metal confinements, have little to no human interaction due to mechanized feeding and watering systems, and–I’ll just give it to you straight–cheap feed that often is chock-full of pharmaceuticals and slaughterhouse waste.

Clearly, you just can’t raise as many of heritage turkeys on a small farm with the conditions we’ve described above (spacious barns and room to roam). The yield is far higher on a commercial farm, and that plays a large part in the price of a heritage turkey. If a commercial turkey farm loses some turkeys due to disease, injury, etc, they’ve got plenty of other turkeys to make up for it—a new crop waiting to replace the old by the time a heritage turkey is only half grown. A small heritage turkey farmer is depending more on every bird to recoup their expenses, so if they lose birds, it’s more of a problem. Ka-ching.

So yes, heritage turkeys are more expensive, but the way they are raised makes them generally healthier. Heritage birds are more closely related to their wild ancestors, so they tend to be healthier, hardier and can mate naturally (and run and fly!). Why is this exciting, you might ask? Did you know that Broad-Breasted Whites are too heavy to fly because they are weighted down by their unusually large breasts? They’ve been specifically bred to produce more white meat and to grow fast; so much so that they are now incapable of flight, have difficulty walking and can’t mate naturally.

There’s also the environmental factor to consider in purchasing your turkey this year. Airborne ammonia emissions produced by the birds can be harmful to both turkeys and those who work with them; and often, large industrial farms end up polluting our air, soil and water through agricultural waste because of environmental laws that leave too much leeway for large companies to dispose of waste irresponsibly (or when said environmental laws are not strictly enforced). Heritage turkey farmers contend that large, commercial companies tend to more often produce meat with antibiotic-resistant bacteria due to their wide-spread use of antibiotics in their turkeys (the need for drugs is considerably more in a bird raised in close quarters), though the USDA assures consumers that there is no evidence that either type of turkey is safer than the other from potential contaminants like salmonella and e. coli. The USDA also requires a mandatory pre-slaughter antibiotic withdrawal period and has set a strict legal limit for antibiotic residues. They contend that that level is well below what could potentially be harmful to humans. Heritage turkeys, on the other hand, are raised antibiotic free.

You might also consider the quality of life of the birds being raised, and the fact that most varieties of heritage turkeys have been on the verge of extinction, so supporting farmers who raise them supports the continued bio-diversity of our planet.

So, is it worth it? Chefs and turkey connoisseurs tend to agree that heritage birds taste better, are less salty and have a better texture when compared to your typical store-bought bird. Maybe since its Thanksgiving and we’re all thinking about how much we have and what we might be able to do for others, you might consider trying a heritage turkey this year. You’ll be helping the environment, eating healthier, and giving at least one bird the turkey equivalent of a rock star life.

If you want to learn more about heritage turkeys, check out The Heritage Turkey Foundation. To find a heritage turkey for your Thanksgiving or Christmas table, check out Heritage Foods USA, Dartagnan, Rainbow Ranch Farms, Good Shepherd Turkey Ranch, Mary’s Turkey, or check out Local Harvest for farms in your area.
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Nov 14
Love0

It’s Not All About the Turkey—Brown Bag’s Guide to Thanksgiving in the DC Area

By BBBlog

There are plenty of things to do in DC before and after your Thanksgiving feast is kaput, so get off your tired, turkey behind and get out there!

If you’re a runner—or a walker—consider signing up for the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot for Hunger, sponsored by SOME (So Others Might Eat). You’ll be doing something great for others, setting a good example for yourself and your family (esp. the kiddies!), and working up an appetite for The Big Meal later in the day. If you’re looking at this and thinking, “All I really want to do on Thanksgiving Day is lie around, watch football and wait for the timer to ding on my turkey,” think about the multitudes of people out there who may not even have a hot meal, much less a kitchen-wide spread just waiting for them. Get up. Get out. Help. There’s a 5K run/walk starting at 9 AM, and a Little Turkey One-Mile Fun Run beginning at 8:30 AM.

How about volunteering with Food and Friends? They have a whole list of things that they need help with! Take your pick: volunteer for Slice of Life and help out at a pie pick-up location Tuesday, November 20th; deliver Turkey Boxes from November 19th through the 21st; or help with food preparation and holiday meal delivery on Thanksgiving Day (or earlier in the week). Food and Friends is a very cool organization. If you’re not familiar with them, go to their website and learn more about what they do. In a nutshell, they serve men, women and children of all ages living with HIV/AIDS, all types of cancer, ALS, Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, and more. Often, Food and Friends is the only support these individuals receive. People all over need help, but maybe this Thanksgiving, you can start with your neighbors in DC, Maryland and Virginia.

We’re all busy this year and every year, so if you’re short on time (and energy), consider donating to one of these very worthy organizations:

Bringing in the Birds with Bucks: This year, the Capital Area Food Bank is looking to provide meals for almost 4000 seniors in the DC area. That’s a lot of seniors that need help—and you can give it to them.

Bread For the City: Let them eat turkey, we say! This great group is looking to provide turkey and trimmings to 9000 hungry families in the DC area this Thanksgiving. Each meal costs approximately $29. Can you feed a family?

The Salvation Army: Every year (all year), The Salvation Army helps families. You see them out ringing their bells, asking for change and advocating for people in need. Consider helping them do what they do best. Donate or start your own Red Kettle Campaign.

The American Red Cross: Today and every day, consider donating to the American Red Cross. People in New York and New Jersey are still reeling from the impacts of Hurrican Sandy and desperately need your help and generosity right now. The work that The American Red Cross does in times of natural disasters is beyond inspiring–it is, quite literally, life-saving. Remember this organization this holiday season and consider donating your time as well as your money.

And after you’ve done your part, given of yourself—what then? DC’s got lots in store for you! If you’re looking for a little parade action, look no farther! Check out The Silver Spring’s (Ellsworth Dr, Silver Springs, MD) pre-Thanksgiving Day parade on Saturday, November 19th at 10 AM. The day after Thanksgiving (November 25th), you can have a little storybook magic on your Black Friday shopping spree. Reston Town Center in Reston, VA is hosting their annual Storybook Magic Parade beginning at 11 AM. There will be lots of costumes, over 70 performers, music and smiles galore! Check it out!

Another time-honored DC turkey tradition? The presidential turkey pardon! Presidents have been presented with Thanksgiving turkeys since the days of Lincoln, but it was only with President George H.W. Bush in 1989 that a turkey was officially pardoned. Since 2005, these lucky birds have been flown to Disneyland to serve as the grand marshal of their annual Thanksgiving Day parade. After their service at the parade, they live the rest of their charmed lives in Frontier Land. That’s a lucky bird—they don’t call it “The Happiest Place on Earth” for nothing.

Whatever you do this Thanksgiving, The Brown Bag wishes you well. We hope you are surrounded by love and gratitude and that you’ll consider giving that love to the world around you. Enjoy your families, your fun, and of course, your food. We’ll be here when you get back—waiting to serve you all your healthy, honest favorites to get you through the holiday season. Happy Thanksgiving!

Nov 09
Love0

Cater Me This, Brown Bag

By BBBlog

So, you’re in charge of the office holiday party and you’re already a very busy bee. Can’t you call somebody to take care of the details and just give them a few approvals? Actually, yes you can. You can call The Brown Bag!

Maybe you already knew that The Brown Bag caters, but did you know this: The Brown Bag offers full-service catering. That’s right—we said it–full-service. This means that you can sit back, relax and get on with your life while someone else, namely the lovely Catering and Event Manager for The Brown Bag, Deedra Moore, plans a bash you won’t soon forget.

Deedra does it all. Need linens? No problem. China and glasses? Handled. Lovely floral arrangements, perhaps? Deedra can take care of that. Don’t have time to set everything up? We do! How about some friendly staff to help out during the event? Check! And really, what’s a party without entertainment? Deedra’s on that—she’ll find just the thing you’re looking for to keep your party hopping!

Mainly, the Brown Bag handles corporate events. If you know us well, you know that we’re a daytime business. We are breakfast and lunch specialists, so we are more than ready for your holiday office bashes, luncheons, breakfasts, etc. We’re well versed in event planning, too—we’ve been at this for a while and we’re filling up fast for the holidays this year. Say you’ve got a large office and you’re wondering if we can handle the truth of your 500 to 600 crazy office mates. Absolutely! Go big or go home, right? During the rest of the year, the events that we cater average less than a hundred people, but that number jumps up to around 250 (average) during the holidays, and we’re on top of it. We have staff lined up and ready to go (and Deedra can multi-task like no one you’ve ever seen!)! And just in case you’re wondering about the range of our events—we regularly cater fire drills. That’s right—fire drills. At our Brown Bag headquarters, we get the call and we get to work. After our building mates have stood outside freezing, sweating, getting wet, whatever—they come back in to a little buffet of snacks. Kind of makes you want a daily fire drill, huh? Office parties, corporate events and fire drills—we can handle whatever you throw at us.

We all know food is at the heart of any great party, and The Brown Bag has lined up a holiday catering menu that deserves a bow on top–our gift to you. Check out our Holiday Catering Menu here, and if you’re not hungry when you’ve finished reading it, we’re wondering if you’re feeling well? Have a fever, maybe? If you can’t find something on this holiday menu that makes you drool, check out our regular catering menu (or our Tailgate Specials). We’ve got something for everyone: seafood, chicken, steak, ham, Greek and Mediterranean specialties, a little something from the South, bagels and latkes, vegetarian and gluten-free options, cheese, desserts, beverages and the list goes on! So, call us. You tell us how many, we’ll help you choose the food and then you can stop thinking about it—we’ll do the rest. You can show up and revel in the glory of a well-planned event. We don’t mind. We love to make you look good.

We’re booking up fast for the holidays, so give Deedra a call at (202)408-2824, or send her an email at dmoore@brownbagonline.com. She’s ready and waiting to take a load off your shoulders and make your event shine.

Nov 01
Love0

Call Me Sasquatch

By BBBlog

What do you know about your carbon footprint? What is a carbon footprint? According to Carbon Earth ( http://www.carbonearth.co.uk/carbon-footprint-facts.htm). Your carbon footprint is a measure of how your home and social activities impact the earth/environment in relation to the greenhouse gases you produce each year (measured in tons of carbon dioxide). Do you know how you measure up? Neither did I until I used this handy-dandy footprint calculator. http://www.carbonearth.co.uk/CarbonEmission.asp#Your_personal_carbon_footprint_calculator. I’m not exactly Sasquatch in relation to my fellow Americans, but in terms of the rest of the world, I’m the Abominable Snowman. And so are you. The only bright spot: While the average American’s carbon footprint is still much larger than China’s average citizen, China did surpass the US in total carbon emissions by about 80 percent in 2011. Clearly, there’s some tarnish on that silver lining, but we’re grasping at positive straws here.

So, what to do? It’s a big world and you’re only one person, right? Yes, but we would argue that change starts with one person. It’s the whole pebble-in-the-water/ripple-effect thing. If you want to reduce your carbon footprint today—right now—where should you start? If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a million times, start with buying local and buying organic. If you bought it from the farmer right outside of town instead of flying it in from Peru, think about all the gas you’d save. And that’s just the beginning of the benefits! Just for the record, we would like to add “eat seasonal” to this rule, as well. It only makes sense.

What else? Keep the packaging to a minimum. Try to frequent stores that keep their packaging scarce, like offering loose tomatoes instead of ones wrapped in plastic. In general, regarding resources, choose plastic over paper, but the best choice is reusable shopping bags. Bring them yourself. You don’t have to worry so much about the packaging at Brown Bag because we did it for you. We use plant-based, petroleum-free packaging that is biodegradable and compostable. We buy post-consumer products and choose recycled products whenever possible, too. We enjoy doing our part.

Here’s something you can do right now that’s super-easy: Unplug electronics that you don’t use all that often and/or aren’t in use. Did you know that LCD TVs use about 43 percent more electricity than old-style picture-tube sets? Electronics, even in standby mode, continue to draw energy. Unplug it when you’re not watching! Easier still—use a power strip and flick everything off at once. Done! How about reduce/reuse/recycle? Still a great way to shrink that footprint!

Try holding onto your old car if it’s in good working order. Yes, hybrids are great and we’re grateful to have them, but if you don’t need a new car yet, don’t buy one. It takes a lot of energy to build a hybrid (or any car, for that matter). Speaking of transportation, why not try the bus, train or subway? Or schedule your flights into non-stop trips whenever possible. Do you really want to stop in Chicago on your way from New York to Miami? We think not. You’ll get to the beach faster and save some fuel if you just go direct. Think about paying a few dollars more to do your part.

Other easy ways to shrink your big foot are: bundle your errands, turn your water heater to vacation mode (or turn it off!) while you’re away, use native plants in your landscaping, use cold water for laundry, and ditch your bottled water! Try filtering your water at home and using a refillable water bottle instead.

You have more power than you think, Sasquatch. Power to create problems and power to fix them them. Try the carbon footprint calculator, think about your life and some easy ways you could change it daily. Here’s an easy way to start—come to The Brown Bag for breakfast and lunch where we’ve put a lot of thought into what we can do every day to trim our carbon footprint. Your one simple decision pays it forward and multiplies. Wasn’t that easy?