This week and next week, the Heavy Table presents a series of “Thanksgiving Hacks,” tips and tricks focused on making your Upper Midwestern Thanksgiving as delicious (and stress-free) as humanly possible. This post is sponsored by Seward Co-op.
Thanksgiving is a particularly special holiday at Seward Co-op because of Seward’s focus on the appreciation of food and community. What better way to honor such an occasion than with the highest-quality local products?
Deli
Consider the co-op your partner in the kitchen when planning this year’s Thanksgiving feast! We have a wide variety of ready-to-eat side dishes to accompany your meal, including stuffing, house-made cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, and poultry or vegan gravy. We also offer entire pre-made meals to fit any need: a family pack, individual servings and a vegan plate. Call or stop by the deli counter to place an order by Sunday, Nov. 23, for any of these special holiday menu items. Orders can be picked up Wednesday, Nov. 26 and Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 27.
No Thanksgiving dinner is complete without the pie. In our bakery case you’ll find whole pies, all handmade from scratch. Place an order to reserve your favorites or pick one up from our grab ’n’ go cooler. Whole pies (pumpkin, vegan pumpkin and pecan) will be on sale for $2 off from Nov. 22–Dec. 2.
If cooking or traveling isn’t in your plans, we’ve got you covered. The week of Thanksgiving — Nov. 24–28 — the Seward Co-op deli will offer a traditional Thanksgiving meal at the hot food bar for $8.99/lb. The selections include all the traditional favorites, such as turkey breast slices, traditional and vegan varieties of stuffing, and gravy, green beans, cranberry relish, beets, and yams.
Meat & Seafood
We are starting the holiday off with a pre-sale of frozen Ferndale Farms all-natural, free-range turkeys. Ferndale Farms, located in Cannon Falls, Minn., has been a family-run farm for more than 70 years. Their all-natural, antibiotic- and hormone-free birds are completely free range during summer months. In fall and winter, they live in a barn with generous outdoor yard access, fresh air, and grass. The turkeys are naturally processed, with no added salt, water, or flavor. Ferndale’s standards for free range and no use of antibiotics exceed USDA organic requirements.
If turkey isn’t your thing, though, look for fresh, local duck, geese, poussin (Cornish game hens), and the sale prices we’ll offer on beef, pork, and lamb roasts. For an extra special appetizer or side dish, consider our homemade terrines, assorted sausages, smoked or pickled fish, and various other cured meats and salamis. Please place your order with our staff ahead of time to ensure availability.
Ordering
- Frozen turkeys are now available for pre-sale.
- Fresh turkeys are available for pick up starting Friday, Nov, 21 (order through Monday, Nov. 24).
- Orders are taken at the meat and seafood counter and via the co-op’s website (seward.coop/turkey).
- Fresh turkeys: $2.49 / lb.
- Frozen turkeys: $1.99 / lb.
Produce
It’s the time of year when winter squash — an extremely nutritious vegetable to include in autumn meals — abounds. Winter squash can generally be put into two categories: the early varieties, which are typically sweet with softer, often with edible flesh (acorn, sugarloaf, spaghetti); and the storage varieties, which are a little starchier and firmer, and will keep for a good long while (kuri, butternut, Long Island cheese).
The easiest way to enjoy the early varieties is to bake them in a 350° oven, after stabbing them with a fork a few times and placing them on a baking sheet. They’re done when your kitchen smells sweet and the squash is soft when poked with a fork (usually about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on size). If you’re feeling fancy, drizzle the flesh with maple syrup and sprinkle with salt and pepper. For sturdier varieties, chop squash into smaller chunks before baking. Once they’re soft, scoop out the insides; then mash to eat as is or add to any number of dishes, including soups, pies, and curries. Try a Long Island cheese squash in place of pumpkin for your next pie. Delightful!
Bulk & Dairy
Whether you’re a baking novice or can roll out perfect croissants in your sleep, Seward Co-op is bursting with local flours, dairy products, and spices to make it easy as pie to add some homemade goodness to your holiday table. Check out the bulk aisle for a staff-favorite baking product: whole wheat pastry flour from P6 producer Whole Grain Milling in Welcome, Minn. Combine pastry flour with unsalted, high-fat butter from Hope Creamery for a flaky, delectable pie crust or tender biscuits. For a gluten-free crust, try the Cake & Pastry Flour Mix from Minneapolis-based Domata. We also carry frozen Down in the Valley pre-made gluten-free crusts, made with organic whole-grain brown rice and sorghum. The co-op’s bulk aisle is also home to a plethora of aromatic spices from Frontier Co-op in Norway, Iowa, including a great pumpkin pie spice mix.
Whole grain baking doesn’t have to take up all your holiday fun time, either. You can freeze a pie crust directly in the pan, wrapped well in plastic, up to three months in advance. When using, just add a few minutes to the baking time. Visit the dairy department to finish your desserts with decadent homemade whipped cream. Hand mix or whisk Cedar Summit heavy whipping cream for a few minutes in a chilled bowl and sweeten it with a splash of maple syrup from Maple Valley Co-op.
Home & Gifts
Whether you’re going to grandma’s house for dinner or hosting Thanksgiving at your place, little touches can really add to the festive ambiance. Bring the scent of the season to your home with Sunleaf’s newest Bayberry & Balsam Room Diffuser, or a hand molded Pine Soap from Seward Soap Co. And don’t forget to treat the host of the season. Check out the co-op’s great selection of gifts. We have gift sets from a number of our favorite body care lines, like Weleda as well as locally made pottery, HoneyGlow taper candles, Wood From the Hood cutting boards, and Global Mamas napkins and aprons. Spice things up with Urban Moonshine Bitters — perfect for cocktails or as a digestion aid after the big Thanksgiving meal.
Hours
Seward Co-op is open Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27, from 8 a.m.–3 p.m.