Williams-Sonoma, that bastion of culinary BoBoism, knows what Sonoma Insiders do for turkeys: Willie Bird turkeys from Santa Rosa, the aggie heartland of Sonoma County.
As Willie-Bird details on their nifty website:
Here at Willie Bird’s, we use nothing but the highest quality poultry. First, we wet cure it in a mild, low-salt marinade; conceived of special oils and spices, where it is then aged to perfection. Next, we smoke it over natural alderwood. It is during this process that it absorbs the depth and character of flavor that has become the famous Willie Bird trademark. All of our smoked products are fully cooked, immediately cooled, and vacuum-sealed so that they will remain fresh for a minimum of 6 to 8 weeks without freezing.
The fine copy-writers at Williams-Sonoma online even attest:
Just before the holidays, people wait for hours at the Willie Bird ranch in Sonoma County, California, to buy fresh free-range turkeys. The ranch, which has raised poultry for more than 30 years, feeds its turkeys natural grains and vegetable proteins, producing a very juicy, flavorful bird.
(There’s even a cool video there, but they won’t give up the embed codes. Whatta way to play with the New Internets, W-S… Web two-point-uh-oh…)
So, for all your free-range, organic, happy to just be Turkey needs, Willie Bird embodies the farm-to-table ethos of Sonoma County.
And if you don’t want to cook your own turkey, you can always order some at the Willie Birds Restaurant in Santa Rosa. It’s an unassuming place that serves the best turkey… in the universe.
