I’m on the hunt for turkey, but not just any turkey: a Thanksgiving turkey with all the trimmings, ready to dish up and serve on Grandma’s china. Thankfully, if you don’t have time or interest in cooking this year’s feast there are options, including ordering your Thanksgiving feast to go.
Turkeys are available roasted, fried or smoked, with or without the sides. Those all-important side dishes range from the traditional bread dressing to the trendy items such as butternut squash risotto, all waiting to be ordered to make this year’s fest special without the fuss of cooking it yourself. But there’s only one hitch: No matter if you order Thanksgiving from the supermarket, caterer or a restaurant, time is slipping away. Review the menus and prices, then call to place an order before it’s too late.
I have a short list of places where turkeys are found with with sides like Grandma made to unique dishes and desserts beyond the usual pumpkin pie. Check it out. Every operation has its own specialties designed to make Thanksgiving take-out a snap, which is something I am thankful for.
Butler’s Pantry has a four-course Thanksgiving feast with a menu that is a delightful blend of traditional and upscale offerings. Beyond the bird, pick from a list of gourmet appetizers and salads that range from Baked Brie with a black pepper honey topping, to a Bruschetta Trio, to Bacon Brussel Sprouts Salad toasted with a citrus shallot vinaigrette. Butternut Squash Risotto and Apple Cornbread Stuffing and Coriander Glazed Carrots are three standouts, along with dessert. My sweet picks: Pear & Cranberry Upside-Down Cake and the Pumpkin Cannoli.
SqWires Restaurant, located in historic Lafayette Square, offers an a la carte dinner that begins with a choice of a whole golden roasted turkey breast. Sides are packaged in pints or quarts, and include the expected classics of stuffing, skin-on mashed potatoes with gravy, fresh cranberry sauce and roasted Brussel sprouts, along with SqWires’ version of the Midwest must-have: a green bean and caramelized onion casserole. Fresh baked dinner rolls and apple or pumpkin pies round out the menu. SqWires also plates single turkey dinners for those who only need a couple of meals or who dine alone.
Chicken Scratch is having a “Scratchgiving,” featuring made-from-scratch food to give this Thanksgiving a homestyle feel. Located within City Foundry STL, customers can choose from the following: whole rotisserie turkey or chickens that have been dry-brined with salt and sugar, then spice-rubbed. Scratch-made add-ons to complete your dinner include roasted carrots with a lemon thyme vinaigrette and fresh herbs. to a kale salad with lemon Parmesan dressing, sunflower seeds, feta and pomegranate seeds. Dinners are packaged and include mashed potatoes, gravy, a side or two, and a dozen rolls.
Clementine’s Creamery ice cream is the premium pie-topper for those seasonal pies. On second thought, skip the pie and serve one of Clementine’s specialty holiday flavors. Two standouts to date are the Pistachio Cranberry Streusel and Vegan Sweet Potato Pie, both easily scooped using a Zeroll Ice Cream Scooper. Zeroll’s new item scoops the perfect scoop due to the design of its handle that picks up on the heat from your hand. Pair it with a pint to make a great holiday host/hostess gift.
Eckert’s Farm and Country Store in Belleville, Illinois, creates a down-home take on its take-home Thanksgiving feast with several dinner packages that can serve guests while providing enough leftovers to enjoy. If you want a big enough bird for leftovers, consider the whole Applewood Smoked Turkey that serves 18 to 24 adults. Bundle it with a choice of three 2-pound containers of homemade sides. Side choices are mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, traditional bread stuffing, buttered corn, green beans with bacon, or green bean casserole. Wrap up your order with a pie or two, baked fresh-to-order on-site at Eckert’s bakery.
Sugarfire Smoke House is always smoking turkey. During the holidays, that means the addition of whole smoked turkey and turkey breasts. Smoked turkey is a nice alternative to a classic roasted bird, which Sugarfire packs as single-serve meals or as a dinner pack. The Ultimate Thanksgiving Dinner features smoked turkey breast, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, cornbread, green bean casserole, cranberry chutney and pumpkin pie. Don’t need the turkey, but looking for sides? Order up one of Sugarfire’s sides, such as which includes sweet potato pudding with marshmallows. Sides are sold in single, pint, quart and gallon sizes.
