The Goose on your Thanksgiving table

The basics are covered for your Thanksgiving feast. Turkey, check. Stuffing and potatoes, check. Cranberries, gravy, pie, check, check, check. But part of tradition that's grown up around the fourth Thursday of November has to do with the extras: extra seats for family and friends, extra time around the table, extra special care preparing the dishes, whether old standards or new takes.

The Goose is packed with all the essentials (organic mirepoix, local squash, house-made poultry stock and sausage, fresh rolls, and more), but the Goose is all about the extras, too. Space on the shelves in our fully-stocked cellar is devoted to a few new bottles sourced just in time to bring a little extra to your holiday feast.

At the Goose, we like to add a fourth word to Bourbon Barrel Foods' three word philosophy: slow, small, simple...delicious. The only small batch soy sauce brewed in the U.S. is aged in old bourbon barrels from Buffalo Trace for that little extra sweetness and light smokiness. Sprinkle their bourbon-smoked black pepper or bourbon-smoked paprika over Thanksgiving gravy or roasted sweet potatoes for another rich flavor. You might have to fight Granddad for the last biscuit when Bourbon Vanilla Sorghum is on the table.

And while you're in the Goose's cellar, don't forget to check out November's Wines of the Month that Gabe chose especially with your Thanksgiving feast in mind.

From our gaggle to yours...Happy Thanksgiving!

Gobble Gobble Goose

It's T minus 20 till T-day! Do you know where your turkey is?



If you order your bird from Goose the Market, your plump, juicy turkey is currently leading a happy, all-natural life at Gunthorp Farms in LaGrange, Indiana. Raised especially for the Goose, Greg Gunthorp is rearing these fowl with open pasture and without antibiotics or artificial hormones. As they say, the birds will have only one bad day. Once Greg and his team process the turkeys, they'll be delivered fresh (and never frozen) to the Goose the very next day. There are more drumsticks on these local birds than there are stops between the farm and your holiday table.

Get your order in now to make sure your Thanksgiving menu is complete. And for a little inspiration, check out the first episode of Goose TV when Chef Chris Eley talks us through brining and roasting the bird before making a simple pan sauce for serving. Print the recipes, get a ready-made shopping list, and even enter to win a free turkey, all thanks to the Pilgrims and Indians at TrendyMinds.

Terra Madre: The Mother Land of Meat

The sign read "Via dei Salumi". Which translates loosely to "Cured Meat Lane". If you ever find yourself somewhere they have dedicated an entire lane to cured meats, then you may want to walk away from the light. It is the closest thing to a real life miracle as you will ever see. The term "lane" here was used very loosely. It would best be described as a cured meat interstate. This was the scene at Salone del Gusto the food show that runs concurrently with Terra Madre.

Although Salone packed the quantity, the quality was definitely found in the Slow Food Presidia. Here one could find unique food products that included cheese, cured meats, grains, chocolate, mead, wine, fruits, vegetables and honey just to name a few items. All of which have been designated as a protected food item by Slow Food. It is kind of like being on the endangered species list. Here you have the opportunity to taste, smell, feel and even buy things that at one point almost cease to exist.

Terra Madre was attended by over 8,000 delegates from all over the world. There was as much cultural diversity as there was food diversity. I have never found myself in a room with so many different languages and lifestyles, yet all bound by a common interest in farming and food.

The event is so overwhelming that you leave feeling drained and recharged all at the same time. The delegates from Indianapolis would probably agree that our food culture future is bright in the Midwest. Everyone has fresh ideas, willing to protect our food culture and are ready to put new ideas into action. Thanks again for all of your support through farm dinners, volunteering and Slow Food events. The Goose is recharged and ready to return the favor.

Obama: not the only Hawaiian in Indy this week

Just in time for the weekend, the Goose has Hawaiian Monchong, Kajiki, and sushi grade Tuna. Don't let the funny names fool you. Monchong is a delicate fish that's perfect for pan-frying. Kajiki is a sturdier filet that stands up to grilling but sizzles nicely in the pan, too. Fat, ruby, sushi grade tuna...aloha, what more can we say?

Chris is swooning over these fins. "This looks so good, I just want to eat it for dinner myself," he said as he sliced up the first orders. Need a little inspiration? Just ask Chef Chris how he'll prepare dinner tonight!

Quick, pull up your grass skirt and run over to the Goose for these fish just hours from the ocean water.

There's more than corn in Indiana: Home Grown Indiana book signing

Finally, a book you can judge by its cover.

Home Grown Indiana by Christine Barbour and Scott Hutcheson is a county by county guide to local food in Indiana. From winemakers and farmers to chefs and food festivals, there's a hearty slice of Indiana's food culture between the covers.

Stop by the Goose this Saturday, Oct. 4, from 10am -- 2pm to meet authors Christine and Scott. They'll be signing copies of the book (also available at the Goose!) and chatting about the adventures of chronicling our Hoosier home grown treats.

Let the Goose give you the bird

The Goose is ready to take your orders for that center-plate of the Thanksgiving table.

Greg from Gunthrop Farms in LaGrange, Indiana, has been tending a flock of all-natural, free-range, melt-in-your-mouth turkeys, and Chris has dedicated the inaugural episode of Cooking with the Goose to make sure your bird is brined to perfection. Check out the episode, print a ready-made ingredient list for easy shopping, and get Chris's recipe...all brought to you by the hungry folks at TrendyMinds.

Remember, these splendid birds are available through on-line orders only. Just a few clicks, a couple key-strokes, and the Goose will give you the bird on Saturday, November 22, at the Binford Farmers Market (10:00 am to 2:30 pm) or at the Goose (3:30 pm to 6:00 pm).