5 local foods for your holiday table

Did you miss out on a Georgia pastured turkey? You can still feast locavore-style
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Image courtesy of Little Tart Bakeshop

If in the next week you somehow score a locally raised turkey that you did not reserve months ago, kudos to you. Local holiday turkeys are so popular that most are spoken for in spring, when they are just little gobblers. The impromptu Thanksgiving bird is elusive, though not entirely impossible to find.

Even so, procrastinator locavores should not despair. If you want to serve some Georgia-grown or Georgia-made items at your Thanksgiving feast, there are plenty of producers who will be happy to assist you. Here are five suggestions:

Savory Herb Turkey Brine Mix from Mo Mint & Thyme: This mix combines salt, sugar and organic spices with locally and sustainably grown rosemary, sage, thyme and bay leaves for a beautifully flavored, juicy bird. Find the brine mix this Saturday at Brookhaven and Marietta Square farmers markets, and next Tuesday at the Emory Farmers Market.

Local cornmeal and honey at the Buckeye Creek Farm Holiday Open House: This Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., many of the regular vendors from Cherokee Fresh Market will gather at Buckeye Creek Farm in Woodstock to sell their produce, canned and baked goods, pasta, soaps and other goodies. You won’t find cornmeal more freshly milled than this: It will be ground on the spot. The farm is located at 2115 Jep Wheeler Road, Woodstock, 678-491-5843.

Pie from Little Tart Bakeshop. You want pie, don’t you? Or maybe a vegetable quiche or savory bread pudding? You can have them all—provided you place your order by Sunday. Apple pie, pumpkin pie, and maple pecan pie feature local ingredients, as do the quiche and pudding. To order yours, e-mail sarah@littletartatl.com, or call the shop at 404-348-4797. Pick up Tuesday or Wednesday at the shop in Grant Park, or arrange for pickup at the Emory Farmers Market on Tuesday or Decatur Farmers Market on Wednesday. View the entire holiday menu.

AtlantaFresh Nonfat Ranch Salad Dressing & Dip: Before the big meal comes out, you know you’ll be snacking on chips and dip. But why not save a few extra fat molecules for dessert, and make the dip fat-free? AtlantaFresh Artisan Creamery uses nonfat Greek yogurt (made from local milk) in its dressings, which also make for delicious dips. Find all three flavors— Classic Ranch, Cucumber Dill Tzatziki, and Chipotle Lime—at Whole Foods and several independent groceries, in addition to Peachtree Road Farmers Market, Marietta Square Farmers Market, and Grant Park Farmers Market.

Organic veggies at Morningside Farmers Market. Many area farmers markets insist on sustainably grown produce, but only Morningside guarantees that all food products sold there are certified organic. The Saturday morning market starts early, and you’ll want to be there before 7:30 a.m. to line up for sweet potatoes, greens, and all other essential holiday veggies. While you’re there, catch the market’s final chef demonstration of 2013 with Ron Eyester of Rosebud, Family Dog, and Timone’s. And meet the Beekman Boys–Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell–who will be signing their new book, “The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Dessert Cookbook.”

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