Bronze Bird: Thanksgiving Note | American Bronze turkey

By Annmarie Loffredo

It seems ironic to eat turkeys in order to save them. But last year Heritage Foods USA, a for-profit company that grew out of the international nonprofit Slow Food, promoted the Bourbon Red turkey as a way to protect this rare breed; as a result, twice as many farmers began raising the birds. Now Heritage Foods is focusing on the almost-extinct red-feathered American Bronze turkey, which it believes is tastier than the Bourbon Red. In fact, Heritage Foods' president, Patrick Martins, describes the American Bronzes as "steaklike in their succulence." DETAILS From $69 for a 10-lb turkey; 212-980-6603 or heritagefoodsusa.com.

Published November 2004