341825 Sat Nov 11 05:53:15 -0800 2006 27 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 2013240 In the Berkeley/El Cerrito area who has the best prices for Diestal Turkeys? Or are they pretty much offerred at the same prices everywhere? Anyone have another type of bird that they like? Is it worth the $$ to go with a Heritage bird? I've had the Diestal Birds before and liked them but have limited success with others.... Sat Nov 11 05:53:15 -0800 2006 10429 gordon wing 1 2013760 oops! meant to say " I have limited experience" with others ( Willie Bird, or Heritage Birds) Feel a bit like John Kerry - having to further explain my original post :~) did some calling around and the diestel birds are around $2.00 for the regular Diestel. $2.69/2.79 for the organic variation. That's Whole Foods - Berkeley. Armond's Meats in the El Cerrito Natural Grocery Store, and I believe that Diestel is also carried at Colusa Mkt. in Kensington, Enzo's Meats in Oakland and the Point Richmond Market, Point Richmond. Sat Nov 11 17:24:34 -0800 2006 2013240 10429 gordon wing 2 2014243 We just ordered a Diestel through Drewes Bros. on Church St. Sat Nov 11 22:33:41 -0800 2006 2013760 10658 Atomica 1 2013804 Melanie who buys her birds direct from the farm at Willie Bird may disagree with me, but I prefer Diestel WAY over Willie Bird. Like you, I have always had outstanding results with Diestel. That being said, I didn't find a bit of difference taste-wise between the organic and regular Diestal. Unless I was in one of my organic-only moods, I doubt if I'd buy another organic Diestal. Also it seems the sizes of the organic birds are smaller so if you need a large turkey it might be harder to get. It's not like I eat organic all that much. I try to, but it doesn't happen and the price isn't worth it for me for that one item. Yeah, at Thanksgiving I'd go with easy in and out. Skip Whole Foods unless you are planning to shop there or pick up your turkey when the doors open. It is just too much of a mob scene ... unless you are into that ... there are years when I like the whole festive insane ambiance of shopping the day before Thanksgiving at a market like Whole Foods. As to the others, they are all reliable ... go for price and proximity. Easy to get to and easy to get out of. I prefer Colusa Market ... which IIRC did have a Diestel sign up ... over Point Richmond Market. They are both good markets but IMO, Colusa is better. Other places that you might call is that new joint that Ruth mentioned someplace up near Clairmont. There is Van der Bruggs(?) the market next to La Farine and that chicken joint near Monterey Market. The problem with all of those places is that parking is going to be tight at that time. Sat Nov 11 17:55:02 -0800 2006 2013240 10264 rworange 2 2014002 Should note that I buy a SMOKED Willie bird, and I like going to Willie Bird's store year-round for turkey carcasses, parts, giblets, sausage, etc. Very handy to make the gravy ahead of time. http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/41515 Sat Nov 11 19:49:22 -0800 2006 2013804 10039 Melanie Wong 2 2014108 Ver Brugge, you mean. There's always a super long line there the days before Thanksgiving, but parking tends to not be so bad (especially if you tag team it with something you need at Safeway and park in the Safeway lot). This year I ordered my turkey from Berkeley Bowl, which I think is a clear sign that I've gone insane. Sat Nov 11 21:08:48 -0800 2006 2013804 13525 JasmineG 3 2014369 "This year I ordered my turkey from Berkeley Bowl, which I think is a clear sign that I've gone insane." This made me laugh really hard! I feel you. Sat Nov 11 23:34:33 -0800 2006 2014108 10189 celeste 3 2028127 Why? Because of the crowds or because you know something horrible about them that we don't know? Thu Nov 16 21:54:44 -0800 2006 2014108 10245 oakjoan 4 2028523 The crowds, the crowds!! I accidentally went to Berkeley Bowls the day before Easter at opening time. It was a full-contact sport that left me depleted and exhausted. I love and fear that place. Fri Nov 17 00:06:01 -0800 2006 2028127 10189 celeste 5 2028550 Yeah. One of the biggest shopping errors I ever made was going to the Bowl on the Tuesday before T-Day, thinking I would miss the day before T-Day crowd. Boy was I wrong. The only upside was that at least they hadn't run out of everything -- I remember once going at the last minute and they were out of a lot of the ingredients for traditional T-Day dishes. Plus, I swear that Thanksgiving is to cooks what New Year's is to partiers: amateur night. People who never cook are all of sudden inspired to cook a multi-course meal for a dozen people, and not only that, but it can't just be stuff they know how to cook, it has to be Grandma's cranberry sauce, and Uncle John's gravy, etc. Those people then wander around the market with dazed looks wondering where the sage is and whether you can use tarragon instead, because the market is out of sage. Fri Nov 17 00:16:23 -0800 2006 2028523 10159 Ruth Lafler 5 2028806 Opening's a great time to go to Berkeley Bowl if you can get by with a handbasket. You can get in and out before the line forms. Fri Nov 17 01:52:18 -0800 2006 2028523 11369 Robert Lauriston 6 2029235 I claim that the best time to hit BB is between 4:30 and 5 p.m. on a week day. Ah, I wish I were really wealthy and had a staff to pick up the turkey and fixings. It's funny about what Ruth said about cooks and Thanksgiving. My sister and I take turns because it's so boring to do Thanksgiving. We're always arguing "Nosirree! I did NOT do Christmas twice in a row!" "Yes you did! Remember? I was blah blah blah" We have certain dishes that everybody HAS to have and that limits our creativity. Dessert is probably the only course where we're allowed to fool around with cause nobody's wedded to pumpkin pie. Fri Nov 17 05:42:03 -0800 2006 2028806 10245 oakjoan 4 2030285 Yeah, definitely the crowds. It's a 20 minute wait in line (in the express line!) on a normal day. I can't imagine how bad it will be on Tuesday. Fri Nov 17 18:13:18 -0800 2006 2028127 13525 JasmineG 1 2013820 RW, thanks for sharing your experience with the Traditional Diestel and the Organic version - I was wondering if there was much difference flavor wise..... I'm inclined to stick with the regular version which I've always enjoyed. Sat Nov 11 18:06:40 -0800 2006 2013240 10429 gordon wing 1 2020846 Per heritageturkeyfoundation.org, what Diestel's selling as "heirloom" turkeys are not a "heritage" breed by the Slow Food definition, they're an early modern-type breed developed in the 1930s. See the note at the bottom of this page: http://www.heritageturkeyfoundation.org/resources/northern_california_markets.htm Tue Nov 14 18:06:30 -0800 2006 2013240 11369 Robert Lauriston 1 2022150 I got a Diestel Petite turkey from Whole Foods in SF last year for $2.99 # - it was tender, juicy, and flavorful. A nine pounder I roasted in my little rotisserie. You need to call to make sure they hold one for you, or oder one if they don't have one - which they will do. Call just to be on the safe side. Tue Nov 14 23:55:08 -0800 2006 2013240 23824 niki rothman 1 2030240 Roger at Central in El Sobrante/Richmond had four left Thursday night when I stopped by. Central Foods (510) 223-4532 4352 Appian Way El Sobrante, CA 94803 Open Thursday morning for pickup too. Fri Nov 17 17:58:43 -0800 2006 2013240 10784 Scrapironchef 1 2030442 Diestel or Willie Bird for $2.29 lb at ver brugge. just ordered 1 yesterday. they recommended that diestel because willie bird sometimes messes up your order. Fri Nov 17 19:03:30 -0800 2006 2013240 11315 lucymom 1 2031735 I believe Raleys sells them as well. At least they used to do so. Sat Nov 18 03:17:20 -0800 2006 2013240 13518 artisan02 2 2047361 You can order them at the Raley's in Reno for holidays. I didn't check the per pound price, but the turkey was about 32 bucks and weighed about 16 pounds so that's $2/pound. It was the organic version, and it came out great. I've been ordering them for Thanksgiving for several years now. But I do have a near-disaster story to tell: I was shopping the day before Thanksgiving and turned my attention away from the cart for a minute...then turned back to find the cart gone...turkey and all! Rushed up to the front and (admittedly in a somewhat panicked way) asked the manager if he could please make an announcement over the PA to ask folks to check their cart. He looked at me like I was totally strange and asked what was the big deal...why didn't I just get a new cart? Well, because my turkey is in it!! SO get a new turkey, says he.....Now I know full well that they have no Diestel turkeys left, and even no fresh turkeys left....but this guy failed to understand the difference. And he's the grocery manager?? humph! Sun Nov 26 05:35:53 -0800 2006 2031735 10290 janetofreno 3 2047745 Oh God, how did it end??? I almost had a turkey crisis myself -- the place that I reserved either lost my order or lied to me over the phone about taking the order, and I almost freaked out (especially since I was forced to get someone else to pick it up for me), but luckily there were more fresh turkeys left (though, not the kind that I had ordered). Sun Nov 26 16:36:24 -0800 2006 2047361 13525 JasmineG 4 2047850 We found my cart. Phew!! And the turkey was great. BTW, I once had the problem with them "losing" the order..so now I ALWAYS ask for a confirmation number. Hasn't happened since. Sun Nov 26 18:06:19 -0800 2006 2047745 10290 janetofreno 1 2039670 I just wanted to note that if you can't get hold of a Diestal, I was in Trader Joe's last night and they had fresh Kosher Turkeys for $1.69/lb. Tue Nov 21 20:15:54 -0800 2006 2013240 10159 Ruth Lafler 1 2040305 They have both organic and nonorganic Diestals at Berkeley Natural Foods on Gilman (and probably at their sister store in El Cerrito on San Pablo too, which is blessed with a good-sized parking lot). Tue Nov 21 23:50:09 -0800 2006 2013240 17199 Nina 2 2040373 Also at Mi Terra on San Pablo in Berkeley. Wed Nov 22 00:24:18 -0800 2006 2040305 11231 Glencora 1 2040873 I realize that this is in SF, and therefore not germane to the OP, but in case anyone is madly scrambling to find one of the organic ("Heidi's Hens") Diestel birds, as we were this afternoon (long story), there were some at the Real Foods on Valencia that they'd gotten in this morning. $2.99 a pound. Apparently Whole Foods isn't carrying the organic birds in the case (although they do have the regular Diestel birds), it's a special order, and it's too late to order one (ditto Bryan's). Wed Nov 22 04:27:49 -0800 2006 2013240 18984 Emily Hope 1 2040882 I got a Heidi's Hens Diestel organic bird at Enzos but I am really irritated about it. I ordered it for 9 people with leftovers and got a big box when I picked it up tonight. When I got home I saw that it was less than 12 lbs!!! Grrrrrr! I now have to either take it back and complain or buy another, smaller bird tomorrow. That means braving the crowds and taking off work early or going in late. Grrrrrr again! I think I'll call them in the morning. Does anybody know the name of the guy who bought out Enzo - he's usually around and I'd like to ask for him. Wed Nov 22 04:35:26 -0800 2006 2013240 10245 oakjoan 1 2047151 Nob Hill is joining the post-Thankgiving sales on turkey with Diestel turkeys. I just bought 2 fresh birds at the Gilroy store for .48 per pound. I usually stock the freezer with turkey this time of year, but this is the first time I'd seen Diestel birds reduced so much. Sun Nov 26 03:15:38 -0800 2006 2013240 55639 Idearat