Thanksgiving with David Dadekian of Eat Drink RI

David Dadekian is the president and primary writer/editor of Eat Drink RI; RI Foundation 2014 Innovation Fellow for his plan to build the Eat Drink RI Central Market; PR Director for Blackbird Farm; Past Chair of the Rhode Island Food Policy Council; writer/photographer; husband and father of two girls. I caught up with him for a few Thanksgiving tips.

1. Where's a good place in Rhode Island to get a farm-fresh turkey?
Baffoni's Poultry Farm in Johnston is the biggest grower of turkeys locally. You can also find turkeys at Wild Harmony Farm in Exeter, Pat's Pastured in East Greenwich and Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm just over the Coventry border in Sterling, CT.

2. What's on your Thanksgiving menu this year?
Oh boy, I try to change it up every year to keep things interesting (and myself interested in cooking) but of course there are the staples that everyone wants: turkey (I usually do it 2 or 3 ways), gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberries. Then there's the rotating sides which I'll also change how I prepare them: parsnips, Brussels sprouts, carrots, butternut squash, corn.

3. Please share a favorite Thanksgiving recipe.
I rarely cook to exact recipes, but I do use this one from my friend Amy McCoy which is pretty foolproof and delicious: http://www.tinyfarmhouse.com/2014/11/easy-orange-cranberry-sauce/

photo courtesy tinyfarmhouse

4. What other Thanksgiving traditions do you have?
Thanksgiving is a joy for me. It's a long span of cooking with lots of good wine that seems to go from Tuesday through the weekend. We have most of our family over, though we head to my father's cousin's in the evening every year where we get into their leftovers! My daughters love to watch the Macy's parade instead of helping me cook even though they tell me every year (including this one already) that they'd love to help out. Basically, it's enjoying a ton of food as a prelude to a crazy fun month of December!