Merrimack Valley Magazine

MVM’s Special Thanksgiving Eats

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This holiday season, spend less time cooking and more time with family, as restaurants and businesses across the Valley make Thanksgiving dinner easy. Although uncertainty seems like the norm, one thing you can be certain about is that these local business have your back when it comes to serving up a delicious turkey dinner. Traditionalists will not be disappointed, and those looking for unconventional meals have plenty to choose from.

Below is a list of spots that are providing Thanksgiving meals and specials. Order soon — many places have a cut-off time for preorders. And stay posted with each week’s Eight Great Things To Do This Weekend, where we will be including a growing list of local restaurants and businesses.

 

Artisan Chef Catering Co.
With a full meal set for 15 people, Artisan Chef Catering Co.’s Thanksgiving package is perfect for large families (or families looking to have seconds, thirds and fourths). The full package has everything a turkey dinner needs, including a 22-pound turkey, dinner rolls, homemade gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and much more. The half meal package includes a 14-pound turkey and all the necessary sides (feeds 8). Save room for dessert; there are cream pies, apple crisp and cheesecake! Order by Nov. 18 at (978) 970-0212 or by visiting here.

Buono Bistro Restaurant
With Buono Bistro Restaurant, customers can dine in-house or take their meal to go. Buono’s menu features white and dark meat with traditional stuffing, herbed corn, whipped potatoes and more. Visit here to place your reservations and orders.

Cakes by Erin
Pre-order your favorite Thanksgiving desserts — pumpkin, apple and chocolate cream pie; large and mini cupcakes; and apple cider donut cake — by Nov. 21. These treats are fun, festive and so well crafted you’ll almost feel bad for digging in! Click here for more.

Cobblestones of Lowell
Priced and packaged for two, Cobblestones of Lowell offers everything couples need for Thanksgiving dinner. Start off with a butternut squash bisque with toasted pumpkin seeds, pickled apple and five-spice creme. Then, feast down on a main coarse of roasted turkey with stuffing, gravy, roasted potatoes, dinner rolls and house-made cranberry sauce. After, finish off the night with sweet potato cheesecake. To order or to see a complete Thanksgiving menu click here.

The Common Man
This Thanksgiving, The Common Man is offering you oven-roasted turkey breasts with house-made pan gravy, whole berry cranberry sauce, signature stuffing, country mashed potatoes, sweet bread, pumpkin pie with cinnamon whipped cream and much more. Place your order here by Nov. 20.

Grazie Italian Restaurant
Whether you want to dine in or take out, Grazie has you covered this Thanksgiving. Chow down on carved turkey, butternut squash, green beans, apple pie, cranberry stuffing, buttermilk mashed potatoes, and the list goes on. Place your order or reservation by Nov. 23 at (978) 455-0054 or by visiting here.

The Homestead Restaurant & Tavern
The Homestead Restaurant and Tavern is now accepting Thanksgiving reservations. With a multitude of meal options, there’s something for everyone in this diverse Turkey Day menu. You can make reservations and takeout orders by clicking here.

Jocelyn’s Mediterranean Restaurant & Lounge
Jocelyn’s will be open Thanksgiving Day from 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. by reservation only. Dive into some roasted turkey, homemade mashed potatoes, vegetable medley, stuffing, whipped butternut squash, cranberry sauce and pita bread. Orders can be made for take out as well. Visit here to make a reservation.

Mission Oak Grill
This Newburyport-based eatery is offering in-house dining for your Thanksgiving dinner. Book your reservations now to enjoy a selection of savory entrees, decadent desserts and one-of-a-kind company. Mission Oak Grill is offering all the Thanksgiving essentials and more this holiday season. You can make a reservation by clicking here.

The Paddle Inn
The Paddle Inn is offering a Turkey Day package perfect for individuals. Get mashed potatoes and gravy, delicata squash with goat cheese, pomegranate cornbread stuffing, Brussels sprouts with bacon, Paddle Inn dinner rolls with maple butter, and a choice of apple, pumpkin or bourbon pecan pie. Buyers can choose to add a herb-roasted turkey. Order by Nov. 23 at (978) 572-1242 or by visiting here.

Purple Carrot Bread Co.
Purple Carrot Bread Co. wants to bring you fresh home-cooked food that you can simply heat up and serve. The Full Turkey Dinner Meal includes dark and white meat fully roasted and carved, as well as sage turkey gravy, bourbon cranberry sauce, pie (pumpkin, apple or cranberry apple), bread stuffing, and your choice of three additional sides. Order at (978) 455-4188 or by visiting here.

Seaglass Restaurant and Lounge
Seaglass’s Complete Turkey Dinner Package serves 6 to 8 guests and includes Thanksgiving essentials like roasted Brussels sprouts, gravy, mashed potatoes and, of course, plenty of turkey. Seaglass’s special also offers plenty of sides, dinner wines and Chef Harley’s gourmet hot d’oeuvres. Order by Nov. 25 at (978) 462-5800 or by visiting here.

Shaw Farm
Looking for a fresh and local turkey for Thanksgiving? Shaw Farm has what you need. These hormone-free, farm-fresh birds are from Jordan Farm in Rutland, Mass. To preorder yours by Nov. 19, visit here.

Simply Elegant Catering
If you’re looking for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, look no further than Simply Elegant Catering. Ready to feed six people, this meal package includes all of the classics: mashed potatoes, butternut squash, glazed carrots, dinner rolls, and a 12-pound roasted turkey with traditional stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce. Save room for pumpkin pie and bread pudding. Order by Nov. 20 at (978) 372-7329 or by visiting here.

Tuscan Market
For traditionalists, the Whole Roasted Turkey Dinner includes a carved 12-pound roasted turkey, insalata mista, maple-roasted sweet potatoes, mascarpone whipped potatoes, and more (feeds 6-8 people). Tuscan Market’s Standout sides showcase an artisan Italian twist with prosciutto-stuffed shells, green beans with almonds, and acorn squash cups with sage crema. Order by Nov. 23 at (603) 912-5467 or by visiting here.

Andover Classic Wines
No Thanksgiving meal is complete without wine. Just for the holidays, use promo code THANKSMVM for $5 off your next $50+ purchase at Andover Classic Wines. You can visit here to see a full selection.

2020 MVMA Winners – Milestone (Longevity in Business)

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We are happy to present the winners of the 2020 Merrimack Valley Magazine Awards. This spring, the top picks in all categories were chosen by our readers via our online voting platform. Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote and congratulations to all the winners.

Milestone – 5 Years
Seoul Kitchen
Seoul Kitchen is a family-owned and operated restaurant in Westford that captures exciting and authentic Korean flavors in a modern and welcoming setting. Featuring fresh and creative sushi served alongside craft cocktails, their dishes can be best described as bold and innovative, yet traditional. Their sushi is one of a kind — they use hand-selected fish from the local seaport to make delicious fresh items from the sushi bar.
142 Littleton Rd. | Westford, Mass.
EatSeoulKitchen.com

Milestone – 10 Years
Tuscan Kitchen
Inspired by owner Joe Faro’s travels throughout Italy, Tuscan Kitchen’s authentic Italian cuisine makes you feel as though you’ve stepped right into the boot. Tuck into a Fichi pizza with figs, rosemary, burrata and prosciutto, or go for the traditional rigatoni alla Bolognese. Want something lighter? They also offer delicious salads and meat dishes.
Burlington, Mass.; Salem, N.H.
TuscanBrands.com/Kitchen

Milestone – 20 Years
Farmer Dave’s
Farmer Dave was raised on Marsh Hill in Dracut, Massachusetts. At an early age, he began at Brox Farm in Dracut. After graduating from college, he worked with Ecuadorian farmers to improve their soil health, crop yields, irrigation systems, crop storage, animal health, and marketing methods. Upon returning 1997, he began leasing the Brox Farm, growing vegetables and flowers. In 2006, he purchased his own farm in Dracut. Farmer Dave plants a wide variety of long-term crops including apples, blueberries, raspberries and herbs. Visit his website to learn more about Farmer Dave and their popular CSA program.
437 Parker Rd. | Dracut, Mass.
FarmerDaves.net

Milestone – 30 Years
Enterprise Bank
When it first opened, Enterprise Bank quickly gained a reputation for providing full-service banking to community residents and businesses. With success came growth. Headquartered in Lowell, Enterprise Bank now has branches throughout the Merrimack Valley and continues to advance its mission of kindling the entrepreneurial spirit.
Twenty-Five Branches Throughout The Region, with a North Andover Location Opening Soon
EnterpriseBanking.com

 

Milestone – 40 Years
Flowers by Steve
Step into a floral paradise at Flowers by Steve’s Haverhill store. Steve’s can create specialized arrangements for weddings, anniversaries and other special occasions. Established in 1975, they offer everything from classic roses to exotic bouquets. Flowers by Steve can tailor arrangements to your requests. Find the perfect bouquet for your favorite person with the help of the expert designers at Steve’s.
14 Cross Rd. | Haverhill, Mass.
FlowersbySteveInc.com

Milestone – 50 Years
Harrows Chicken Pies
Harrows Chicken Pies are still made the same way they were in the 1930s, with slow-cooked chicken and rich homemade gravy. You can either call ahead to pick up a piping hot, ready-to-eat chicken pie, or pick up a cold one to bake at home. The pies are available in four different sizes, ranging from 1-6 servings. No matter what size your family is, Harrows can accommodate. Besides the chicken pie, Harrows also sells dessert pies such as apple and blueberry. On top of that they also sell a variety of sides to complement your meal.
436 Broadway | Methuen, Mass.
ChickenPie.com

Milestone – 75 Years
Lowell Memorial Auditorium
Built after World War I to honor veterans, Lowell Memorial Auditorium is an ideal venue for concerts, family shows, conferences, conventions, trade shows, corporate seminars and much more, the 2,800-seat venue was constructed in 1922. Famed as the location of the Golden Gloves boxing tournament (Rocky Marciano began his career at the LMA) and Lowell Irish Festival, the building is a critical part of Lowell’s legacy that continues to provide a home for entertaining and educating area residents.
50 E. Merrimack St. | Lowell, Mass.
LowellAuditorium.com

Milestone – 100 Years
Shaw Farm
While the Shaw family’s farm business is over 100 years old, their history as farmers goes back further. When the king of England offered land to New England farmers in the 1700s, the Shaw family of Rhode Island moved to Nova Scotia before returning to resettle in Dracut. In the spring of 1915, disaster struck at the farm where Shaw was working, and an entire herd of cows had to be destroyed as a result of foot and mouth disease. The farm was sold, but Mark Shaw inherited its home delivery customers. This was the beginning of the M.L. Shaw and Sons milk business. From these beginnings grew the dairy business that has become central to our region’s agricultural history. In the ’60s, the family opened a farm store and would eventually move into ice cream production, which is how many children in the Merrimack Valley come to know of Shaw Farm and its legacy.
204 New Boston Rd. | Dracut, Mass.
ShawFarm.com   

 

The 2020 MVMAs are sponsored by:

How to Buy Organic

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Local Resources For Buying Organic Dairy Products, Produce and More

When people are asked to weigh in on the subject of organic foods, their responses often fall into two categories. There are those who genuinely believe organic foods are better for us. And there are others who think “organic” is just a euphemism for “costs a lot more for no good reason.”

Warren Shaw and Brian Cramer are working on converting the skeptics.

Shaw owns and operates Shaw Farm in Dracut (ShawFarm.com), which has been in his family through four generations since 1908. Dairy and beef cattle live on the farm, which offers wholesale, retail and home delivery dairy products. A farm stand on the property features homemade products such as ice cream, along with a variety of other food and goods. And since 2006, Shaw has sold whole, 2-percent and fat-free milk with an “organic” tag attached.

Cramer is the farm manager at Hutchins Farm in Concord, Mass. (HutchinsFarm.com), where all crops are organic and where, over nearly three dozen acres, he oversees “a full spectrum of just about all the vegetables and fruits and edible herb crops that can grow in this climate.”

There was a time when dairy or crop farmers who went the organic route did so more out of a sense of environmental responsibility than good business. Cramer, for example, jokes: “In some ways, farming organically is like farming with one hand tied behind your back, and you get to pay for the privilege.”

But those days are changing. “Overall, [going organic] has been a good move,” Shaw says. Organic dairy products account for nearly a quarter of the dairy farm’s business, and he has seen sales of his organic milk triple since its introduction.

“I do look forward to growing my organic line as a business,” he says. His New England Organic Creamery by Shaw Farms products are already available locally at places such as Wilson Farm in Lexington, Verrill Farm in Concord, Mass., and some Whole Foods Market locations.

“There aren’t five people in New England who could step in and do what I do on my farm,” Shaw says. “There is only one [dairy line] made in Massachusetts that is directly marketed to consumers, and it’s Shaw Farms.”

Still, Shaw admits that producing the organic line “is a little difficult.” So much so that despite the terrific growth of his organic milk, only 20 of his 90 dairy cows are used to produce it. And for good reason. First of all, he had to buy cows out of Maine that had already been certified organic. You can’t just select a favorite farm bovine and convert her.

“The requirement for certified organic,” Shaw says, “is [for the cows to] be outside all the time, and during growing season [for them to] feed themselves. You have to have enough land to pasture them.”

Warren Shaw, owner of Shaw Farm in Dracut, produces organic dairy products under the brand name New England Organic Creamery by Shaw Farm. The products are available locally at several retailers as well as for home delivery. Shaw’s 20 certified organic cows are grass-fed for most of the year. They are fed a special organic grain mixture during the winter months. Photos by Kevin Harkins.

And when they do need to be fed, they can only eat a “very, very expensive grain,” usually from Vermont.

You might ask: If Shaw cheated a little on the organic stuff, who would know?

Well, Shaw would, and so would Baystate Organic Certifiers, a national USDA accredited organic certifying agent based in North Dighton, Mass.

“They are very protective of the organic process,” Shaw says. He must reapply each year to have his products certified organic, and Baystate also does one or two spot inspections each year to make sure he is meeting all necessary standards.

Hutchins Farm must meet the same certifying standards, pass the inspections and also answer to Baystate, Cramer says. And he understands why. “Organic is really the part of the food marketplace that is consistently growing,” he says. “The organic label is really the only one out there with credibility. It means something that is certifiable, where a term like ‘all-natural’ really means nothing to anybody.”

Hutchins Farm sells its produce to a handful of local restaurants and specialty stores. Its main business is its Concord farm stand, which is open in season and offers more than 50 different fruits and vegetables.

Asked what makes organic fruits and vegetables unique, Cramer says, “It’s shorthand for a whole bunch of things … you’re looking for minimal spray residue and a generally more environmentally sustainable approach to growing food.”

It’s a serious distinction. If a certain crop is diseased one season and has to be sprayed in order to be salvaged, Cramer says that field can’t  be used to grow organic products for the next three years.

“The farmers who started this organic farm had worked on conventional farms and, like me, had been disturbed about the seemingly careless use of pesticides and other toxic things without thinking of the repercussions,” Cramer says.

“Ten years ago, I think most growers weren’t thinking about going organic from a sales perspective, but from an environmental stewardship perspective. But now, organic has become a potent brand.”

Organic. It’s not just a label. In Massachusetts, at least, it’s a carefully guarded process.           

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