By Carrie Byrne Putelo
RoAnn and I were especially excited for this food tour. We both love turkey and all the fixings, but Thanksgiving also seemed like the perfect time to reflect on how grateful I am for the friendship that has grown out of all these adventures together.
What started as a fun little adventure a year and a half ago over a shared love of ice cream has turned into one of the most meaningful friendships in my life. Somewhere along the way, it became about so much more than our next ice cream stop. It became the conversations, the laughs and knowing I have someone I can count on.
I’m so grateful that something so simple brought us together. And I’m grateful that we get to travel around the Mohawk Valley, share these experiences and bring all of you along with us.
So this month, we set out on a tour that felt especially fitting. We were looking for turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce and, of course, dessert. And we couldn’t forget the turkey sandwiches. After all, who doesn’t love a good turkey club? But mostly, we were happy to be doing it together, thankful for the friendship, the adventures and the opportunity to share them with you.
Charlie’s Place, Clinton
8170 Seneca Turnpike, Clinton
Our Thanksgiving Food Tour started at Charlie’s Place in Clinton, where the Monday special feels very much like Thanksgiving dinner came early.
The plate arrives with both white and dark meat turkey, stuffing, mashed red potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce and plenty of gravy. The turkey is roasted in-house, and getting both white and dark meat immediately won us over. It was tender, flavorful and exactly what you hope for when you order a traditional turkey dinner.
RoAnn and I are both big stuffing fans. She immediately said Charlie’s reminded her of her own stuffing, and for me, it brought back my grandmother’s recipe. My Granny’s is a little different, with sausage and a touch of sweetness from applesauce that helps bind it all together, but the familiar sage and soft bread stuffing took me right back there. That’s part of what I love about Thanksgiving food. One bite can remind you of your own family table.
Even the green beans deserve a mention. They’re cooked until tender and buttery, just the way we like them.
This is Charlie’s Monday special, and apparently we’re not the only ones who think it’s a good idea. We heard it can sell out by lunchtime, so getting there early is probably wise.
And then came dessert.
We ordered the apple fritter à la mode, which turned out to be one of the biggest surprises of the day. A warm glazed apple fritter is topped with apple pie filling and ice cream, giving you that wonderful combination of warm, crispy, sweet and cold in every bite.
I’m not even the biggest apple pie person, but this was something else entirely. We kept going back for another bite long after we were full.
Not a bad way to start a Thanksgiving Food Tour.
Boulevard Diner, Whitesboro
24 Roosevelt Drive, Whitesboro
At Boulevard Diner, we stayed firmly committed to our Thanksgiving theme and ordered another turkey dinner. We did consider the open-faced turkey sandwich, and had to keep ourselves from getting distracted by the open-faced roast beef sandwich, too. There are a lot of tempting directions you can go at a diner, but we were here for Thanksgiving, so another turkey dinner it was.
This one starts with your choice of soup or salad, and we went with the chicken and rice soup. It arrived packed with chicken, rice and vegetables, the kind of warm bowl of soup that feels especially right this time of year.
Then came the main event.
Boulevard’s house-roasted turkey is thinly sliced and served with a very generous helping of mashed potatoes, stuffing, vegetables and gravy. This is an all-white-meat turkey dinner, and they certainly don’t skimp on it. The turkey covers a good portion of the plate, with plenty of mashed potatoes underneath and alongside it.
The stuffing here has a different personality than our first stop. It’s a little crispier and more savory, with carrots and plenty of seasoning, including that familiar sage flavor that immediately says Thanksgiving. The mashed potatoes are creamy and comforting, and the gravy brings everything together. This is the kind of substantial turkey dinner that leaves little chance of anyone walking away hungry.
When it came time for dessert, though, we couldn’t make up our minds. Pumpkin or apple?
There was only one reasonable solution: order both.
The pumpkin pie, topped with a little whipped cream, had all those warm spices we associate with Thanksgiving, while the apple pie gave us another taste of fall. By this point, we were definitely getting into the spirit of the holiday.
Crust Kitchen & Bar, Utica
330 Main Street, Utica
Additional location in Rome
Not every Thanksgiving-inspired meal needs to come with mashed potatoes and gravy. Sometimes turkey belongs between two slices of really good bread.
Crust is already a familiar stop for RoAnn and me. Her son Chris owns the restaurant, and it’s become one of our favorite places to grab lunch when we get together. So, of course, it had to make our Thanksgiving tour.
We took our turkey in sandwich form with the Screw the Chase, a piled-high sandwich that starts with one very important detail: Crust roasts its meats in-house.
Freshly roasted turkey breast is layered with bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado, caramelized onion spread and guacamole on sourdough bread. It has some of the familiar makings of a turkey club, which we both love, but the avocado, guacamole and caramelized onion spread take it in a completely different direction.
And there is plenty of turkey. Freshly roasted and sliced, it remains the star of the sandwich rather than getting lost under all those toppings. The bacon adds some salt and crunch, while the avocado and guacamole make everything rich and creamy. If you’re already thinking ahead to Thanksgiving leftovers, consider this a little inspiration.
Every sandwich comes with Crust’s homemade potato chips and a homemade dill pickle. The pickle, covered in fresh dill, has become one of those little things we always look forward to when we stop at Crust. And those homemade chips never last long either.
Of course, we couldn’t leave without something sweet. We finished with a gluten-free carrot cake cupcake, a fitting fall dessert and a sweet ending to a stop that gave us a different take on our Thanksgiving theme.
After two traditional turkey dinners, a really good turkey sandwich was exactly where this tour needed to go next.
Crazy Otto’s Empire Diner, Herkimer
100 West Albany Street, Herkimer
At Crazy Otto’s in Herkimer, we went with one of my favorite ways to eat turkey: an open-faced sandwich with gravy and mashed potatoes. There’s something about that combination that makes me think of the day after Thanksgiving, when you get to enjoy everything all over again.
This was a very generous plate. Slices of turkey were piled over white bread and covered in brown gravy, with mashed potatoes and a mix of peas, corn, carrots and green beans alongside it. The bread underneath catches all that gravy, which, to me, is part of what makes an open-faced turkey sandwich so good.
By this point in the tour, RoAnn and I were getting pretty familiar with the different ways a turkey dinner can arrive. The slices here fell somewhere between the thinly sliced turkey at Boulevard and the thicker pieces at Charlie’s. They worked well for a sandwich you eat with a knife and fork, getting a little turkey, bread and gravy in each bite.
The mashed potatoes were tasty, and we kept going back for a little more with the gravy. It’s a simple combination, but when you’re in the mood for Thanksgiving food, it’s hard to beat.
The service deserves a mention, too. Everyone was friendly, our food came out quickly, and the whole plate arrived piping hot. With a big turkey sandwich in front of you and someone you love spending time with across the table, that’s a pretty good lunch.
Debbie’s Cafe, New Hartford
3963 Oneida Street, New Hartford
We said we weren’t hungry when we arrived at Debbie’s. Then we started eating.
The first thing that caught our attention was the gravy. That lighter brown turkey gravy looked and tasted like Thanksgiving, and spooned over freshly roasted turkey and soft white bread, it was exactly what we had been hoping to find on this tour.
And then there were the homemade mashed potatoes. You could still taste the potato, with a little texture instead of everything being whipped completely smooth. They reminded me of the kind you make at home, especially with that turkey gravy over the top.
RoAnn and I kept talking about how good everything was, then going back for another bite. The turkey was delicious, the bread soaked up the gravy, and diced carrots rounded out the plate. This was a meal I would happily come back and order again.
For two people who had just announced they weren’t hungry, we were doing a pretty good job of eating.
Somehow, we also found room for dessert. We ordered chocolate cream pie and blueberry pie, both with whipped cream. The chocolate cream pie arrived with a generous mound of whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup, while the blueberry pie gave us a fruit-filled finish with a delicious homemade crust.
It felt fitting to end our Thanksgiving Food Tour this way: sharing pie, sneaking in another bite and enjoying a little more time together. We had set out looking for turkey and all the fixings, and along the way, we found plenty of reasons to be thankful.
A Little Help with Thanksgiving
Local favorites to help fill your holiday table.
My Thanksgiving list always starts with Hapanowicz for the turkey, Gingerbread Bake Shop for snowflake rolls and the Boulevard for pies. With Farmer Ben highlighting the farmers behind our meal, I wanted to give our local bakers, butchers and restaurant kitchens a place at the table, too.
START WITH THE TURKEY
Hapanowicz Bros. Meat Market, New York Mills: This is where I pick up my fresh Plainville turkey. You’ll also find turkey breasts and pork sausage for homemade stuffing, or you can let Leonard Hapanowicz make the stuffing for you. Be sure to order ahead. 19 Clinton Street; 315-736-8288.
ROLLS, PIES & OTHER HOLIDAY FAVORITES
From the rolls passed around at dinner to the pies served with coffee afterward, everyone has a Thanksgiving favorite. Our local bakeries, stores and cider mills have plenty to bring to the table, whether you’re rounding out your own menu or heading to someone else’s home. Pick up a loaf of pumpkin bread for the next morning, too. You’ll be glad you did.
Gingerbread Bake Shop, New Hartford: Fill the breadbasket with snowflake or French butter rolls, then choose from a selection of fruit and cream pies for dessert. 315-737-5460.
Daylight Donuts, New Hartford: Picking up doughnuts for breakfast? Plan ahead for Thanksgiving dinner, too, with an order of snowflake rolls. Preorder or call ahead. 315-724-7103.
Pumpernickel’s, New Hartford Shopping Center: Add a locally baked pie to your holiday table. Call for Thanksgiving selections and ordering details. 315-735-8121.
Holland Farms, Yorkville: Snowflake rolls are a holiday favorite, alongside fruit and cream pies to finish the meal. 315-736-6044.
Clinton Cider Mill, Clinton: Round out your Thanksgiving menu with a fruit pie and other seasonal favorites. Feeling like a taste of Thanksgiving? Check out their handmade turkey pot pies which bring the taste of Thanksgiving any day of the weel. Order online or call ahead to arrange your holiday pickup. 315-853-5756.
North Star Orchards, Westmoreland: Nine-inch pies include apple crumb, pumpkin, pecan, cherry, strawberry rhubarb, blueberry and mince, while sweet breads come in banana nut, zucchini, pumpkin and apple. There’s plenty for the rest of dinner, too: fall squash, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, garlic, locally grown onions, beets and parsnips. Baking your own pie? Pick up apples or pie pumpkins while you’re there. 315-853-1024.
Ferlo’s Original Bakery, Rome: Dinner rolls, apple and pumpkin pies, and banana and pumpkin breads cover everything from the Thanksgiving table to breakfast the next day. Place your order in advance. The bakery is open Thanksgiving Eve and closed Thanksgiving Day. 315-339-8874
Bonnie’s Country Store, Forestport: Pie choices range from apple, Dutch apple, pecan, raspberry and blueberry to banana, chocolate, chocolate peanut butter and pumpkin. Preorder about a week ahead for the best selection. Looking for the whole meal? Bonnie’s also offers a Thanksgiving dinner by preorder, with turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, squash and pie. 315-392-7072.
The Cakery Café, Dolgeville: There’s a pie for just about every preference, including apple, pumpkin, cherry berry, strawberry rhubarb, banana cream, chocolate, coconut, lemon meringue and peanut butter. Place holiday preorders through Facebook or the café’s website. 315-429-9591.
Fly Creek Cider Mill, Fly Creek: Choose from apple, caramel apple, pumpkin, strawberry rhubarb, blueberry and pecan pies, and leave time to browse for a few extras. Apple butter, Honeycrisp applesauce, apple salsa, pickled products and Otsego County maple syrup make welcome additions to a holiday gathering. Bring along apple cider or a bottle of apple, apple cranberry or apple blackcurrant wine. Order pies ahead. 607-547-9692.
Rosito’s Bakery, Amsterdam: Made-to-order pies include pumpkin, apple, blueberry, cherry, peach, berry and pecan, plus a sugar-free apple option. Cream pie lovers can choose from chocolate, banana, coconut and Boston cream, with lemon meringue also available. For something a little different, try a Polish babka in flavors such as cinnamon, raisin, almond, cheese, chocolate, raspberry or cherry and cheese. Preorders are recommended. 518-842-2616.
Schoharie Valley Farms, Schoharie: Traditional pumpkin and apple pies share the dessert lineup with Dutch apple, apple raspberry, blueberry, cherry and strawberry. Beyond pie, look for pumpkin spice cupcakes, carrot cake, apple cider doughnuts and the farm’s signature carrot cookies. Specialty bars, including apple caramel cheesecake, offer another option for a dessert platter made for sampling. 518-295-7139.
LET SOMEONE ELSE MAKE DINNER
Spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the company.
The Horned Dorset Inn, Leonardsville: Bring home a Thanksgiving dinner featuring roasted turkey breast and slow-roasted leg with Madeira and black truffle gravy, cranberry orange relish, sausage and apple stuffing, leek crushed potatoes and a generous selection of vegetables. Everything comes fully cooked and chilled with reheating instructions. Appetizers and desserts are available separately. Order by November 19, or before they sell out, and call for pickup details. 315-855-7898.
My advice? Make your calls early, write down your pickup times and leave room in the car for the pies. Every part of dinner you pick up locally gives another Mohawk Valley business a place in your celebration.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Holiday selections, ordering deadlines and pickup arrangements vary. Contact each business directly.
