Yes, I’m “beating a dead horse” once again. Capons. Male chickens that are neutered at three weeks of age and allowed to live twice as long as female chickens that you buy in the market in plastic packages, part by part.
Many people think chickens were raised that way. Hi, I’m a Wing! Me? I’m a thigh. Love this diaper I’m sitting on, in the styrofoam tray and covered with plastic.
Two years ago my husband was told he couldn’t have Thanksgiving Friday off so we couldn’t go to his grandmother’s for her annual family reunion. I set off to find a capon for us, and because I was stymied in my quest, we ended up with two steaks on the grill.
Whole Foods would not stock capon, nor would they tell me why. I’ve tried to contact HQ several times and only get the opportunity to leave a message.
When I contacted the only capon producer I talked to the owner. When he had to sell his business to roastgoose.com I talked to the owner. These are family farms.
Capon was something my mother was able to get at the local grocery. Perhaps she had to pre-order one, I don’t know as she’s gone and I can’t ask her.
So here’s the latest info I have, from the purveyor http://www.roastgoose.com
May your holidays be measured by joy at seeing long-lost family and friends, and by the food you make. Dee
“We do sell capons to the Safeway family of stores. Nationally we sell to a number of chains and distributors. To name a few, Bashas in AZ, Harris Teeter in Carolinas, Fred Meyer in the Northwest, the Kroger family of stores (King Super may be in your area), the SuperValue family of stores, Hannaford and Stop and Shop in the Northeast, HE Butt in Texas. Now this is a partial list, if someone has a specific area we will try to answer if they contact our website www.roastgoose.com And, of course, one can be ordered via our website and delivered to ones’ door. We use UPS to deliver to the roughly 12 states surrounding us and Fed Ex if the person is further out. In the cooler months we can utilize 2nd day air which does reduce the shipping costs.” This is from Jim Schiltz.
Cooking with Dee 
It’s near Thanksgiving 2011 and we’re off to TX, over the river and through the woods to Nanny’s were near 60 of us will be. Christmas we’ll be at home but don’t know how many guests we have so the capon debate continues. I wrote to Whole Foods HQ two weeks ago and haven’t heard back about why they don’t sell capon. I’m thinking they’re squeamish about castration, must be men, because most of the beef they carry is neutered and they don’t have a problem with that. Might it be that the size of the organ is too close to comprehend? Yes, I jest. It’s taken nearly three years and Whole Foods, of which I am an advocate and nearly daily customer, is so squeamish about capons that they can’t come up with a reason not to sell them. Best to Jim Schiltz of roastgoose.com and his family this Thanksgiving.