A Few Brooklyn Stops for Turkey Day

I recently had the pleasure of spending an entire Saturday afternoon with the legendary culinary écrivain, Ed Levine. He is the founder of Serious Eats, an excellent blog devoted to everything edible. We went on a trek through Carroll Gardens and Red Hook in an effort to devour an array of the local delicacies. We didn’t have Thanksgiving in mind during the tour; however, when I took a look through my notes, I realized that many of the gems he uncovered would fit in perfectly at the turkey day buffet.

At  Caputo’s on Court Street, we sampled 25-year-old balsamic vinegar that was almost as viscous as honey and nearly as sweet, too. Imagine it glazed over the turkey for a sophisticated bird. Then came Joe’s Superette, a strange deli on Smith Street with few items on the shelves but bustling with people hungrily awaiting 50-cent proscuitto balls—one bite wonders, served hot out of the fryer. They are a breaded blend of ricotta and proscuitto. Purchase them by the dozen, fry them yourself, and serve to your guests prior to the big meal. If you want to go all out on nibbles, do not miss the sweet and the spicy sopressata at Esposito’s Pork Store just up the way from  Caputo’s on Court Street. You’ll spot it by the oversized and slightly terrifying cast pig outside the store. The guys working the counter have been making sausage in their special (and very secret) way for generations—they also do a brisk business in meatball sales, so if your Thanksgiving Day spread leans towards the Italian side, consider picking up a few dozen of these treasures.

Margaret Palca Bakes on Columbia Street is the spot for buttery, flakey rugelach in traditional apricot and sumptuous chocolate. But my sweet tooth’s preference is for the classic holiday dessert of pie, pie, and more pie. To pick up a few beauties, Baked on Van Brunt Street, is your go-to. I wolfed down a Butterscotch Pudding Pie and Ed dove in for the classic apple variety. Both were favorites of the day. And we’ve heard all good things about their pumpkin pie.

Whether you are having a small get together or an extended family extravaganza, any or all of these Brooklyn secrets will please even the pickiest of eaters.