A Rooster at Sunrise Farms
When the farmers markets close, I head to Sunrise Farm in Stuarts Draft, and pick out a chicken that’s spent its days uncaged and feasting on untreated feed. it’s hard to find good-sized chickens in the stores: Sunrise allows its birds to get to roasting size, where they have the best flavor and color. At $2.99 a pound, a 7-pound bird is not cheap, but it’s far less expensive than buying boneless, skinless chicken breasts (unless you hit this sale at Kroger real quick). At Sunrise, the whole bird beats the parts for price. If you’ve never cut up a chicken, take a look at Chef John as he cuts up a chicken with scissors. Anyone can do it, and if you go by general grocery store prices, the cost of a whole chicken (Usually about $9) certainly beats the price of the cut up parts, at about $15.
Don’t have time to cut it up? Wash it off, dry it and sprinkle on some salt and pepper. Put it in a crockpot and cook it on low heat for 8 hours or so. The breast meat will be tender without drying out, and the thighs and legs will be juicy and cooked through. I often put a bed of sliced onions and celery down so the skin won’t stick, and I sometimes add a tablespoonful of pickling spices tied in cheescloth.
While you’re at Sunrise, order a holiday ham, cured without all the chemicals found in storebought ham, or get on the list for a fresh turkey. Sunrise Farms is unique in that it’s run on the honor system: you take what you need from the freezer or refrigerator, and put your money in a box. I used to worry that someone would clean them out, but one of helpers told me they have never come up short.
