Luncheon at the Turkey Farm

 Luncheon at the Turkey Farm





    A trip to New Hampshire was always a delight but the place is a bit lacking in some urban amenities. It is not a great place for restaurants but there are exceptions to be found if one is willing to take a drive. In my Bone trips there was the satisfying Thursday visits to Bald Peak Country Club's dining room, a stop in at Walter's Basin and the boy's day out at the marvelous Hart's Turkey Farm and Restaurant. The farm was founded back in 1954 and knows damn well how to serve a plate of drowsy-making turkey in all it's configurations. There are fourteen different turkey sandwiches on the menu at the farm. Greg knew of the spot, undoubtedly from the Ziesing pipeline and really loved turkey anyway. He introduced Ed and myself to the place, making big fans out of both of us. Hart's is just a twenty-five minute drive from camp to Meredith where gut-stuffing is achieved. After the initial visit the traditioin of a visit to Hart's was anticipated with euphoria and they never failed us. Greg always had his eye on the open-faced turkey sandwich which was just a handful of calories short of a full turkey dinner with all the fixins. Ed and I mostly followed suit but once Greg boldly broke away from tradition for a  pot pie that packed a lunch wallop. The food wasn't all the joy that Hart's offered since the walls were covered with turkey kitch and New Hampshire "art." There was also amusing people watching that included lake tourists and town regulars who knew they could count on the Turkey Farm for a fillup. Just to be clear, the food was excellent by any standard and would have cost double in our hometown but quantity equaled quality in the expansive dining area. One visit we spotted a corpulent native NH man in his oshkosh b'gosh overalls digging into a jumbo turkey dinner that involves 16 oz. of tender turkey breast plus stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, and a choice of 2 sides. We then watched this satisfied, well-fed giant drift into the land of nod as the belly load made consciousness impossible.

                                                      snouts down

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