Not quite turkey: Smaller birds for a condo-sized festive feast

For many Canadians, the Norman Rockwell, multigenerational holiday feast has become a thing of the past. Today, family members can live continents apart, young career-driven couples dwell in tiny urban condos and lofts, and seniors and empty-nesters have pared-down their lives and homes.

While digs this small are not conducive to preparing and serving up a 20-pound bird with all the fixin’s to a hungry crowd of extended family, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t celebrate the season. If you’re short on space, or if you find yourself on your own this holiday season, you have options. Create a festive and delicious meal for one, two, or many as you can hold in your small space, with this flock of smaller feathered friends.

Quail
This tiny, tender, and, tasty bird has been a mainstay of European and Asian cuisine for hundreds of years, while here in North America it’s still a relative newcomer. But that’s changing, and we’re seeing quail on menus—from tandoori to peri peri—and even at the meat counter of national grocery chains. For home cooks, quail is joining the ranks of preferred meats for easy, elegant grilling. This feather-weight is about one-quarter of a pound, so count on two to three per person.

Recipe: Broiled Quail with Braised Fennel

Squab
Squab, now doesn’t that sound a lot nicer than pigeon? And again, squab is mostly an overlooked bird on this continent, but considered a delicacy in France, Italy, Morocco, and Asia. It too is starting to gain in popularity here thanks to a few daring chefs who are putting the bird on the menu. At about one-half to three-quarters of a pound, you will need one squab per person.

Partridge
Flying right out of that pear tree and onto your dinner table, this pretty bird is native to Europe, Asia, North Africa, and the Middle East. A smaller member of the pheasant family, it may be a harder to find, but well worth the hunt, and it just sounds great. Partridges usually weigh about one pound, so you’ll need one per person.

Recipe: Partridge or Pheasant Pie

Cornish Hen
When looking for Cornish Hen you might also see it referred to as: Poussin, Rock Cornish Hen, Cornish Game Hen, or simply Rock Cornish. Whatever you call it, it’s a great choice for an elegant holiday bird. But names can be deceiving, as it is not a game bird at all, but rather a breed of chicken that was developed in California in the 1950s. These birds are approximately one pound each, so plan on one per person.

Recipe: Glazed Cornish Hens with Hazelnut Cranberry Stuffing

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