[Lippy]

I bought an organic chicken labeled "Pollo Rosso" at Whole Foods today, to roast for dinner tonight. The label says that the chickens are a traditional Italian breed that a group of farmers in Pennsylvania have decided to breed here and allow to grow slowly to develop full flavor. These don't come cheap at $4.99 lb., but a woman who saw me studying the birds gave me a thumbs-up and said they were the best chickens she's had in the U.S. with the possible exception of one she ate at Chez Panisse.

Has anyone else tried these?

I'll report back.

[helena]

Lippy, thanks for the heads up - i need to check on those - just yesterday i got an eberly chicken and was really disappointed by its flavor.

[Peter Creasey]

The label says that the chickens are a traditional Italian breed that a group of farmers in Pennsylvania have decided to breed here and allow to grow slowly to develop full flavor.

Sandra, Here's some more info on Pollo Rosso Chicken (in case you didn't run across this particular site).

[Melonious Thunk]

I bought an organic chicken labeled "Pollo Rosso" at Whole Foods today, to roast for dinner tonight. The label says that the chickens are a traditional Italian breed that a group of farmers in Pennsylvania have decided to breed here and allow to grow slowly to develop full flavor. These don't come cheap at $4.99 lb., but a woman who saw me studying the birds gave me a thumbs-up and said they were the best chickens she's had in the U.S. with the possible exception of one she ate at Chez Panisse.

Has anyone else tried these?

I'll report back.

Your report is eagerly awaited.

[ranitidine]

Here's my report. It's flavor and texture reminded me of the Friday evening roasted chickens of my youth. You know, when there were kosher live chicken markets in the city and the chickens were raised on farms in nearby New Jersey. I loved it and ate more than my share.

[Melonious Thunk]

Here's my report. It's flavor and texture reminded me of the Friday evening roasted chickens of my youth. You know, when there were kosher live chicken markets in the city and the chickens were raised on farms in nearby New Jersey. I loved it and ate more than my share.

Wow! High praise indeed. Pollo Rosso here I come. Thanks!

[Lippy]

I thought it was very good, but perhaps not any better than Giannone was at first, before they began to overproduce. The birds seem to be fed a vegetarian diet and I think the meat would be even better if they were allowed to forage a bit and eat some insects. There is a lot of dark meat on the bird and a smaller breast than the usual supermarket chicken. The meat isn't mushy, but it's not tough, either. I'll buy it again.

[Melonious Thunk]

The chickens I've bought from Quattro's have been very full flavored. They are naturally raised.

[Lippy]

I wonder exactly what "naturally-raised" means? Are they actually pastured? That means that the chickens are moved from patch to patch of land and allowed to peck at the seeds, grasses and insects at various areas on the farm. (I'm sure that they also receive a certain amount of commercial chicken feed, too, but at least they can walk around in the actual outdoors and eat what they find.)

I've had this and that from Quattro, but maybe not chicken, so I'm not sure how they compare. It's worth a try. We should really have a chicken-off one of these days.

[H. du Bois]

Lippy, did you feel it was worth the cost?

The best chicken I've bought here was a Flying Pigs Farms chicken (they sometimes sell their free-range chickens at the farmer's market). Cost a bundle, but the stock I made from the bones was the best stock I've ever made.

[Lippy]

Ranitidine did; I'm not sure. I'd like to try the Flying Pigs chicken. Is it a breed other than the usual Cornish Cross? Was it an old hen that had stop laying eggs? Those are considered the best soup chickens.

[helena]

locally the ones from griggstown quail farm are pretty good - and i like their poussins.

[Daisy]

I'd agree that the Flying Pigs chickens are pretty special. I also very much like the ones from Violet Hill (also at USGM).

Eberle are quite good although not as good as the farmers market chickens. And they are very expensive. I am going to have to try the Pollo Rosso.

[Lippy]

The Griggstown quails are also very good. They are a different breed from the quails usually found in the U.S. They look and taste different. For those who don't live near Griggstown, they are available from Citarella.

[rancho_gordo]

$5 a pound sounds like gouging to me. Or they have no clue how to raise chickens for slaughter.