Blossom the turkey and Minnow the dog have something in common — they were both once thought of only as “food.” Minnow was rescued from a South Korean meat farm in 2015, and Blossom was saved last year from a commercial turkey farm in West Virginia. Today they share a home with Abbie Hubbard, and are like any other family. They go on hikes together, snuggle on the sofa and greet Abbie at the door. “When I put the keys in, I hear Blossom make loud chirping sounds in excitement,” Abbie, who is the Animal Rescue Responder for Humane Society International, tells LAIKA. “She always comes running, and it makes my heart do flips of joy.”
Blossom (left) and Minnow out on a walk. Photo: Abbie Hubbard.
Abbie recalls once being asked by a reporter in South Korea what it was like to have a dog that was different from other ‘meat’ dogs. She explained that Minnow is no different, and that her heart is the same as all other dogs. “I often think about that question in regards to Blossom,” she says. “My response would be that she, too, is no different — her heart is the same as all other beings.”
While Abbie was already vegan when Blossom came to live with her and her dog Minnow, it was through Blossom that she gained a deeper understanding of turkeys — starting with the very first night she took her home. “Blossom watched as I pet Minnow and seemed to recognize that I was a source of kindness and was a safe being,” Abbie says. “Shortly after, Blossom came and settled into the crook of my arm. It’s hard to describe that moment without crying. I’ll never forget it as long as I live.”
Blossom with one of her favorite toys. Photo: Abbie Hubbard.
Among the many things that Blossom enjoys is hearing a good beat. Abbie says that “if she is in another room and I turn on music, she comes running!” Her very favorite food is hummus, and her second favorite is watermelon. She loves hanging out in the kitchen when Abbie is cooking. She relishes a good head scratch and will rest her head in Abbie’s hand to receive cuddles. “She allows herself to be vulnerable with me, and I always recognize those moments,” says Abbie. “It feels like such an honor, especially knowing what people do to turkeys and other farmed animals.”
“That my dog Minnow has been deemed a companion by our society and my turkey Blossom has been deemed food is completely arbitrary.”
Every year, 46 million turkeys are slaughtered for Thanksgiving, and another 200 million throughout the year. Killed at barely four months old and not protected by the Humane Slaughter Act, their lives are short and agonizing. Abbie has witnessed how easily Blossom gets frightened in the safety of her home, whether it’s by the doorbell, loud noises outside or even the soundtrack of a scary movie (This past Halloween, she got spooked when Abbie was watching Poltergeist and hid in the living room. “I turned the film off and went to comfort her,” Abbie says.) These moments offer a small glimpse into how terrifying daily life must be for turkeys on farms. In fact, it was this fear of danger that led to Blossom being rescued from that West Virginia facility. When the five-week-old turkeys were being moved to a “grow out house” to be fattened up for slaughter, she hid for days behind a piece of equipment. A farm worker who discovered her decided to mercifully surrender her to a local rescue.
Minnow and Blossom. Photo: Abbie Hubbard.
These days, Blossom and Minnow are deeply connected. Because she is 30 pounds and can’t get up the stairs (turkeys are bred to grow unnaturally large quickly), Blossom sleeps downstairs. And Minnow stays right there by her side, keeping her company through the night. “That my dog Minnow has been deemed a companion by our society and my turkey Blossom has been deemed food is completely arbitrary,” Abbie says. “Blossom has the same depth and range of feeling. She bonds with others. She plays. She doesn’t like being alone. She hurts and she loves. Blossom is completely and entirely my companion for the same reasons Minnow is my companion.”
There’s no need to uphold traditions that don’t reflect our inherent values of love, compassion and respect. We asked Tere Fox, co-founder and executive chef of the famed NYC restaurant-turned-catering-company Rockin’ Raw, to share the recipes for two of her most beloved dishes. These mouth-watering King Trumpet Vegan Scallops and Heart of Palm Vegan Crab Cakes are festive and unique, and best of all — no one was harmed in the process.
King Trumpet Vegan Scallops
Serves 6
5-6 king trumpet mushrooms
1 cup veggie broth
½ cup nori or dry seaweed
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Sea salt
Black pepper
1. Mix the veggie broth with the seaweed and garlic in a bowl, and set aside.
2. Chop the mushroom stems into 1” thick pieces (I can usually get 4-5 pieces per mushroom.)
3. Set mushroom pieces in a deep dish or baking pan and pour the veggie broth mixture over them. Let stand for 20-30 minutes.
4. Heat a sauté pan on medium heat, and add 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil or any vegetable oil you have on hand.
5. Place mushrooms neatly into the pan and sear on both sides for 5-8 minutes total.
6. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with sautéed spinach or fresh greens.
If you want to make this a raw dish, soak mushrooms in 2 cups filtered water, 1 large piece of kombu, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 2 teaspoon minced garlic for 3 hours. Then serve over baby arugula or any of your favorite greens.
Heart of Palm Vegan Crab Cakes
Makes about 24 patties
1- 15 ounce can drained chickpea (keep liquid)
2-15 ounce can heart of palm
¼ cup vegan mayo
Juice of 1 lemon or 1 tablespoon
3 tablespoon chickpea liquid
1 teaspoon tamari
⅓ cup scallions minced
2 cup bread crumbs plus 2 cups breadcrumbs for breading the cake cakes
2 teaspoon spicy mustard
2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1 sheet of nori or ½ cup of salted seaweed snack
1 teaspoon minced garlic or garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
2 teaspoon dried or fresh parsley
For the breading and frying of the patties:
3 cups avocado oil for frying
1 cup plant based milk for breading only
1 cup flour for breading only
1. In a bowl, add the chickpeas and heart of palm. Hand mash until slightly chunky and smooth, and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk the chickpea liquid until slightly foamy. Then add vegan mayo, lemon juice, tamari, mustard, and all of the herbs and spices. Mix well.
3. Combine the chickpeas and heart of palm mash with the chickpea liquid mix, along with the 2 cups of breadcrumbs, and the scallions into the mixing bowl.
4. Set mixture in the freezer to set for 20-30 minutes.
5. Create a flouring station: 1 cup any plant based milk, 1 cup flour, 2 cups bread crumbs.
6. Remove mixture from freezer, lay parchment paper on a baking sheet and start to bread. Make 3 ounce circle-shaped cakes, dip in the milk, then dip in the flour, then dip in the breadcrumbs until completely covered. Set aside.
7. Heat up frying oil in any 3″ deep pan. Test with a drop of water or piece of bread to make sure oil is ready for frying. (You will know it is ready to fry when it sizzles and bubbles with the test ingredient.)
8. Then submerge 3-4 patties at a time, and fry for 3 minutes until golden brown.
9. Let cool on unwaxed parchment paper for 2 minutes, then serve.
For garnish, or to use as dip: Blend ½ cup dill, 1 clove garlic, 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, and 2 cups mayo until smooth.
If you would like to get to know a turkey in real life, volunteer at your local sanctuary. We recommend signing up to clean a turkey barn! You can also sponsor a rescued turkey.