Almost everyone on the 6th floor of the Southwest Tower on the Wash U medical campus where my lab is know about the Spencer Roadkill Christmas. I’m not sure what led me to tell them about it, but one day in the break room I did, and it hasn’t been forgotten. As I remember it, Dad said he had become acquainted with a certain wild turkey who lived on highway 6 between the home place and Terrace Mound. The turkey was there strutting around on the side of the road for some time, and then one day Dad drove by and he was lying in a pile…still warm. Having admired him for weeks, and not wanting such a specimen to go to waste, Dad pulled over, scooped him up, took him home, and skinned out the best parts. He brought the breast to the Farmette for Christmas that year, along with a Butterball turkey Mom got at Hy-Vee or something and was in the freezer waiting to be used. The plan was for “Tur-turken”, that is, turkey-in-a-turkey, and it was executed. I don’t recall how tasty it was, but it was definitely served and eaten with no ill-effects. The Tur-turken was a little overshadowed by the backyard hasenpfeffer from the rabbits Dad picked off in the yard (which was excellent), and head cheese we made together using Elvis and Pricilla, the pigs from the Farmette (we talked Dad out of adding the brains). One might imagine how the story of this Christmas was not easily forgotten by my colleagues.
-Dave
Spencer Family Cookbook 