Watch CBS News

Locals Line Up To Drop Off Thanksgiving Turkey At Cacia's Bakery In South Philadelphia Despite Rain, Pandemic

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It's a different sort of Thanksgiving for many of us this year, but some traditions still hold true. For many in our region, that means Cacia's brick oven would be baking their family's turkey.

People lined up in South Philadelphia Thursday morning in the rain with their roasting pans.

"Working with a brick oven, you can't just turn on and a half hour it's ready," Joey Cacia said. "It gets to 600, then it slowly crawls to 400. Then we're gonna turn it back on again."

The brick oven at Cacia's is a bastion of turkey baking. For over half a century, Joey Cacia's family has taken Thanksgiving turkeys and cooked them to mouth-watering perfection for whoever shows up first.

"It keeps any roast or burn moist rather than dry it out. It cooks it slow and it's just a lot tastier," Joey Cacia said.

This bird will go into the oven at 400 degrees and in about five hours it will be ready for the table.

A turkey so appetizing that just on the other side of the wall from the warm, cozy oven, Vicky Reel pulled into line at 4:05 a.m. in the pouring rain.

"I got a chair to sit down. I'm just glad it ain't cold, my husband parking the car somewhere and we'll do this," Reel said.

"It's a great tradition. If you've never done it you should try it at least once," Lisa Hughes said.

Traditionalists and first-timers converged, using trash bags, stepping stools and stoops -- anything to protect their perfectly-seasoned birds before browning.

"Last year was the worst, it was freezing out here. It was so cold you couldn't stand it. But this isn't bad, it's just rain," said Isaiah Wilson.

What happens if you serve a turkey that didn't come from Cacia's?

"There's be a lot of arguing if the turkey was done or not. Is it juicy enough? Why didn't you take the to Cacia's this year?" Hughes said.

Loyal customers through pandemics and rain pellets.

"That just says to me that it must be really good," Cacia said.

MORE ON CBSPHILLY.COM

President-Elect Joe Biden Appeals For Unity In Thanksgiving-Eve Address

CDC Expected To Shorten COVID Quarantine Period As Health Officials Expect Post-Thanksgiving Surge

Philadelphia International Airport Sees Boost In Travel During Thanksgiving Holiday Period

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.