PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — It's a South Philly tradition … let someone else cook the turkey.
Cacia's Bakery has been cooking turkeys in their brick oven for more than 60 years, and this year, dozens of people, like Jim Gosslin of the Northeast, lined up outside in the rain hours before it opened at 6 a.m.
Gosslin says he is hosting Thanksgiving this year, so having extra oven space will be ideal for cooking all the side dishes.
While this is Gosslin’s first time relying on Cacia’s, many have depended on them for years. It’s something that brings together not only customers, but the workers as well.
“This is a part of people's tradition and you're responsible for people's dinner, so I feel like I wouldn't be able to sit at home and do nothing on Thanksgiving,” said Joe Cacia, who helps run the shop.
“You're handed down the torch — my great grandfather, his son and then his son and then hopefully I have a son. It's really special,” he said.
Last Thanksgiving, Cacia’s cooked about 140 turkeys.