BIGGER CHEESE: Murray’s Cheese Shop grows to almost double its size Wednesday, when the West Village favorite moves into a 1,200-square-foot store just across the street from its old one. The new Murray’s at 254 Bleecker St. and Cornelia Street [(212) 243-3289] will have cheese caves, classrooms and its own line of prepared foods such as savory pies, lasagna and – natch – mac and cheese.
WATTLE I DO: Friday is the last day to order a Heritage turkey for Thanksgiving. The authentic, old-fashioned breeds our forefathers ate – such as the American Bronze – have a richer, more succulent flavor than supermarket birds. They’re also naturally raised. Check out the footloose fowl on the Web site’s turkey cam and place an order at http://www.heritagefoodsusa.com, or at (212) 980-6603.
COUNTER POINT: The next in its series of organic-wine dinners commences 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Counter (105 First Ave., between Sixth and Seventh streets). California vintner Tony Coturri will pair his biodynamic bottles with chef Scott Barton’s dishes – autumn vegetable ragout, heirloom bean cassoulet, plantain and yucca tamal and more. It’s $50, with advance reservations required at (212) 982-5870.
BIRD WATCHER: Learn the how-to’s of that most American of meals at “My First Thanksgiving,” Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at CamaJe (85 MacDougal St. between Bleecker and Houston streets). Chef Abigail Hitchcock, a descendant of a Mayflower passenger, will demonstrate turkey, stuffing, squash, vegetables, pies and how to time it all just right. It’s $75 per person, $125 for two, and pre-registration is required at (212) 673-8184.
HOT TICKET: New York’s Bravest hook up with some of downtown’s most talented toques Tuesday at 7 p.m. for the third annual TriBeCa Cook-Off. Five neighborhood firemen will match stove skills with chefs from Fresh, the Harrison, Acapella, Dylan Prime and Layla, with a celebrity panel judging the best at the TriBeCa Rooftop (2 Desbrosses St. between Hudson and Greenwich). Tickets, $175, include tastings, an open bar, live auction and entertainment, with proceeds benefiting the nonprofit TriBeCa Organization and the FDNY Widows and Orphans Fund. Reserve at http://www.tribeca.org or (212) 966-0063.