Happy Turkey Day!
This weekend being Thanksgiving in the U.S., the Epicurious Thanksgiving guide, Eat, Drink and be Thankful , may come in handy for some. It lays out complete menus including a ‘60-minute Feast’ and a ‘Healthy Holiday' option, detailed recipes, a long list of matching drinks (wines and cocktails), and other tips and ideas for centerpieces for the occasion. They even provide a collection of how-to videos for techniques such as brining and home-frying a turkey to make sure they don’t lose you along the way. It’s like cooking TV on-demand.
Much to my surprise, cooking a turkey is easier than it looks, as most people who have endured the right of passage will promise. I had my first experience this past Canadian Thanksgiving, my first time in charge of the turkey. Not only is the bird intimidating but also knowing that you are in charge of feeding a large group on this special occasion, can put a bit of pressure. Even more pressure for me was knowing that this is my brother-in-law’s favourite meal of the year...and he will not hold back the critique!
Having a couple of key tools made the job more manageable. A cooking thermometer (who knew I would ever own one!) and a baster were all I needed to add to my collection and now I know I have them for next year. One tip I will add to Epicurious’ list, however, is to ensure that you check that your oven is working properly before you start cooking. I must admit all I had ever used my oven for up to now was cooking frozen pizza. I was suspicious after cooking my turkey for over an hour and it hadn’t changed colour that something may be wrong. Initially I tacked it to the whole mystique of turkey cooking and thought ‘wow, they really do take their time’. After seeking expert advice I learned that while birds are slow to cook this wasn't normal so I adjusted the oven and things started happening. Five hours after I started cooking it, and two hours later than expected, the turkey was finally ready. To my advantage, some very hungry stomachs made sure that everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meal, including my brother-in-law. So maybe there is something to be said for having a slower than normal oven!
Happy Thanksgiving from OTR!
This article was posted by Veronica Montero
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