Thanksgiving 2017

On the Monday November 20th, 2017 edition of WITF’s Smart Talk:

Thanksgiving is in three days and kitchens across America are filled with thawing turkeys, drying bread cubes and cans of cranberry sauce and French-cut green beans.  Garage refrigerators overflow with cases of domestic beer.  Board games are dusted off, arguments for the possibility of a Steeler/Eagle Super Bowl are prepped while we remind ourselves not to talk politics with family. 

In contrast to the chaos of our day-to-day lives throughout the year, Thanksgiving is a day to take a time-out and enjoy great food, the company of loved ones and mediocre football.  Even in 2017, there is a Rockwellian peacefulness to the family Thanksgiving.

On Monday’s Smart Talk, we’ll talk about preparing your Thanksgiving table with Chef Donna Desfor; we’ll answer your questions about turkey preparation, wine and beer pairings, and some fresh ideas for some standards.  Chef Desfor has some tips for substitutions for forgotten ingredients and some creative desert ideas.  Let this be your year to take that yam-and-marshmallow casserole to the next level.

emails

Colleen’s Trash Can Turkey:

http://thetrashcanturkey.com/index.html

- Best turkey, hands down, was when a family member decided to smoke it with Apple soaked wood chips. Oh, and I think my grandmothers secret to the green bean casserole included the following: butter, butter, and even more butter.                                                            -Steph 

– The best turkey we ever had. My grandmother always made turkeys for Thanksgiving. I don’t know how she got the idea but she used to cook them in the oven with a paper bag over them. One year the paper bag caught on fire leading to a fire in the oven.

She was embarrassed and didn’t tell anyone.

But when the turkey was served, everyone commented it was the best turkey she had ever made.   – John

– I know it is important not to carve the turkey immediately ,but let it “rest” to allow it to reabsorb the juices. What is a good rule of thumb for resting time?   – Tom, Carlisle

- That caller was talking about an individual oven which sits on the counter.  Large and fully insulated, it has a glass lid on the top.  It roasts a turkey or ham, etc.  Browns the skin very nicely.    Our family uses one all the time.  It is not an aluminum or “granite” / spotted black roasting pan.