Happy Thanksgiving!
1. What size turkey? The rule of thumb here is 3/4 to a pound of turkey per person. If you are a person who loves turkey leftovers, then opt for slightly more, maybe an additional 1/2 a pound. If you know that your crowd is going to be huge, think about getting two smaller turkeys. They thaw and cook faster, and they tend to be more moist.
2. The turkey is still frozen. Place the turkey in a bath of cool water, this will cause the bird to thaw faster. We use a large cooler or one side of a double sink. You should allow about a half an hour per pound. If possible, change the water about every 30 minutes or so. Thawing a turkey at room temperature is not recommended for health reasons. Thawing a turkey in the refrigerator takes about 5 hours per pound. Allow yourself plenty of time.
3. What about basting? Most cooks agree that basting is only a skin treatment. It facilitates browning and crisping. You can skip basting by generously rubbing the turkey with oil or butter before placing it in the oven. Remember, if you insist on basting, allow a little extra cooking time. Every time you open the oven door you allow the heat to escape.
4. When is the turkey done? The best way to know is to insert a thermometer into the center of the thigh. When that meat has reached an internal temperature of 180 degrees, the turkey is done. Meats will continue to cook even after they are removed from the oven, and the temperature will rise a few degrees while it sits on the counter.
5. Transferring the turkey. It's big, it's hot. it's slippery. A roasting rack is the easiest, but they can be pricey. An easy alternative is to scrunch up aluminum foil in each hand to protect from the heat and lift the bird from the pan. Try to lift from each cavity, don't grab a leg and pull.
6. How to keep the turkey warm? Allow the turkey to rest about 20 minutes after you take it out of the oven. Of course, this means that the meat will cool, but it helps to settle the juices and makes it easier to carve. Before placing the sliced turkey on the platter, run the dish under very hot water so it does not further cool the meat. Also, hot gravy can solve the problem of cold meat.
7. Kitchen not big enough. Try solving this problem when you are choosing your menu. Prepare dishes that can be placed side by side in the oven. Remember that you only have a limited number of burners, so limit your side dishes, or cook in shifts. For instance, cook mashed potatoes ahead of time and keep them warm in a bath of hot water.
8. The gravy looks good but has no flavor. Reach for the fortified alcohol. Don't drink it, although that may help, add it to your gravy. Port, sherry and madeira will add richness to most any sauce. The drippings can be made more flavorful, by adding seasonal fruits or vegetables to the cavity. After cooking, remove and purée them for a gravy that is thick and flavorful.
9. Let go and delegate. Even though you may be running around like a chicken with its head cut off, it is sometimes easier just to do it yourself. Therefore, think of a series of non-cooking tasks that your guests can do. Putting ice in the glasses, opening the wine, making the coffee. Or better yet, tell helpful guests to stick around until clean up time.
10. The dreaded clean up. Enlist the family to start washing some of the dishes while you are still preparing the meal. If possible, get the cooking dishes out of the way. That just leaves the eating dishes for after the meal. Sometimes, though, this just isn't feasible, so at least put dishes in to soak. An inch or two of water can make a big difference. If you are using the good stuff, heirloom crystal and china, line the sink with a towel before washing. This pads the bottom for all of the helpful butter fingers.
11. Remember to take the time to be thankful. Guests... your host has just given you a wonderful gift. Make sure you express your appreciation. And hosts.. you have continued an American tradition. That table weighted down with food demonstrates how truly blessed we are.
Life's a Banquet, Grab A Big Slice!
Welcome to our October Edition of Rings and Crumbs.
The most popular requests we get at A Big Slice are for Halloween ideas. And we love Halloween. I can't explain why it has taken so long, but here it is.
We have created an entire section of the website for this holiday. But for the time being, it is not open to the public - it is just for you, our subscribers.
You will find recipes for pumpkin biscotti, red velvet ghoul cakes and a delicious appetizer, sweet potatoes and sausage in a maple sage sauce... delicious!
Plus we have decorating tips including spider napkin rings, pumpkinhead place card holders and scary bottles of potions. There are step by step instructions as well as designs that you can print directly from our site.
All this and a little Halloween history and trivia. We hope you enjoy all of the spooky things we have concocted.
To view the Halloween section, click here.
Happy Halloween
Clare and Ted
This image is one of Mr. Hartsfield's amazing works called "Redheads". Hard to believe, but this is indeed a watercolor. Click on the image to enlarge. What follows is the artist's bio and ordering information.
Chris Hartsfield is a self-trained watercolorist who works primarily with bright, clean colors to achieve a realistic style of painting. His technique produces a complicated yet detailed scene which reveals an understanding of depth and realism. He enjoys painting a variety of subjects, including still life, landscape, street scenes, and natural scenes. His compositions are well balanced and flowing, keeping the observer's eye engaged. His realistic paintings utilize flat planes of color layered rather loosely to produce a sense of realism.
Since Hartsfield began his art career in 1988, he has had paintings accepted in national and regional watercolor competitions. Including The American Watercolor Society, The National Watercolor Society, Arts For The Parks, Georgia, Kentucky, and Oklahoma Watercolor Society shows. He has won numerous "Best of Show" and other awards in over 350 juried art shows. His paintings are bought by both private and corporate collectors.
Giclée (zghee-CLAY) is a French term that roughly means “to spray“. Giclée prints are generated from high resolution digital files and printed with archival quality inks onto various substrates including canvas, fine art, and photo-base paper. The Giclée process typically uses 12 color high resolution inkjet printers to enable printing on artisan substrates. Giclée prints are used as high quality art reproductions. All this art work has been printed with archive quality, 100 pound art paper.
To purchase these amazing prints and other unique items from Retro Collections click here. To let the artist know that we referred the buyer, please type "abigslice" in the comments field.
Beautiful napkin rings are the perfect finishing touch to any table. The napkin rings that we created are easy to make and amazingly versatile. After you get the hang of how they are made you can begin to experiment on your own. Try different color beads to match the season or your table setting. You can adjust the size of the rings simply be adding more pins. Be creative and add a little personality to your tablescape.
For the step by step instructions, just click here.
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Change is good
