Gluttons Club

I love Thanksgiving--It's a thursday holiday so you (or at least most people) get the benefit of a 4 day weekend, you get to see family you normally don't, it's uniquely american, and most important, the focus is on eating. As we head into the holiday, I wanted to put some thoughts and comments down on the dishes and the preparation for y'all to browse and get in the mood. This first segment covers food, another will take care of wine/beer pairings.

Turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce and pie. These staples of the meal can be a challenge for the cook. Like the guitar, bass, drums and vocals of a rock band, they are standardized but not every band can make a record you want to buy. The key is in finding the right preparation techniques for your skill level, budget, kitchen and the tastes of your crowd. I thrived for the first twenty years of my life on the basic preparations done to a high level of quality by my Grandmother. The preparation was basically the same every year but no one minded--it was so damn good. When times changed and my parents began hosting, the rules changed. We still had the basics down but with some small changes that reflected my mothers quest for moist turkey meat and a crispy skin, my love of pancetta, and the bounty of herbs from dad's garden.

The following collection of hints, tips and recipes should guide you through the holiday whether your role is host, guest bringing a side dish or head glutton. Feel free to add your own tips or advice in the comments section.

Epicurious is an online collection of recipes and used to be a TV show though I haven't seen it lately. They had this hot scottish lady named "Ish" who hosted but that's not important now. What is is their wonderful round-up of techniques and recipes found here.

My stand-bys, the SF Chronicle and NY Times each have their own coverage with recipes and whatnot. Every single newspaper in the country has their own coverage this week so browse around.

In addition, Gourmet, Cook's Illustrated, Food and Wine and whatnot all have turkey issues on newstands now. Go get 'em if you need 'em.

Thoughts and comments:
For me, the ultimate thanksgiving moment is that first forkful of turkey, stuffing, potato and gravy all together. The flavors play off each other so nicely it's hard to resist. Getting to this point is a long process though. Using the above professional advice and the below ruminations, you'll be over-eating in no time.

The Bird: To brine or not to brine? I've brined many things in my day but have never found a pot big enough to brine a turkey in. Or at least not a turkey the size we need for our large gathering. Cook's illustrated is pro-brine most of the time and are no exception here. Then again, I've had too many excellent un-brined birds that I don't consider it vital. If you have the time and the means, go ahead. If not, don't worry about it, just keep an eye on temperature to avoid over-cooking.

Stuffing: This is where the meal is made in my opinion. Stuffing (when in the bird) and dressing (cooked separately) can enhance the flavor of the turkey, the potatoes and the sandwiches the next day. I'm in favor of the stuffing and the bird enhancing eachother. Hence, the stuffing should be moist and flavorful and not be packed too tight in the cavity. Plenty of butter and stock (I usually make some the night before with the gizzards, wing tips, onion, carrot and herbs) in the stuffing will keep it from drawing moisture from the meat though it will absorbs some, enhancing it's flavor. The past few years, I've spun the old sausage stuffing recipe with pancetta instead. The fat binds the other ingredients together while the salty pork bits add a nice element to the mix.

Gravy is a must. It glues the bird, stuffing and potatoes together on your fork for the delicious deliciousness that the meal is all about. The stock made the night before is the ideal liquid to use for deglazing the roasting pan because at that point you have so much going on that the last thing you need is to mess with wine, gizzards, herbs and cutting onions. Simply drain most of the fat out of the pan, put over a hot stove, deglaze with stock (keeping the large bits of browned meat and skin), toss in some salt and pepper, maybe a sprig of thyme or something and reduce. Thicken with your favorite thickening agent just before serving.

Potatoes are simple yet wonderful sponges for the flavors of the othe dishes. I prefer regular mashed potatoes as the final element of the loaded forkful. Please get the lumps out and use salt, butter and whole milk. This is a holiday folks, you can put your diet on hold.

Sides
I'm usually too full to bother much with side dishes but they provide a nice counterpoint to the savory foursome and essential vitamins as well.
Sweet potatoes are a nice side but can we please do without marshmallows? This isn't the fifties and hipster ironic retro-ism doesn't necessarily taste good. Same goes for creamed anything. Green bean casserole on the other hand, now that's a tasty throwback!

Cranberry Sauce: As much as I'm in favor of fresh ingredients and preparation, there's something about canned cranberry sauce that I'm a sucker for. Especially when it sits on the table in the same shape as when it came out of the can. I don't really eat it but I just love looking at it. Fancier cran dressing recipes abound if you must. I don't bother mostly because I don't care too much for it. Sorry.

Pies!
Just when you thought it was safe to go into food coma, the pies come out and with a quick loosening of the belt and a deep breath, you're back in your seat, fork in hand. For me, home-made pies, no matter how poorly made, are always better than store bought for the experience. When in doubt, put more whipped cream or ice cream on top and you're good to go. I'm not much for baking though so I'll leave it at that.