Archive: November 20, 2005 - November 26, 2005
The Morning After
What is it about Thanksgiving that creates a warped sense of time? We get up extra early to turn on the ovens, we catch up with old pals at all hours, we start drinking at noon, we think it's 11 when it's only six. I started my day off at Tranquil Space, a Washington yoga studio that has been organizing Thanksgiving charity yoga classes for the past few years. There's nothing like a bunch of down dogs to get the blood moving and the mind centered. I was joining good friends, who had just tied the knot, at his folks's place in Arlington, and my job was to add to the dessert offerings. I decided on my Dark n' Stormy pear crisp, which turned out just how I like -- crunchy on top, juicy on the bottom. We were a group of seven, including two vegetarians and a 15 or...
By kimodo | November 25, 2005; 12:04 PM ET | Comments (6)
T-Minus 1: Ten Things You Always Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask About Cooking a Turkey
To stuff or not to stuff? Turkey cavities are never big enough to hold all of your stuffing, plus it's not safe to pack it in tightly. So why not heat up separately and not be bothered with the potential food safety risks? I disagree that stuffing in the bird tastes better. Do I have to put the bird in the oven at the crack of dawn?No, you don't. It's an old wive's tale. Estimate 10-15 minutes per pound, depending on your oven. A 12-pounder will take between two and 2.5 hours....
By kimodo | November 23, 2005; 07:39 AM ET | Comments (11)
T-Minus 2: Doing Up the Bird, Where's That Thigh, Anyway?
A reader named "Katie" e-mailed me the following note last week: "I keep reading that you should insert the thermometer into the turkey thigh and make sure it reads X degrees. My question is, WHERE is the turkey thigh?? This whole time I was planning, I was thinking of the LEG!! Can you draw a map to the thigh?? I don't want to miss and have an undercooked turkey!!"...
By kimodo | November 22, 2005; 09:44 AM ET | Comments (12)
T-Minus 3: Pumpkin Pie Made With What?
I tend to knit an eyebrow whenever I hear someone talk about "enlightened" recipes, particularly with sweets. I love a little fat and sugar at the end of a meal, so don't bother if all you got is some kind of reduced-fat cake-like thing that tastes like a chemical compromise. Give me an apple instead....
By kimodo | November 21, 2005; 10:33 AM ET | Comments (10)
