Restaurant Review - Straight turkey talk

CL’s slightly irreverent but wholly helpful 8-day guide to getting Thanksgiving dinner on the table

A week to go, and you’ve done nothing to get ready. Can you still pull off a holiday feast? Absolutely.

First thing: Don’t panic. A frazzled cook does not a fabulous meal make. You’ve got to get a hold of your procrastinating, stress-kitty self. If you do a little bit of work each day, you will get Thanksgiving dinner on the table and you won’t feel like you’ve run a marathon.

To get your butt in gear, here’s a day-by-day planner/countdown to the big day. Use it as you need and adjust according to the drama level inevitably imposed by your guests. With any luck, the food part will be fun.

Thurs., Nov. 18:

Who’s coming? Firm up that guest list pronto.

Even without a definite head count, start scribbling up a menu.

Any vegetarians to consider? Low-carbers or picky eaters? Do you care?

Regardless, make an executive decision about whether to serve turkey.

Fri., Nov. 19:

Take inventory of the kitchen cabinets.

For a turkey dinner, you’ll need the following tools:

- Roasting pan large enough for the bird (and small enough to fit into your oven)

- Rack (plan B: use carrots and celery as a makeshift rack)

- Instant-read thermometer

- Extra cutting board to fit inside a baking sheet for carving

- Sharp chef’s or carving knife (borrow one if you don’t want to spend the money)

Take stock of your flatware, serving spoons, wine glasses, plates and bowls. If money is an issue, think thrift shops, Target or borrowing from your guests. A hand masher for potatoes, wooden spoons, a pair of tongs and a serving platter for the bird are other essentials.

Sat., Nov. 20:

By now, your guest list is definite (right?) and you can begin estimating the amount of food and drink.

The booze: One way to ease the burden is to ask your guests to each bring a bottle of wine. Estimate a half-bottle minimum per person, plus a little extra. Suggest nicely to clueless guests to pick up Pinot Noir, Syrah or Shiraz for red; Riesling, GewÜrztraminer, Viognier or Sauvignon Blanc for white. If they don’t drink alcohol, suggest fresh apple cider or sparkling water.

The bird: It’s too late to order a freshly killed turkey from online sources, but you can head to Whole Foods, which sells turkeys that have not been frozen. If you end up with a frozen bird, let it thaw in the fridge. Plan on one day of thawing for every five pounds.

When selecting, estimate 1-1/2 pounds per person, if you want leftovers. For a party of six, that means a nine-pound bird. Inquire about pick up of fresh turkeys for Monday or Tuesday.

The sides: I refuse to discuss the sweet pota-to marshmallow combination. I find it repulsive and believe that sweet potatoes deserve a more dignified role at the table. Stuffing, cranberry sauce, salad and vinaigrette, and mashed potatoes and gravy are just a few of the tradi-tional sides that are worth making yourself.

Sun., Nov. 20:

Make the cranberry sauce. If you’re at a loss for a recipe, look at last week’s issue of CL (or go to atlanta.creativeloafing.com/2004-11-10/kitchenwitch.html). You’ll need a half hour, a bag of fresh cranberries, a few oranges and a bottle of good maple syrup.

Mon., Nov. 21:

Did you decide on a dessert? If not, hurry up. An easy way to solve this conundrum is to offer a selection of cheeses, with walnuts, dates and sliced apples and pears. Concord grapes are a luscious addition, if you can get them.

If pie is calling your name, but you don’t have time (or gumption) to make dough, how about a fruit crisp? For crisp recipes (or other Thanksgiving dishes), consider Bon Appetit and Gourmet’s online counterpart, www.epicurious.com, or the website for Food & Wine, www.foodandwine.com.

Tues., Nov. 23:

Today’s the day to pick up the items on your grocery list. Try to avoid the market on Wednesday, when people are stressed out, tired and mean.

Wed., Nov. 24:

Make stuffing. Regardless of the recipe, remember to let it cool before you store in the refrigerator, and keep it in the fridge until it’s time to reheat in the oven.

Make dessert today — don’t put it off until tomorrow.

Thurs., Nov. 25: The Big Day

It is unnecessary to wake up at dawn to put the turkey in the oven. Whoever told you this horrible old wives’ tale should be punished.

Instead, start off slowly with a nice cup of coffee.

Estimate approximately 12-15 minutes per pound, so a 10-pounder (without stuffing) will take about three hours. Preheat oven to 425 for 20 minutes.

But before you even turn on that oven, let’s go over a few safety pointers that can’t be overstressed:

- The giblets — that bag of goopy stuff that’s inside the bird — did you remove? Good.

- And the bird — it’s not frozen, right? Fab.

- Also, it’s a good idea to rinse the turkey under cold water, inside and out, then pat dry with paper towels.

Now you can proceed. Place turkey in oven, legs in first (this allows dark meat to cook thoroughly). Roast at this temperature for first 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 350. Add an ounce or two of water or stock to bottom of pan periodically — this helps keep drippings moist and loose, so you can make gravy. Do not use the pop-up timer to gauge doneness; instead, rely on your instant-read thermometer. You are looking for approximately 170 degrees on the inner part of the leg.

During this three-hour window, you can make other sides that don’t require oven space, such as mashed potatoes (which can be reheated), sweet potatoes, salad and vinaigrette. Take a shower. Turn on some tunes. Set the table.

Once out of the oven, the turkey needs to rest and cool for at least 30 minutes, during which time you can make the gravy, pour the wine and reheat anything that needs warming in the oven. Then it’s time to carve. Then, smile. Scream. Give yourself a high-five. You made it. Let’s eat!

kim.odonnel@creativeloafing.com