Talking Turkey

Thanksgiving is one of my favourite weekends in the year for so many reasons…the gorgeous fall leaves, taking the kids to the pumpkin patch (we go a few weeks early to beat the Halloween rush and let the kids each pick their own), the smell of sage-rubbed turkey roasting all afternoon while the excitement builds for the big dinner. In fact, I love Thanksgiving so much that we got married on Thanksgiving weekend (complete with a turkey and all the trimmings for the wedding dinner). Over the years, I have even managed to master cooking the entire Thanksgiving feast with the exception of the gravy, which I either buy from the butcher (it’s still “homemade” that way) or enlist one of the guests for help. My issue with gravy is timing—it takes too long to whisk while you should be putting food on the table!
I do, however, make my own cranberry sauce. The recipe is easy as 1-2-3, much less sweet and gelatinous than the ubiquitous canned stuff and bound to impress the mother-in-law. Another thing that makes me feel savvy in the kitchen is my turkey roaster. The rack keeps the turkey in the perfect position and makes it much easier to get out of the pan when it is done.