Thanksgiving 101
Authors: Rick Rodgers
Celebrate America’s Favorite Holiday with America’s Thanksgiving Expert
Photographs by Ben Fink
This book was born from my Thanksgiving cooking class, which I have taught from Washington to Florida every autumn for over fifteen years. When the book was first published, new methods of roasting turkeys, such as brining, high-temperature roasting, and deep-frying, were being introduced. A lot can change in ten years, both in the public’s taste and the way that an author might approach a recipe. Organic turkeys were not commonly available, and heritage turkeys were hardly sold at all. This new edition reflects these changes, and the reader will find some tweaks, adjustments, and new approaches along the way, all developed from continued testing, tasting, and observation. You’ll also see some recipes that have become new favorites. On the other hand, other well-established Thanksgiving recipes and traditions have been left alone, and I hope that they serve to bring back happy memories of great holiday meals.
In order to keep up with creating new recipes for my cooking classes, I have to work well ahead of my annual tour. I have prepared many a Thanksgiving meal in July—often in other people’s kitchens. Harriet Bell tops this list of people who have happily lent me their kitchens and taste buds. She was the editor of many of my books, and she’s been a great friend over many years, too. And we shared the fun of deep-frying a turkey together—a bonding experience if ever there was one. Steven and Cynthia Stahl and Ron Dier were always generous with their kitchens, friendships, and dishwashing talents during the many years of wonderful Thanksgivings we’ve shared. And, of course, my parents, Dick and Eleanor Rodgers, who produce a flawless Thanksgiving year after year, and showed me how fun and easy it can be.
Many cooking schools throughout the country allowed me to hone my Thanksgiving dinner-making skills. Thanks to Adventures in Cooking (Wayne, New Jersey, with a special
hug to owner Arlene Ward and my longstanding assistants, Maria and Paul Lee), The Silo (New Milford, Connecticut, and “The Rickettes,” Barbara, Caryl, Cynthia, Lauren, and Ann), Draegers’ Markets (San Mateo and Menlo Park, California), Let’s Get Cookin’ (Westlake Village, California, with extra appreciation to owner Phyllis Vacarelli and my sous-chef there, JoAnn Hecht), Sur La Table (many locations nationwide), Dierberg’s School of Cooking (St. Louis, Missouri), Kroger’s Markets (various locations in Georgia and Florida), Cook ’n Tell (Colt’s Neck, New Jersey), Classic Recipes (Westfield, New Jersey), King’s Markets (Short Hills, New Jersey), A Southern Season (Chapel Hill, North Carolina), Cook’s of Crocus Hill (Edina, Minneapolis), In Good Taste (Portland, Oregon, owned by the ever-loyal Barb Dawson), Ramekins (Sonoma, California, with an extra helping of thanks to Bob Nemerovski and Lisa Lavagetto, and Central Market (various locations in Texas). And while I certainly can’t list all of my students by name, there are special ones who always show up, year after year, to taste and collect the current recipes, and I am especially thankful for their loyalty and appetite.
Susan Wyler, cookbook editor and friend, encouraged my affection for turkey and stuffing by providing projects on those subjects that helped establish me as the expert on Things Thanksgiving. The first edition of this book was vastly improved by the input of my friend and colleague Judith Sutton.
For researching assistance and permission to use their companies’ products and recipes, I am grateful to: Linda Compton (Ocean Spray Cranberries), Ann Marie Murray (Campbell Soup Company), Roz O’Hearn (Nestlé USA/Libby’s Pumpkin), and Cynthia Giorgio (General Foods/Jell-O and Kraft Philadelphia cream cheese). Thanks to Valerie Tully of the National Turkey Federation for the turkey industry statistics and information. For the history of American food companies and eating habits, two books proved invaluable: James Trager’s
The Food Chronology
(Henry Holt, 1995) and Jean Anderson’s
The American Century Cookbook
(Clarkson Potter, 1997).
Thanks to Sonia Greenbaum, copy editor, and Ann Cahn, production editor. At HarperCollins, my longtime publishing home, thanks for the continued support of Michael Morrison, David Sweeney, Gail Winston, and Sarah Whitman-Salkin.
In my life, very little would get done if it weren’t for Diane Kniss. Her helpfulness and diligence are combined with a sense of humor that makes her the kind of co-worker that makes you want to get to work so you can try to top yesterday’s laughs. As you know, Thanksgiving makes for a lot of dishwashing, but Diane never complains. Thanks, as always, to my agent and dear friend of many years, Susan Ginsburg, and her lovely and diligent assistant, Emily Scardino. Finally, Thanksgiving dinner is never better than when I share the table with my partner, Patrick Fisher, who has eaten almost as many turkeys as I have.
O
ver the last fifteen years, I have prepared scores of Thanksgiving dinners for thousands of people. Turkey addict? Pumpkin pie groupie? A victim of gravy obsession syndrome? Yes, but there is a better reason. I travel all over the country teaching a cooking class called Thanksgiving 101. Now everything I teach in my classes is in this book, with my favorite recipes, Make ahead tips, anecdotes, organization secrets, and insights into what makes this holiday so special.
How did I become a Thanksgiving guru? In 1985, I created a catering company, Cuisine Américaine, and specialized in cooking regional American foods. And what is more American than Thanksgiving dinner? My customers loved my holiday spreads. In 1990, when one of the East Coast’s largest poultry producers was looking for a media spokesperson to represent their turkey products, they came to me. I learned everything there was to know about turkey, spending lots of time on turkey farms and in the kitchen, and wrote my first cookbook on the subject.
Since then, I have traveled all over the country teaching Thanksgiving cooking classes and making television and radio appearances on how to have the perfect Thanksgiving meal. Everyone, from friends to television producers, now calls me “Mr. Thanksgiving” or “The Turkey Meister.”
One of the best things about my work as a cooking teacher is that I get personal contact with our country’s home cooks—I am not a restaurant chef who is out of touch with how people actually cook. No matter where I go, from Seattle to Miami, I ask my students about their personal Thanksgiving dishes and customs. First,
Thanksgiving 101
is a collection
of these favorite recipes—even if some of them start with a can of soup or a box of Jell-O. Some of Thanksgiving’s most cherished recipes are brand-name specific. I call these “Classic Recipes,” and they include some background on how they rose to the top to become holiday icons.
We all know the generic recipes that form the backbone of the quintessential Thanksgiving dinner. Mashed potatoes, gravy, piecrust, and stuffing all fit into this category. With practice, these dishes become simple, but they can intimidate novices and elude practiced cooks looking for the perfect version. These recipes are labeled “101,” and if they seem long, it’s because I have included extra details that even old hands can learn from.
Certain Thanksgiving foods have achieved almost religious significance, and must be served at that meal on the fourth Thursday of every November. While researching recipes for my classes, I became fascinated with how these particular foods became so important. These are discussed in the sections titled, “It Isn’t Thanksgiving Without…” You’ll find information on classics like cranberries, pumpkin, gelatin salads, and, of course, turkey.
What I hear most from my students is that they are desperate for help in
organizing
the meal. So, in addition to a host of tips, I’ve provided suggestions for complete menus with preparation and cooking timetables. (I can just hear all of you worried cooks going “Whew! Thank you!!”)
My students also tell me that these recipes are too good to reserve for just one day of the year, and I agree. Thanksgiving isn’t the only time when turkey makes an appearance—it’s perfect for a Sunday supper, creating leftovers to use for other meals, and many families serve the bird with fixings for Christmas and Easter, too. You’ll savor many of the other dishes year-round also, especially the side dishes and desserts. For example, I rarely serve grilled pork chops without a cranberry chutney (I keep a stash of frozen cranberries to use when they’re out of season). Because most of my Thanksgiving first course soups and salads feature seasonal ingredients, I use them often during cool months. No matter what the season, hardly a party goes by without one of the appetizers from this book. And it certainly doesn’t have to be Thanksgiving to make apple pie!
I have been gathering these recipes for this book for years, listening to countless American home cooks tell me about the fun (and fear) they experience while getting the big meal on the table. I promised them I would write a
practical
guide on this beloved holiday. Many of these recipes are downright simple, but that doesn’t make them any less delicious.
Thanksgiving 101
is a culinary insurance policy to having the best Turkey Day ever.
Happy Thanksgiving!
E
veryone loves Thanksgiving. But even experienced cooks look at making Thanksgiving dinner with a mixture of trepidation and nostalgia. After all, it has probably been 364 days since the last time they were asked to make such a huge meal. Some of those dishes are made on Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving only, so it is like starting from scratch. Someone once asked a famous Wagnerian soprano how she performed her long, grueling roles night after night. “No problem,” she modestly replied. “All you need is a good pair of shoes.” When people ask me how I pull off my Thanksgiving dinners, I know how that singer felt. I want to say, “All you need is a good pair of shoes…and a plan!”
The happiest Thanksgiving cook is the most organized. No one ever sees the pile of lists that guides me through the organization and preparation of the meal. It’s not enough just to want to serve a delicious holiday dinner—you’d better think about how to get all of that food on the table at the same time. Plot it out on paper, and you’ll be one giant step closer to serving a perfect meal. A written plan is reassuring—you can look it over as many times as you want to check and double-check, or make the changes that will inevitably occur.
Lists, Lists, and More Lists
Thanksgiving Rule Number One
There are never too many lists. And nothing feels better than seeing every item checked off. You will need the following lists:
- Guest List:
Invite your guests, by mail or by phone, at least three weeks ahead. As soon as possible, try to get your friends to notify you if they are bringing guests. I always plan on one last-minute phone call from someone saying, “I just found out that so-and-so at the office has nowhere to go.
Can I bring him along?” Especially for large gatherings, keep track of RSVPs. Unfortunately, a confirmed RSVP doesn’t mean much these days, and you may want to call the night before to confirm your guest’s attendance, and how many will be in the party. When necessary, include directions to your house with the invitation. - Grocery Lists:
You should have at least three grocery lists and a beverage list. Spread out the shopping over a couple of weeks so you’re not one more person standing in line at the supermarket with an overflowing cart. Buy as many nonperishables as possible before that final Tuesday or Wednesday. That way, you’ll only need a quick trip to the market to pick up the fresh items. My dream is to be able to stand in the Express lane on Thanksgiving Eve, and I have accomplished this more than once.
The first grocery list should be nonperishables that can be purchased two or three weeks ahead of the dinner. You may not know exactly how many people are coming yet, but you can get candles, coffee filters, guest towels, cocktail napkins, camera film or fresh digital camera batteries, paper towels, guest soap, aluminum foil, plastic wrap, bathroom tissue, and other incidentals. Play it safe and buy staples like flour, sugar, salt, and such. Buy coffee and put it in the freezer. If you are barbecuing your turkey, put charcoal or propane gas on this list.
The second grocery list is for the week before the meal. By now (hopefully) your guest list is confirmed. You know what your menu is, and what groceries you’ll need. Buy all the produce that will keep for a week (onions, garlic, potatoes, yams, carrots, lemons, and limes), dairy items (cheese, eggs, milk, cream, and butter), canned goods, and spices. When you write down the groceries you need, try to organize them by category (or, if you are really familiar with your market, by aisle), so you don’t have to run all over the store. If necessary, order your turkey and other meat or seafood items.
The last grocery list is for Tuesday or Wednesday’s shopping, which will include only fresh turkey, vegetables, and fruit, and maybe a couple of extra bags of ice. If you can, purchase your produce at a greengrocer—the line will be shorter and the produce better than at most supermarkets.
In some states that sell alcohol at grocery stores, your beverage list can be part of the regular shopping list. Otherwise, make a separate list for the liquor store. Don’t forget mixers and nonalcoholic beverages and any garnishes like celery for the Bloody Marys. - Prep Lists:
There are a lot of cooking chores that can be done well ahead of time. Look at your menu for potential freezable items. I am not a big freezer person, mainly because I don’t have a large freezer, but I do freeze a few quarts of homemade turkey stock, and maybe some piecrusts.
Be realistic about how much time it will take for you to make each dish. Only you know how fast you can chop. Also, schedule in cleaning time. It is much easier to clean as you go along than to wait until the piles of utensils are so high you can’t stand it anymore. - Utensil List:
French chefs call this a
batterie de cuisine
. It means all the pots, pans, basters, spoons, roasting racks, coffeemakers, measuring cups, rolling pins, pie pans, and other things that you’ll need to get the dinner on the table. Check all of
the recipes and be sure that you have everything you need. If a recipe calls for a 9 × 13-inch baking dish and yours is a different size, you can either buy the right pan or throw caution to the wind and hope that the recipe turns out all right in your pan. I vote for buying the new dish. I have made every effort to use pots and pans that can be found in the average home. Where necessary, unusual equipment is listed after the ingredients in a recipe.
Be sure to have plenty of large self-sealing plastic bags on hand. Whenever possible, store prepared food in the plastic bags instead of bowls. You’ll save lots of refrigerator space that way. - Tableware List:
Check to see that you have all of the serving dishes and utensils you need. Many items may be stored away; take them out and wash them. To keep all of those bowls and platters straight, list what food goes in what dish, and identify the utensils with sticky notes. This way, in the heat of the battle, when a helper asks, “What dish do the mashed potatoes go into?” you can reply, “The blue one with the ‘mashed potatoes’ sticker,” not “I don’t remember!” If there is silver to be polished or linens to be washed and pressed, schedule those jobs well ahead of time.
If you don’t have enough china and silver, try to avoid paper plates and plastic utensils. Inexpensive dishes and silverware can be found at wholesale clubs, or borrow them from friends and family. You may not have a matching set, but at least no one’s gravy will seep through his plate. Along the same lines, try to use real napkins, not paper ones—it’s a festive holiday.
Everything has its place, but even more so at Thanksgiving. Draw a “map” of the table that includes the serving dishes and centerpiece to be sure everything will fit. If it doesn’t, figure out where you will put the excess. If you don’t have enough chairs, borrow them from a friend or rent them. If you need to move any furniture to make room, take note and add it to another “To Do” list.
If you plan to have a buffet, you may want to put the plates and eating utensils on a separate sideboard or table. If you have a large crowd, pull the table away from the wall, if necessary. Make two stacks of plates and place them on opposite sides of the table. Now there can be two lines, as guests can serve themselves from both sides. Put two serving utensils in each bowl so guests can serve themselves faster. To save space, roll the eating utensils in napkins and tie with ribbons, then stack them in a basket. Place the basket at the opposite end of the buffet, so guests don’t have to juggle the utensils while they are trying to fill their plates. - The Bill of Fare:
It may sound compulsive, but I always tape the complete menu, including beverages and appetizers, on the refrigerator door to double-check that everything makes it out to the table. More than once, after the meal, I have found a bowl of cranberry sauce hidden in the refrigerator (and my guests were too polite to say, “How chic! No cranberry sauce!” to remind me).
Your Menu and You
There are many variables that make a menu the right one. Sure, personal taste comes into play, but more important are the logistics. Do you have enough refrigerator space? Do you have only one oven? How big is it? How many people can you really seat, even with the card table? Brutally assess your cooking skills. Some people
are entranced by what they see on television cooking shows (or read in cookbooks), and overdo it. Instead of enjoying your guests, you see a lot of your kitchen.
Most of the recipes in this book are for eight to twelve servings. A serving is an average-sized portion. I can’t say “Serves Eight,” because if your eight guests have big appetites, and take big spoonfuls, the eight servings become four. With the exception of the desserts, all the recipes can be multiplied or divided to fit your guest count. Desserts have to be prepared by the unit—you wouldn’t bake half a pie to get four extra servings.
If you are new to the Thanksgiving routine, concentrate on one or two dishes (like turkey and gravy) and learn to do them well. Let someone else bring side dishes and desserts or pick them up at a takeout place. Next year, expand your repertoire to cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. Pretty soon, you’ll be able to execute the entire menu.
Being a slave to fashion is bad enough, but being a slave to the traditional Thanksgiving menu is worse. You don’t have to serve the exact same meal that Mom made. Design a balanced meal with different colors, textures, and flavors. If you think there are too many sweet things or starches on the menu, scratch one off and replace it with something else. In my opinion, most people just serve too much food at this meal. Thanksgiving should be about visiting with loved ones over a special feast, not about how much turkey you can eat in twenty minutes because the football game is about to come on.
And speaking of football, my heart goes out to you cooks whose meal has to vie for attention with the game. When people come to my house for Thanksgiving, they come for a great meal and company, and the television never gets turned on except, when necessary, to keep the kids occupied. Perhaps you should try my friend Monica’s tactic. She decided that she wasn’t going to let the football schedule call the shots. So, she roasted a turkey, but only served it with fixings for fresh sliced turkey sandwiches. This tactic went over so well, it has become her family’s annual Thanksgiving meal.
Help!
Another Thanksgiving Rule
Let your friends help you…kinda.
There are times when being a control freak can come in handy…like on the fourth Thursday of November. The first few times I made Thanksgiving, people asked if they could bring something, and I was glad to let them pitch in. But I couldn’t help noticing a few recurring trends. One friend always brought something different than he said he would. If he said he’d bring cranberry sauce, he’d bring a green bean bake…but only when I already had four other vegetable side dishes, and didn’t make cranberry sauce. Another friend considered it a crime to follow a recipe, and always got “creative” with her contribution. The problem was that her experiments rarely turned out as expected. (Like the year she substituted honey for sugar in the pumpkin pie and the filling wouldn’t set.) I considered having a sampler made saying “No More Potlucks…Ever!” to hang in the kitchen. It’s much better to be in complete charge of the menu.
It’s not that I’m ungrateful, it’s just that there are other ways my friends can help. My favorite friend is the one who comes over on Wednesday night to keep me company while I prep. Even if he isn’t a good cook, he can run to the store if I left something off the list, clean up the dirty dishes, pour us a glass of wine, order pizza (Who has time to make dinner?), set the
dining room for the big dinner…. Of course, on Thanksgiving Day, anyone who wants to wash dishes is my friend for life.
If you must have a potluck, here’s a strategy that has worked for me. I designed my menu from clipped newspaper, magazine, and cookbook recipes, and assigned them according to the person’s cooking skills, along with instructions for multiplying the recipe for a certain number of servings. I knew exactly what everyone was going to bring, and that it was all going to fit together. My friends were relieved because they didn’t have to fret about what they were going to bring.
When the going gets rough, remember that at the first Thanksgiving, only six women prepared all the food for ninety-one Native Americans and fifty-six settlers, and that the party lasted three days.
The Kids’ Table
When kids are a part of your Thanksgiving guest list, be sure you have activities that don’t just keep them busy but let them contribute to the festivities.
My young friends love helping in the kitchen. Sometimes I let them do easy chores like peeling vegetables or whipping cream. But they really love it when they can create something to share with the whole group. The day before the dinner, bake turkey-shaped cookies. Set up a corner in the kitchen with icing and colored sugar, and let the kids decorate the cookies to serve with coffee for dessert.
If there is just too much activity in the kitchen for small bodies to be around, I provide crayons, construction paper, paste, and scissors in another area for them to create place cards. I’ll get them going by making turkey-shaped cutouts—it’s their job to cut out and paste colorful paper feathers onto the tails and write the guests’ names on the bodies. (Some craft stores also sell inexpensive small, real feathers that can be used.)
When you’ve set up a kids’ table, make it something special. Don’t make them feel like they’re in Siberia. Once, when up in the country, we sent the youngsters out to collect the best-looking autumn leaves. When they returned, they washed and dried the gathered leaves well. I covered the kids’ table with a piece of white butcher paper, and they glued the leaves all over the paper as a tablecloth. It looked so great that the adults were envious. Another time, we simply stenciled outlines of turkeys all over the butcher paper, and put out crayons to color the turkeys during dinner.
Of course, there’s the time-honored tradition of the touch football game to help the kids let off steam. But I wonder if it’s really to keep the kids occupied or to help the adults burn off calories?