Toast With This!: Hot Mulled Cider Mocktail

When the cooler temperatures start to settle in, I can hardly think of a better way to warm up than with a glass (or two) of my hot mulled cider mocktail (i.e. a cocktail sans alcohol).  Flavored with notes of bright citrus and earthy, yet bold, spices, it's perfect for any occasion.  I enjoy it when I'm entertaining a crowd or all by my lonesome.  And there's also that fringe benefit of having your kitchen smell simply delicious.

So the next time you're in the mood for a great drink--that hits all the right notes--toast with this!

Happy Sipping!

 


Recipe:

Hot Mulled Cider
(8 Servings)

Ingredients:
Half gallon of apple cider
Peel and juice of one orange
One-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled
3 cinnamon sticks
5 star anise
10 cloves

Instructions:
Add ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Serve and enjoy!






 

Turkey Love: Preparation Tips

For most meals that are served on Thanksgiving Day, the turkey is the undisputed main attraction.  With that in mind, I want to share a few, simple tips that will help you achieve a moist, well-seasoned, and above all--delicious--roasted turkey.

Be Kind and Brine
Brining your turkey is nothing short of "turkey love".  I began brining a couple of years ago and won't ever roast another turkey without this moistening, flavor-enhancing step.  To brine your turkey in preparation for roasting, you'll want to submerge it in the brine solution (typically water, part salt, part sugar and any other flavorings of your choice) and keep it in the refrigerator until you're ready to handle further.  (Brining bags make this process a cinch and can be at found at your local grocery store or gourmet food stores like Williams-Sonoma and Crate and Barrel.)  Finally, rinse your turkey and pat dry before preparing for the oven.

Be Liberal With Seasoning
There's no shortage of ways to season your big bird. From the classic salt and pepper duo to flavored butters, herbs, citrus and aromatics, the list goes on and on.  So whatever your pleasure, be sure to give your turkey even more love and season it liberally on the skin, inside the cavity and even underneath the skin.  Your taste buds will thank you later.

Smart Basting
This next tip is one I learned from Martha Stewart.  Once you've seasoned your turkey to your liking, take some cotton cheese cloth (about four layers), soak it in your basting liquid, squeeze and then place over the turkey breast.  Continue basting about every 30 minutes until done.  The cheese cloth will protect the breast meat from overcooking and darkening too quickly and also keep it moist.  Remove it for the last hour of cooking and cover any overly dark areas with foil to prevent burning.  The result will be a beautiful, lacquered turkey that is a feast to the eyes and mouth.

Use the Whole Bird!
Before you're tempted to discard the turkey neck or giblets that are found in the turkey cavity, set them aside and use them to flavor your stock for basting and gravy.

Give It a Rest
Once you remove the turkey from the oven, let it rest for twenty minutes or so before carving to allow the juices to redistribute.  This will ensure your turkey remains juicy and all your hard work isn't lost.

Tools of the Trade
If you haven't already, invest in a kitchen timer (or two) and an instant read thermometer.  You don't want to "wing it" and try and guess when your turkey is done.  The rule of thumb generally is about 12 minutes for every pound of turkey, but always check to make sure it's done.  Test for doneness at 165 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh.  Nothing short of "well done" is acceptable when you're dealing with raw poultry.

So there you have it.  I hope you'll use these simple tips to transform your turkey into a bird that's nothing short of your best turkey ever!

Happy Eating!

A Two Week Countdown to Your Best Thanksgiving Yet

A couple of years ago, I waded into uncharted waters and prepared my very first Thanksgiving feast.  It was for a client (and good friend) who was hosting Thanksgiving dinner for a party of 12.  Hence, the word 'feast'.  While I had contributed dishes to the family meal, and even hosted Thanksgiving dinner before, I had never prepared the entire meal!  But my love for food and sharing made this the perfect job for me, and one I'll never forget.  I planned a menu intended to delight and wow in the same bite.  From there, the heavy lifting of shopping and prepping and cooking and baking, and related tasks began.

It was a labor of love that required thoughtful planning, timing, and not too few tried and true tips and advice to get me to destination complete: having the entire meal ready to serve for my client and his guests at the designated meal time.  And so, for this Thanksgiving season, I want to pass along some of the tips and advice that helped to make that movable feast an ultimate success.  

From start to finish, here's my fast and easy guide:

Step 1:  Secure the headcount
You'll want to aim at confirming the headcount as soon as possible so that you can appropriately plan your menu--including number of servings needed, quantity of ingredients and other essentials.

Step 2:  Plan the menu
With the headcount secured, you can begin to plan your menu--including the number of courses to be served, dishes you (and/or guests) will prepare vs. buy, etc.

Step 3:  Take Inventory
Before you make your shopping lists, take stock of what you already have on hand--including ingredients, tools, special equipment, dinnerware, glassware, linens, etc.  From there you'll have a good take on what you need to buy altogether, supplement, or even possibly borrow.

Step 4: Make Your Shopping List and Get Going
For items that are perishable or don't freeze well, you'll want to hold off until closer to your preparation date, but for everything else, plan to complete as much of your shopping in advance as possible.  This will save you the sure-to-come stress of being at the crowded market with everybody else on Thanksgiving eve.

Step 5: Do-Ahead!
Scour your menu for those dishes that can be made in advance (whether a week, a day or even several hours) and prepare them in advance.  For instance, most soups, and even pastry dough, can be made ahead and frozen until you're ready to thaw and use.  Blanching and storing veggies overnight for sauteing the next day is another example.  This, by far, is the greatest stress buster and time saver for me in planning any event.

Step 6: Final Check-Up
Revisit steps 1-5 a couple of days before the big day to account for any last minute changes or needs that might arise.  From there, you should be well on your way to enjoying a stress-free, un-hurried, and truly delightful meal and gathering that's nothing less than your best Thanksgiving yet.

Happy Eating!