So, with a whole eight weeks of culinary school under my belt, I felt totally qualified to volunteer to host the in-laws for Thanksgiving dinner. However, shortly after I committed us to the job, I was working on my mise en place . The menu (or at least what I was providing) was completed within a couple of weeks, and I used the remaining time to "test" out the recipes on my family (they were willing participants). The turkey, the centerpiece, the piece de resistance...how was I going to do it? Enter NPR (National Public Radio). I happened to be driving to or from school when I heard Alton Brown being interviewed about dos and don'ts of Turkey Preparation (don't - stuff your turkey or baste it). He mentioned brining as a method of preparation, and right there is when I knew I wanted to try THAT for my turkey. Then, he talked about 'spatchcocking', and that sounded less appealing (the concept, that is...the word itself is actually...
"People who love to eat are always the best people." - Julia Child