THANKSGIVING FORECAST
Turkeys will thaw in the morning, then warm in the oven to an
afternoon high near 190F. The kitchen will turn hot and humid, and if
you bother the cook, be ready for a severe squall or cold shoulder.
During the late afternoon and evening, the cold front of a knife will
slice through the turkey, causing an accumulation of one to two inches
on plates. Mashed potatoes will drift across one side while cranberry
sauce creates slippery spots on the other. Please pass the gravy.
A weight watch and indigestion warning have been issued for the entire
area, with increased stuffiness around the beltway. During the
evening, the turkey will diminish and taper off to leftovers, dropping
to a low of 34F in the refrigerator.
Looking ahead to Friday and Saturday, high pressure to eat sandwiches
will be established. Flurries of leftovers can be expected both days
with a 50 percent chance of scattered soup late in the day. We expect
a warming trend where soup develops. By early next week, eating
pressure will be low as the only wish left will be the bone.
_______________________________________
I want to wish all my American readers a very happy thanksgiving. For
the benefit of my non-American readers who are wondering what all the
fuss is about, I have assembled a couple of links. This first one is
an excellent BBC article that explains the holiday quite well. The
URL is a long one, and you will probably have to copy and paste it
into your browser for it to work.
http://www.news.bbc.co.uk/low/english/special_report/1997/thanksgiving/newsi
d_34000/34733.stm
Turkey Tetrazzini
8 oz (250 g) dried noodles or fettuccine, cooked
according to package directions and drained
2 Tbs (30 ml) olive oil
2 cloves garlic, mashed
3 Tbs (45 ml) chopped fresh parsley
1/2 lb (250 g) fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 bay (laurel) leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 Tbs (90 ml) butter
2 Tbs (30 ml) flour
1 cup (250 ml) hot chicken or turkey broth
1/2 cup half and half (light cream)
1/4 cup (60 ml) dry white wine (optional, or
substitute an additional 1/4 cup (60 ml) broth)
2 cups (500 ml) diced cooked turkey
1/2 cup (125 ml) grated Parmesan cheese
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over moderate heat. Add the garlic,
parsley, mushrooms, bay leaf, and salt and pepper and cook for about 4
minutes, stirring frequently. Place the butter in a separate saucepan
and melt over moderate heat. Add the flour and blend well, cooking
for about 2 minutes to form a roux. Add the chicken or turkey broth
and stir constantly until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat
and add the half and half and wine and stir well. Place the drained
cooked noodles in a buttered casserole dish and top with the mushroom
mixture. Arrange the turkey on top of the mushrooms, and pour the
cream sauce over all. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and bake in a
preheated 350F (180C) oven for about 15 minutes. Serves 4.