Talk Turkey to Me
a good time in the kitchen
talking turkey and all the trimmings
Renee S. Ferguson
Wishbone Press and Promotions | Illinois
Copyright 2011 Renee S. Ferguson,
All rights reserved.
Published in eBook format by Wishbone Press and Promotions, Inc.
Converted by http://www.eBookIt.com
No portion of this book may be reproduced—mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying—without the written permission of the publisher.
ISBN-13: 978-1-4566-0211-6
Published by Wishbone Press and Promotions Inc.
402 Franklin St., Geneva, IL 60134
Photography: Renee S. Ferguson
Digital photo retouching: Steve Sellers
Illustrations: Mary Austin and Martin Austin
All product/brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective trademark holders.
Disclaimer: We have taken care to ensure that the information in this book is accurate. However, we can give no absolute guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of the content of this book. We accept no liability for any losses or damages (whether direct, indirect, special, consequential, or otherwise) arising out of errors or omissions contained in this book.
Produced by Callawind Custom Cookbooks
A division of Callawind Publications Inc.
3551 St. Charles Boulevard, Suite 179, Kirkland, Quebec H9H 3C4
E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.callawind.com
Copy editing and indexing: Jane Broderick | Design: Marcy Claman
acknowledgments
Many generous family members, friends, and acquaintances helped me in a variety of ways to bring this book to fruition. Special thanks go to my husband, Johann, and my children, Erin, Dallas, and Kyle, for believing in me and for being the best cheerleaders any writer could ever want.
I offer warm thanks to those outstanding women who shared their time-honored recipes, graciously allowed their heirlooms to be used in photographs, and encouraged me through countless conversations; to Judy Olson and Deb Skarnulis for being selfless, loyal, and giving friends who make me laugh out loud; and to the scores of contributing food consultants and set designers: Nardine Alsobrook, Martha Bouchard, Bonnie Butters, Karen Crab, Anis Duncan, Lisa Easley, Doris Ferguson, Nancy Gouch, Ann Grabski, Camille Grabski, Mary Heath, Laura Hintz, Sherry Hirsch, Ingrid Kerr, Judy Kinn, Judy Lammering, Cathee Laughlin, Sara Lee, Maria Martinez, Kyle McDougal, Melody Merrick, Lucy Newman, Sarah Peck, Ruth Loving Ramon, Alice Redpath, Kathy Sayers, Kathy Snodell, Terry Spahn, Cheryl Swift, Maggie Triplett, and Carleen Urban.
I am grateful to Steve Sellers for his unique abilities with digital photography. His patience and guidance are greatly appreciated.
The artistic and creative talents of both Mary and Martin Austin are acknowledged and greatly appreciated.
I would like to thank the many anonymous men and women who have kindly and good-naturedly shared their predicaments with me, enabling me to put pen to paper and write this book. Special thanks are due to Butterball® for helping people to celebrate Thanksgiving for more than half a century. I am particularly grateful to the women of the Butterball® Turkey Talk-Line® for their many years of professionalism, generosity, and personal kindness.
Thanks as well to Judy Martin, owner of The Perfect Thing, for allowing me to come into her antique store and photograph sets using the beautiful antiques there.
Many thanks to Spike O’Dell, who was an unwitting source of encouragement and quiet tenacity, allowing me to stay the course and move forward with my idea.
Every book needs an editor and I enthusiastically thank Jane Broderick for her talents and for keeping me focused. A special thanks to Marcy Claman for being a sounding board, artist, teacher, and production coordinator in guiding this book on its journey to publication. You are the greatest!
about this book
Talk Turkey to Me is a spirited and playful how-to book that will guide you humorously as you prepare a perfect turkey for any occasion. It features an assortment of cooking methods. Whether you choose to prepare your turkey the traditional way—roasted in the oven—or on a grill or rotisserie, roasted upside down, or even cooked from frozen (yes!), you’ll find that this cookbook is like no other. The pages that follow contain detailed instructions for more than 20 cooking methods and how to achieve a picture-perfect turkey every time. Our “call girl,” Renee Ferguson, provides straightforward answers to questions from the call-in turkey hotline, an essential resource for those legions of people who find themselves with a case of “turkey trauma” when it comes time to prepare their holiday meal.
This comprehensive, step-by-step guide will help you to plan a special feast or an everyday dinner by recounting amusing questions and comments by hotline callers. The helpful but lighthearted responses of our hotline “call girl” make for lively and entertaining reading.
Turkey is the ultimate comfort food. A turkey dinner usually conjures up images of traditional holiday meals with family and friends. Now you can have that feeling year round. Turkey is making an appearance on menus throughout the year, whether it’s at a backyard barbeque, Fourth of July celebration, everyday dinner, or any of a multitude of holiday gatherings. Low in carbohydrates, fats, sodium, and cholesterol, turkey is a popular choice among the food-conscious, from South Beach, Atkins, and Sugar Buster dieters to those who are simply concerned with healthy eating. Yet for all of its nutritional benefits, turkey still manages to maintain a comfort-food profile.
A turkey dinner offers the versatility of that little black dress in every woman’s wardrobe. It’s the subtle backdrop to the accessories of your outfit—or to the side dishes of your meal. The main course that isn’t prepared properly, like the little black dress that doesn’t fit properly, can ruin your entire evening.
Callers’ kitchen trials and tribulations are recounted by our hotline “call girl.” Ferguson uses each amusing question or anecdote to guide the reader
