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food
11.16.09
Thanksgiving Prep |
Turkey
Chances are the majority of turkeys you've ever had have been the Broad Breasted Whites. In the past  few years, though, there has been increasing interest in heritage turkeys. These older varieties are free-range and fed differently. They're smaller and more expensive, but they also taste better – richer and much more flavorful than the cardboardy Broadbreasteds that have done so much for cranberry relish. Heritage turkeys may not be as tender as you're used to, but you'll understand, perhaps for the first time, what our forefathers ever saw in this bird. You can read more about heritage varieties here and find a bird at Local Harvest.
Equipment
Roaster? Brining bags? Carving board? Thanksgiving necessities from Broadway Panhandler.
Knife Sharpening
Henry Westpfal & Co., 115 W. 25th [6th/7th] 212.563.5990, has been sharpening knives since 1874 – so you know your blades are in good hands. And you can do a lot of damage to your knives by taking them to a local store (or roaming truck) that sharpens by putting the blades into a machine. The only good way, which the company uses, is the wet wheel method, in which the blade is carefully pressed against a spinning wheel that is frequently lubricated with water. Sharpening without water can burn the metal. The skill of the grinder is important, too: one wrong touch and your blade will never be the same. For Japanese-style knives, Korin, 57 Warren [W. Bway/Church] 212.587.7021, does good work.
Cheese
Some cheese beforehand? Buy American for the holiday, using the advice of Liz Thorpe of Murray's, in her new book on American cheese The Cheese Chronicles.
 Sides
Julia Moskin's takes sides' side in this funny piece from last week's Times.
Cranberry Relish
Every year since 1971, NPR correspondent Susan Stamberg has been sharing her mother-in-law's recipe for cranberry relish on the air.
Pies
 DIYers can get the skinny on Perfect Pies this Saturday, November 21st, at Sur La Table, 75 Spring [Laf/Crosby] 212.966.3375, 11am, free. Non DIYers: just order ahead from Clinton Street Bakery, 4 Clinton [Houston/Stanton] 646.602.6263. Apple crumb, maple-bourbon, and pumpkin butterscotch pies are $24-$26 and serve 6-8. Also, a permanent hat-tip to Little Pie Company pies.
Restaurants
Rather eat out this year? Here's Open Table's long list of options.
    
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A thousand thanks for again taking the time to nominate MUG for Mashable's Best Local Blog award. We'll find out this week whether we're one of the five finalists; if we make the cut, the voting period will run through December 13th and we'll no doubt being annoying you on the subject yet again.
– The MUG Team |
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