Good Press

Last year, I posted an opinion piece that said food writers hate Thanksgiving because they are pressured to develop new recipes that will largely be ignored. Few consumers break with tradition when the day comes to break the wishbone. They will make green bean casserole and marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes despite all the side-dish variations and innovations presented in magazines and newspapers. My experience has also been that people want Thanksgiving to taste a certain way -- the recipes prepared the way they remember their mothers or grandmothers making them. A woman at church complained last week that her aunt wants to put lemon pepper on the turkey this year because she saw Martha Stewart do it. The changes I have implemented in my holiday meals are, in my opinion, not that radical, but I have met resistance of varying intensities. My mother-in-law distrusts my cooking because, in part, one Thanksgiving I was assigned to bring the green beans . Instead of boiling them within an ...

Turkey seasoning rub In making the turkey this year, I am going against everything I advise about 1. Trying something new for a major dinner instead of having a trial run first and 2. messing with how people expect something to taste. I am going to rub a mix of seasonings under the skin instead of just butter. This recipe comes from TV show host and cookbook author Jim Coleman. COLEMAN'S RUB 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 teaspoon ground sage 1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon powdered cumin 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme 1 teaspoon powdered coriander 1 lemon Wash turkey inside and out with cold water and pat dry with paper towles. Using hands, lift up the skin (without tearing) and rub herb mixture onto meat under skin, starting near the neck and continuing to rump. Squeeze lemon over turkey and use remaining herb mixture to caot the top of the bird. I...