Two arguments in favor of the whole bird -- as opposed to our estimable colleague, the Prop of coffegrounds' chi-chi boneless bird, "de-boned from the inside so that carving oneself huge slices was as easy as pie," which made our mouth water, but where's the carcass? -- both illustrated above: 1) the wishbone itself, together with 2) an hours-long-in-the-making culinary joy, turkey stew from homemade post-Thanksgiving stock and fixin's.
We skimmed the fat from the broth after overnight chilling and spooned it into the Griswold pan with some flour and then a bit of the broth and whisked it up to make a perfect roux -- merci, mes amis de la Belle France. Then added that to the pot of broth and tossed in all things bright and beautiful left over from yesterday's repast, including the turkey meat that fell off the bones when we cooked 'em up for the broth, those candied carrot sticks we forgot to serve during dinner yesterday, a few chopped-up creamed onions and scalloped potatoes with fennel and peas. As we said yesterday, did we forget anything?
In answer to our own question -- and in friendly defiance to those who would promulgate a boneless Thanksgiving, here's the carcass.
Frightening yet beautiful in a Georgia O'Keefe sense. Bleached (boiled in this case) bones as a metaphor for the cycle of life and death and everything in between.
Then there's cat sense, as Baby knows in his bones.
Day after Thanksgiving? Spending hours tending a turkey stew over a hot stove? No way. Tryptophan naps all around.
OH! Beth told me to keep the carcass for stock . . . now I know what she was talking about.
All those years of mundane fare have left me a shell of a cook. I bought all the cookbooks. I have untensils. [shakes head] Woe to the ignorant chef. ;)
Posted by: pam | November 26, 2004 at 06:26 PM
Fun to read, though. Loved your turkey tale. :)
Posted by: acjgoomp | November 26, 2004 at 06:58 PM