Being that Thanksgiving is a couple days away I thought I would lay down some tips to help out with that cornucopia of food that becomes the annual thanksgiving gathering. I'm taking some highlights from the food network's article Top 10 Turkey Tips because ... well the food network is awesome! I mean come on ... it's a whole network about FOOD! Here we go:

• Thawing a frozen turkey requires patience. The safest method is to thaw turkey in the refrigerator. Be sure to plan ahead — it takes approximately 3 days for a 20 pound turkey to fully defrost.
• For crisper skin, unwrap the turkey the day before roasting and leave it uncovered in the refrigerator overnight.
• A turkey will cook more evenly if it is not densely stuffed. Consider adding flavor by loosely filling the cavity with aromatic vegetables — carrots, celery, onion or garlic work nicely — or by carefully tucking fresh herbs underneath the breast skin. For the stuffing lovers, cook the dressing in a casserole dish on the side.
• Before roasting, coat the outside of the turkey with vegetable or olive oil, season with salt and pepper and tightly cover the breast with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning
• Don't be a peeping tom (no pun intended)! Once you get the turkey in the oven, resist the temptation to open the oven door and admire your handiwork. When the oven temperature fluctuates, you're only increasing the likelihood of a dry bird. About 45 minutes before you think the turkey is done, remove the foil from the breast to allow it to brown.
• Tent the bird with foil and let rest for about 15 minutes before carving. If you need more time to make gravy, heat up side dishes, etc., you can let the turkey set for up to an hour without losing too much heat.

But Enoch, don't you come from a long line of Native Americans? Shouldn't you be talking about maze? Thank you voice in my head who spelled maize wrong! it is true that I am a proud Native American who loves corn, but my tribe didn't call it maize. In Nahuatl (pronounced Nah-Wa-till) corn goes by many names depending on the way you use it. Quite often when you read about corn it is described as a female persona akin to a goddess. It's sacred to grow and sacred to eat. But enough of that stuff. Here is some thoughts about corn for your cooking pleasure taken from an article Cooking Corn on the Cob from FoodReference.com.

• Fresh corn should be stored at 35 degrees F. Use in 3 or 4 days maximum.
• Fresh corn on the cob will lose up to 40% of its sugar content after 6 hours of room temperature storage. The sugar is converted to starch.
• When cooking corn on the cob, be sure there is enough water to completely cover the corn, and that the water is at a good rolling boil before adding the corn. And never add salt, as this toughens the corn. Instead, add a teaspoon or two of sugar. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes and serve.
• Instead of using margarine, butter, or salt on your corn, try fresh herbs, light dressings, and or lemon.

I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving. Eat heartily and let's chat soon!