Roasted sweet potatoes with cane syrup

Attempt at making a crown of autumn leaves. Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Here at the beginning of November, I'm optimistic that I can get everything done that needs to be done from now to the end of the year and have fun, too. We'll see how that goes. Since I've been a slave to the school schedule, I've felt that Thanksgiving gets the short end of the stick, caught between the candy- and costume-fueled foolery of Halloween and the green- and red-bedecked halls of Christmas. Truth is, as much as I love the other two, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, I just wish I had time to slow down and enjoy it.

Pansies. Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

To that end, I'm decorating my front porch with containers of pansies, violas (the happiest flowers ever), and flowering cabbages, and planning my T-day menu. Quick cranberry relish and the jiggly canned cranberry sauce will be present, a dry-brined and butter-roasted turkey will be there, too, nestled among my mother-in-law's famous cornbread dressing. Sweet potatoes are a Southern favorite, and while I do love the ubiquitous casserole with the mini-marshmallows (I would never be a marshmallow snob, ever), this year I'm going to make my new favorite sweet potato dish, flavored with that Southern standby, cane syrup.

Very sweet and roasty-toasty, cane syrup is simply sugar cane juice boiled down until thick, similar to the process of turning maple sap into syrup. Cane syrup has a slightly molasses taste, but is not nearly as strong. It may be used just as you would maple syrup. Try cane syrup on fresh-from-the-oven buttermilk biscuits, with a bit of butter; I think the kids would say it will rock your world (do the kids still say that?). Steen's, made in Abbeville, Louisiana, is one brand; I used Roddenbery's Cane Patch Syrup, found in my local Kroger.

Sweet potatoes with cane syrup. Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Roasted sweet potatoes with cane syrup

5 or 6 sweet potatoes
1/4 cup cane syrup, I used Roddenbery's Cane Patch Syrup
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 400. Place sweet potatoes on tray and using a knife or fork, lightly prick the tops of the potatoes. Bake for 45 minutes, until cooked through, but still firm. Remove from oven and let cool. (This can be done earlier in the day.)

2. When potatoes are cool, peel and slice crosswise into 1/2 inch rounds. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter and stir in cane syrup, sugar and salt. Add the sweet potatoes and let heat through. Serve warm.

~ adapted from Emeril Lagasse's Farm to Fork (HarperCollins, 2010)

This post is part of #LetsLunch, a monthly Twitter party of global cooks and bloggers. This month, we're celebrating Lisa Goldberg's cookbook "Monday Morning Cooking Club" by sharing recipes that bring people together. Below are links to the other great #LetsLunch posts and if you would like to join #LetsLunch, just follow the hashtag on Twitter and jump in!

Grace’s Zha Jiang Mian noodles at Hapa Mama
Jill’s Pickled Corned Beef at Eating My Words
Linda S.’s Vegan Pumpkin Pie at Spice Box Travels
Lisa’s No Ordinary Meatloaf at Monday Morning Cooking Club
Pat’s Thai Red Curry Noodles (a.k.a. Khao Soi) at The Asian Grandmother’s Cookbook

Southern Classics: Squash Casserole Recipe

Squash Casserole. Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

 I can't imagine a Thanksgiving table without a squash casserole. This Southern standard is warm and rich and filling, like a good side dish should be. I've tried lots of recipes, from the soup can variations to Paula Deen's, and while they are all good, I gotta tell you, this one is the best. It's from Aunt Fannie's Cabin, a restaurant formerly located in Smyrna, Georgia, using the recipes of a freed slave who stayed after the war to cook for her family.

Aunt Fannie's Cabin Squash Casserole


3 pounds summer squash
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup saltine crumbs
Sugar, about a teaspoon, optional
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Additional saltine crumbs for topping

1. Heat oven to 375. Rinse squash and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices. In a medium saucepan, combine vegetables and pour over water to cover. Cook until both are tender. Drain thoroughly, pressing out excess water with back of spoon, and mash together.

2. Combine mixture with half of the melted butter, the cracker crumbs, eggs, sugar (if using), salt and pepper. Pour into a greased casserole dish.

3. Top with remaining butter and sprinkle with additional cracker crumbs. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes, or until top is golden brown and bubbly.

Text and images copyright 2012, Lucy Mercer. 

Thankful for leftovers

Thanksgiving essentials. Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Thanksgiving has come and gone and I have to say, as much as we enjoy the big meal with family, we like the leftovers best. We always have a turkey carcass, and in the years when we host, Mr. A Cook will take all the meat off the bones, then boil up the carcass with some celery, carrots, turnips and potatoes for turkey soup (while I'm loading the dishwasher for the 2nd or possibly 3rd time). It's tradition, much like a few more that I discovered this Thanksgiving. Here's a round-up of some useful leftover traditions, each with an international flair - Chinese, Italian and Canadian.

Not sure plain steamed rice has ever graced my Thanksgiving table, but it makes complete sense on Felicia Lee's T-day table. Felicia is an engaging and elegant writer and tells her family's feast story on her blog, Burnt-Out Baker. Her Turkey Jook, a creamy rice soup, is on my must-make list.

Chef Riccardo Ullio of Fritti. Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

 Atlanta Chef Riccardo Ullio of Fritti serves staffers turkey calzone after Thanksgiving. It’s a homey dish and he shared an outline of his recipe with the encouragement “to use your leftovers however you would like.”

To make Chef Riccardo’s turkey calzone, make a filling with white and dark turkey meat, fresh bufala mozzarella, ricotta cheese and onions. Take a round of pizza dough and spread the filling over one half of the stretched dough, then fold the other half to form the calzone. Roll the edges over and pinch with fingers to seal. Place the calzone in the oven at 450 degrees and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the dough is browned. Remove the calzone from the oven and set aside to cool. Dress with turkey gravy and mangiamo!

Chef Robert Gerstenecker of Park 75 at the Four Seasons Hotel/Atlanta. Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

 I met Chef Robert Chef Robert Gerstenecker of Park 75 at Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta last spring when he invited Atlanta food bloggers to tour the apiary and gardens atop the hotel. He grew up on a farm in his native Canada and takes a rustic approach to turkey leftovers with turkey and dumplings, a stew that will use up the turkey, dressing, gravy and any roasted vegetables that may have escaped the T-Day feast.

Turkey n' Dumplings
Yield: 8 generous servings

Dumplings
1 ¾ cups turkey stuffing
½  teaspoon baking powder
¼  teaspoon baking soda
¼ stick butter
¼  cup chopped fresh herbs such as chives and parsley, or 2 tablespoons dried herbs, optional
2 large eggs

For the dumplings:

1. Mix together stuffing, baking soda, baking powder, salt and egg. Melt butter and pour over mixture. Cover and refrigerate this mixture while you're making the filling.

Turkey & Gravy Filling
3 cups leftover gravy
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 cups diced, cooked leftover turkey meat
2 ½ cups leftover mixed vegetables

For the turkey & gravy filling:
1. Heat gravy and season with thyme, bay leaf, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes, and then stir in the meat and vegetables. Return the filling to a simmer, and transfer to a 4-quart baking dish with a lid.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
3. To assemble: Once the hot filling is in the dish, scoop the dumpling mixture into small balls and place on top of the turkey filling.  Put the lid on top, and bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes.

What will you make the leftovers from your Thanksgiving feast?



Text and images copyright 2011, Lucy Mercer, with the exception of the chef's photos.

Thankful

Pumpkins. Copper Hill, Tennessee. Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

I wrote earlier this week that it's so much easier to be the guest versus the hostess at Thanksgiving. The pressure's off for me this year - I just need to bake a few pies and craft an appetizer and keep my girls busy. Doesn't sound too hard, does it?

And for once, I get to enjoy the cooking and not worry about the cleaning and decorating. In fact, I'm slowly getting the Christmas decorations down from the attic and scattered through the house. My house now has remnants of Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas in various corners. And I'm totally o.k. with this.

If you're taking it easy this holiday, you may enjoy a few of these tried-and-true recipes for Thanksgiving and throughout the year. I begin with roasted almonds, an easy munchie to set out as guests arrive. I rock them in a wok:

Roasted almonds. Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

 To accompany the turkey, homemade gravy. This is my standard gravy recipe, the one I use for mashed potatoes and roasted chicken throughout the year. Just add turkey drippings for a flavorful turkey gravy.

Gravy. Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

 And the many ways of cranberries. I love their tartness, their astringency. And that's why we usually have more than one form of cranberry on the Thanksgiving table. 

Cranberries. Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

 

Cranberry jelly. Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Cranberry orange relish. Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Lemon cream cheese pound cake. Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

 And pie. It's just not Thanksgiving without pie. This is the easiest homemade pie I know: Buttermilk Chess Pie.

Buttermilk chess pie. Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

My Thanksgiving prayer for your and your families:

May God bless each and every one of you.

Text and images copyright 2011, Lucy Mercer.

Good Gravy

Gravy for poultry by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

Good gravy is a godsend, whether you need it to dress the bird, the dressing or the mashed potatoes, having homemade gravy on the Thanksgiving table pretty much separates the real cooks from the duffers.

There's no particular magic to gravy, just attention to ingredients and proper stirring to eliminate lumps will carry a novice through. Here's the recipe that I've used for years - it's based on canned chicken broth, but substitute homemade turkey or chicken or vegetable broth as you wish. For the Thanksgiving feast, combine the gravy with some of the pan drippings from the bird for a truly spectacular gravy (if the bird has been brined, add drippings judiciously, the salt can quickly overwhelm the sauce).

Gravy for Poultry

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped

1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

1 stalk celery, peeled and roughly chopped

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 bay leaf

1 sprig fresh thyme, if available

1 (32 oz) package low-salt chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste.

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add the vegetables, all roughly chopped, and let brown, stirring occasionally. Pour chicken broth into a microwavable container and zap for 1 minute.

2. Stir the vegetables until they are nice and caramel-colored, about 10 minutes, then add 1/4 cup all-purpose flour. Stir this into the vegetables for an additional 5 minutes or so. Then gradually add 4 cups of warm broth. Strain the broth through a sieve, discarding the solids. Season to taste. Cool and store the gravy in the fridge for a day or so, or place in the freezer until Thanksgiving Day.

3. On Turkey Day, stand by the stove, lovingly stirring the gravy, adjusting the seasoning and admiring your kitchen skills. Homemade gravy without lumps, and not requiring a packet or a pocket or a jar.

Cranberry relish, tart and sweet

Cranberry orange relish by Lucy Mercer/A Cook and Her Books

The rich foods of Thanksgiving really benefit from a spoonful of cranberry on the plate, be it cooked whole berry sauce, the wiggly jelly cylinder of my childhood, or another favorite, chilled cranberry-orange relish. This is an old-fashioned favorite that's appeared in various incarnations on the Thanksgiving table through the years. Sometimes it's dressed up with pecans, which I don't particularly care for - I like the simple taste of tart cranberry, balanced with sugar and the zip of citrus.

The recipe is as easy as can be: an orange, a  bag of cranberries and sugar, all tossed in the food processor and blitzed to bits. My problem has always been the bitterness of the orange - the peel and pith and sections are all tossed in together, and the bitter pith casts its shadow over the whole. My solution: eliminate the negative by zesting the orange, peeling away the pith and using the juicy orange sections in the relish.

Pith-less Orange-Cranberry Relish

1 medium seedless orange

1 (12 ounce) bag fresh whole cranberries

Pinch of salt

1/2 to 3/4 cup granulated sugar

1. Zest the orange. Cut the orange in half and peel off the pith - each half should come off in one piece. In a food processor, pour in cranberries. Add pith-less orange sections, pinch of salt and sugar. Start with the smaller amount of sugar and adjust upwards to taste. Process for about 15 seconds or until desired texture. Stir in orange zest. Store in covered container in refrigerator.

Text and image copyright 2010, Lucy Mercer.

Thanksgiving...from my blog to your house

I don't know about you, but this picture just makes me smile. Every year at Thanksgiving, in a table loaded with turkey, dressing, ham, squash casserole, sweet potato casserole, and all manner of good stuff, I'd always look for the wiggly cylinder of jelled cranberry. "The ridges, Mom, how did you get it to keep the ridges?" And to this day, in my house, there's always a can of cranberry jelly at the feast.

We have a potluck feast, so I'm responsible for only a few dishes this year: turkey, gravy, cranberry relish, and from-scratch yeast rolls. I plan to live-blog during my kitchen time today, so there will be more stories to follow about the holiday.

Another tradition: the Thanksgiving pinata. A few years ago, we had a pinata leftover from a school Cinco de Mayo project and it became the Thanksgiving pinata, a great way to entertain the young pilgrims on this food-centric holiday. We bought the pinata this year, and plan to fill it today.

If you're looking for kitchen inspiration, here are a few recipes from the backlist. No turkey and dressing recipes here, but easy little things that will make a feast special.

1. Butternut squash soup.

2. Classic pound cake.

3. Easy apple dumplings.

4. Vegetable broth

5. Good gravy

6. Rutabagas

7. Easy, elegant dessert: poached pears and chocolate sauce

8. Homemade pickled beets (cheater's method)

9. Fudge, rich Brownies

10. Apple crisp

Happy Thanksgiving!

An Old-Fashioned Cake

This Thanksgiving, the nonagenarians will outnumber the children at the feast. My mother-in-law celebrated her 90th birthday two years ago, and she has two older brothers. Jerry is 97 and Leroy just celebrated his 96th birthday. The Howards come from hardy South Georgia stock and to see them is to understand what the experts say about body type determining life span. They are long and lean, six feet in their prime, slightly stooped these days, the better to lean closer to ask what it is you’ve just said. But just as hale and hearty as you’d expect. Moderation comes up frequently with them. None of them drank much, if ever, tobacco certainly not. They like green beans cooked in bacon fat, homemade pimento cheese, and coffee with the meal.

So, what do I do when my beloved uncle-by-marriage Jerry asks for a caramel cake for Thanksgiving. How can I say no to to a nonagenarian? I’ve never in my life made a caramel cake. And to be honest, I think it’s something you have to be raised on. Tooth-achingly sweet frosting, best taken with a cup of strong, black coffee.

In the realm of scratch cake baking, it couldn’t be simpler. Just a 1-2-3-4 cake, layers split and a quick brown sugar caramel spread between the layers and over the sides and top. Southerners of a certain generation are fond of this cake, probably because the women who raised them were blue ribbon bakers who took pride in putting out layer cakes for all the special occasions, birthdays and holidays.

1-2-3-4 cake is so named because of the ingredient ratio. I think of it as a yellow cake, even though that properly has extra egg yolks added. One cup of butter, 2 cups of sugar, 3 cups of flour and 4 eggs. It’s a tender cake and once you’ve mastered the technique, it’s as steady a friend as a pound cake. Ready to pull out for nonagenarians and dear ones in your life.

1-2-3-4 Cake

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup milk
3 cups flour (cake flour if you have it, or all-purpose if you don't)
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

(a note about salt: salt is essential in sweet baked goods. The salt helps the leavening and it sharpens the flavors. Do not leave it out. As rule, I put a little salt in sweets and a little sugar in savories.)

1. In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy and smooth (not gritty, this will take about three minutes). Gradually add eggs and vanilla.

2. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare two 8 or 9 inch cake pans. I prefer to use baking spray, but a little butter and flour combo works really well, too.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients, stir gently. If a 4 year old is helping, be sure to watch carefully at this point or the white stuff will be all over the floor (voice of experience).

4. Carefully work the dry ingredients into the wet, beginning and ending with flour. This means 1/3 flour, ½ wet, 1/3 flour, ½ wet, concluding with 1/3 flour. Don't go too fast here, you're building texture.

5. Bake in a 350 oven for about 30 minutes, until golden. I use the touch test and the toothpick test that Mom taught me: when you think the cake is ready, touch it lightly in the center. If it springs back, it’s done. If the indentation remains, by all means, leave the cake to bake a bit longer. The toothpick test is the back up: if you think the cake is nearly done, poke a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready. If batter or even a few crumbs cling to the toothpick, leave the cake in the oven for another 5 minutes or so. Don’t stray too far, you need be nearby the check the cake again.

Caramel Icing

I’m not sure what a patissier would describe as the difference between frosting and icing, but a personal definition is pourability. I think of icings as liquid candy, a combination of sugar and butter and flavorings that drip off the sides of the cake. Frosting, on the other hand, isto my mind a fluffy mixture of butter and lots of confectioner’s sugar and spread on the cake. Icing is more rustic, frosting more polished.

This caramel icing uses the two varieties of brown sugar for just the right caramel color and flavor. If you don’t have both varieties on hand, just use what you have.

1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup whole milk
4 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted (don't skip this step, unless you like the look of a pimple-faced cake)

1. In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, then stir in the brown sugars, until melted and smooth.

2. Add vanilla and milk and continue to stir. When mixture is thoroughly combined, slowly add confectioner's sugar, whisking to completely eliminate any lumps.

3. Ice the cake right away, because this candy covering won't wait. If it gets stiff and chalky, place the pot back over the heat & add just a touch more milk, gradually whisking it in until you get the texture that you need.

I Won! That's Right, Little Ol' Me

I'm just about giddy over this...

Last week, I entered a contest at Pam Anderson's blog that she writes with her daughters, and just found out today that I won! Under the category of Really Cool Things in My Life, this is right up there with shaking hands with Sam Walton, and sitting in the Kroger hot seat at a Braves game. It edges out riding in a DeLorean.

I answered a question about whether I adored or abhorred Thanksgiving. Of course, I adore it, despite the work. I adore it for the best reasons - family, food, and God, but chose to write about the sense of accomplishment I feel when the meal is on the table.

And above is my Lindsey with the Lindsay olives olive leaf wreath (easy for me to say).

Postmortem: Turkey Day

That's me, above, surrounded by my brothers. It's been awhile since we've had a sibling picture, and I liked it better when I was taller than my younger brothers.

Nearly a week later, and my house is returning to a somewhat normal status following the Best Thanksgiving Ever. There were 16 of us gathered in my cozy kitchen and dining area (and living room, too), and we feasted on this potluck menu:

Appetizers: Cheddar Cayenne Coins and Maple Glazed Walnuts from Fine Cooking magazine

Roasted, Dry-Brined Turkey (13 pounds, buttered and roasted at 400 for just over two hours)

Smoked Turkey Breast (9 pounds, Cajun marinade, smoked for about six hours)

Cornbread Dressing (never stuffing)

Mashed Potatoes

Homemade Gravy

Sweet Potato Casserole

Cranberry Casserole

Deviled Eggs

Watergate Salad (green Jell-o fluff)

Cranberry Relish (homemade with fresh cranberries)

Cranberry Sauce (from the can, carefully opened to fully display the ridges)

Homemade Crescent Rolls (they take days and are worth it)

Boiled Rutabagas (a family tradition)

And for dessert (all homemade)...

Apple Cake

Cheesecake with raspberry or blueberry topping

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake

After the meal, my dear husband went to work on our favorite Thanksgiving dish: the turkey soup. He carved the meat off the carcass and made a rich broth with it. The soup was finished with potatoes and some of the turkey breast meat. Two fine meals on T-day.

The Terror, Oops, I Mean UTTER JOY that is Thanksgiving

Or at least the preparation leading up to Thanksgiving. First of all, who in hockey sticks decided that children need to have the entire week off from school? We started school August 4th, for goodness' sakes. So, instead of a peaceful week reading Gourmet and Food & Wine and Fine Cooking, choosing recipes, shopping for ingredients and assembling the meal of the year, I'm making bologna sandwiches and picking up clothes (or yelling at my kids to pick up their clothes). I can't even send the little darlings outside to ride their bikes - this November cold snap gives us a sunny, but windy and chilly 45 degree high for the day.

Deep breath. Here's what I need to accomplish for the day: Cheddar-Cayenne Coins from FC's "How to Cook a Turkey," and a double batch of Crescent Rolls from a long-ago Cook's Illustrated. I've already made the Maple & Ginger-Glazed Walnuts from "How to Cook a Turkey" and my great battle will be keeping my mitts off them throughout the day.

Tomorrow will be Cleaning Day, because it doesn't matter how gorgeous and delicious the feast will be, if my oak floors are grody and the bathrooms need refreshing, that's all anyone will remember. I must point this out about every jaw-dropping T-Day spread in the food magazines. They may emphasize planning ahead, but not a one mentions how to entertain the kids while you're cooking, and who will scour the house so it's presentable for family and friends.

Now that I've got that off my chest, I can return to the kitchen. I may even be out of my pj's by lunchtime. Or not.

Good Gravy

With Turkey Day a week away, I'm pleased to report that the gravy, she is done and in the freezer. This was quite easy to accomplish because I roasted a bone-in turkey breast for a weeknight supper and after slicing off the extra meat for sandwiches, was left with a carved-up carcass just crying out to be used for a higher purpose. The lovely bones of the turkey were enhanced with the remains of two roast chickens from the deep freeze, a few roasted vegetables and a bay leaf or two or three.

The broth was chilled overnight, the yellow fat skimmed off the next day and then clarified with an egg-white raft, and it really worked! The resulting caramel-colored broth was rich with collagen and ready for its turn as gravy, (known in my household as the sixth block of the Food Pyramid).

Here's how I made the broth:

1. I took three poultry carcasses and cleaned them of any nasty looking bits. A smidge of meat is ok, but skin isn't necessary. I hacked the carcasses into several pieces, to make them fit better in the stockpot.

2. Into my largest All-Clad Dutch oven, I poured a glug of canola oil. I suppose you could use olive oil, but that seems like such a waste. In went the veg, all roughly chopped: one carrot, one onion, one stalk of celery. The barest amount of salt to aid the vegetablees in releasing their liquid. Caution is the rule with salt in stockmaking: remember that the liquid will reduce considerably. After about 10 minutes of judicious stirring, add the poultry bones and then cover with cold water from the tap. Do not be tempted to use hot tap water, it may speed the process, but hot tap water may have more minerals in it which could alter the taste of the broth.

3. Toss in a bay leaf or two or three, and let simmer away on stovetop for at least one hour, and not more than three. Be careful to monitor the liquid level and refresh if it gets too low. If a scummy film appears, use a spoon or small sieve to scoop it out. It's always a good idea to skim frequently while stockmaking.

4. When the broth is finished, remove from heat and let cool. The easiest method is to fill a sink with water and ice and place the stockpot in it, accelerating the cooling time. Place the cooled broth, covered in the fridge and the next day, skim off the fat. While the container is still cold, pour three egg whites into the cool broth and set the pan over low heat. Gradually, the broth will heat and the egg whites will cook and gather all the scummy debris from the broth. This may take up to a half hour, so be patient. Occasionally and very gently, use a spatula to pull the egg white off the bottom of the pan. When the broth is clear, remove the pan from heat and scoop out and discard the cooked egg. Let the broth cool.

5. The cooled broth can be further clarified by pouring it through a strainer lined with paper towels. (I tried coffee filters, and my goodness, wasn't that a waste of time.) Take the resulting amber nectar and save for gravymaking at a later time.

Ok, it's gravy time, and here's what you need to do:

1. In a small saucepan, pour a glug of canola oil. This sounds a bit familiar. Add these vegetables, all roughly chopped, one carrot, one onion, one stalk celery. Toss in a bay leaf or two or three. Maybe a pinch of salt, but be vewy careful.

2. Stir the vegetables until they are nice and caramel-colored, about 10 minutes, then add 1/4 cup all-purpose flour. Stir this into the vegetables for an additional 5 minutes or so. Then gradually add 4 cups of warm broth. Strain the broth through a sieve, discarding the solids. Cool and store the gravy in the fridge for a day or so, or place in the freezer until Thanksgiving Day.

3. On Turkey Day, stand by the stove, lovingly stirring the gravy, adjusting the seasoning and admiring your kitchen skills. Homemade gravy without lumps, and not requiring a packet or a pocket or a jar. Just a few essential items from the fridge.