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CommentsThe Ultimate Thanksgiving Guide
15 steps (and one back-up plan) to hosting the perfect holiday
Edited by Elizabeth Dehn and Rachel Hutton
Photo by Terry Brennan
Food Stylist Lara Miklesevics
Model Heather Lambert
Hair/MakeUp Terra
Additional Styling Martha James
Food Stylist Lara Miklesevics
Model Heather Lambert
Hair/MakeUp Terra
Additional Styling Martha James
(page 1 of 3)
ORDER YOUR TURKEY
Butterball turkeys may be America’s best-selling birds, but they fare poorly in blind taste tests against their less-commercial cousins. Wild and heritage breeds, reintroduced to the public in 2002, surpass supermarket breeds for their superior succulence and rich, nutty flavor. These birds tend to be smaller in size (less than 15 pounds) and have less breast meat, but boast truer turkey flavor. A number of Minnesota poultry farmers raise wild, heritage, free-range, or organic birds; order directly from the grower or at a local farmers’ market, butcher, or co-op by early November. Bar Five Poultry, 507-964-5612
Clancey’s Meats & Fish, 612-926-0222
Callister Farms, 507-527-8521
The Wedge, 612-871-3993
Wild Acres, 218-568-5024
BUY A PIE
Pies are delicious, but they’re also a lot of work. So give yourself a break and buy a pie from one of these local bakeries. For an alternative to traditional apple pie, we recommend the apple chiboust tart from Patrick’s Bakery & Café (331 Broadway Ave., Wayzata, 952-345-6100). The classic French tart is topped with a sweet, spongy chiboust cream to balance the tartness of the apples. www.patricksbakerycafe.com
Photo by Terry Brennan
485 Selby Ave., St. Paul
651-846-0016
www.apieceofcakebakery.net
Franklin Street Bakery
1020 E. Franklin Ave., Mpls.
612-871-3109
www.franklinstreetbakery.com
Jerabek’s New Bohemian
63 Winifred St. W., St. Paul
651-228-1245
www.jerabeks.com
Lucia’s Bakery & To Go
1432 W. 31st St., Mpls.
612-825-1572
www.lucias.com
Turtle Bread Company
4762 Chicago Ave. S., Mpls.
612-823-7333;
3421 W. 44th St., Mpls.
612-924-6013
www.turtlebread.com
Wuollet
multiple metro locations
www.wuollet.com
KNOW YOUR BIRD
Just because you find yourself at the top of the food chain doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take a moment during the day to appreciate the animal you will soon be referring to as, well, dinner:- Number of Turkeys that will be consumed this year on Thanksgiving: 46 million
- Number of Turkeys raised in Minnesota in 2006: 45 million
- Number of pounds a single domesticated turkey can gain in a week, thanks to advances in cross-breeding: 2
- Miles per hour wild turkeys can fly: 55
- Miles per hour domesticated turkeys can fly: 0
- Percentage increase in turkey consumption in the United States since 1970: 108
- Approximate number of calories in one large drumstick from a roast turkey: 60
UNCORK THE WINE
Maybe it has something to do with its pilgrim roots. Or perhaps it’s the prevailing ethos of quantity over quality. Whatever the reason, Thanksgiving typically offers up a mild-mannered assortment of dishes, which is why Mitch Spencer, wine director of Haskell’s, recommends French wines for the all-American holiday feast. “French wines have balance and finesse,” says Spencer. “They’re not in-your-face and overpowering like so many New World wines.” Here are Spencer’s Thanksgiving-friendly picks, running the gamut from light white to deep red, sweet to dry, and still to sparkling.Shelagh Connolly, the chef at Triä in North Oaks, recommends improving standard side dishes with a homemade cranberry-orange chutney, or enhancing stuffing with dried fruit and fresh herbs—or trying the following recipes.
Photo by Terry Brennan
R. Dubois & Fils Bourgogne Rouge 2005 ($16). A subtle red made from old-vine Pinot Noir. “The 2005 vintage is considered one of the best in the last 20 years.”
Vouvray Voltaire 2005 ($12). A hint of sweetness in this “light, pleasant” white from the Loire Valley makes it “a perfect match for Thanksgiving turkey.”
Chateau des Mille Anges Premières Côtes de Bordeaux 2003 ($15). A preponderance of Merlot in the mix gives this full-bodied red “a soft, elegant finish.”
Louis Bouillot Crémant de Bourgogne Brut Rosé ($13). Serve this “soft and creamy” pink sparkler to getyour party started.
Wines available at all 10 Twin Cities Haskell's stores. For store locations, go to www.haskells.com.
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