Pre-Thanksgiving

Most years, I make a turkey at Thanksgiving, regardless of how many people are around to eat it. Usually, I buy a bird and pop it in my mom's turkey roaster. Pretty easy and straightforward.

This year, I'm experimenting.

I subscribe to the weekly newsletter from The Splendid Table. Usually, I will glance at that week's recipe and decide it's too complicated, the ingredients are too unusual to buy for just one recipe and then just sit in the cupboard, or it calls for tomatoes.

A couple weeks ago, however, it featured a recipe for Roast Turkey with 40 Cloves of Garlic and White Wine Pan Gravy. That got my attention.

Preparation for this meal started yesterday, when I prevailed on Tim to make the base for the gravy.

I also made the seasoning rub for the turkey, as well as a pecan pie (no corn syrup!) and rumballs.

All this cooking made for a large amount of dirty pots and pans, that had to be washed before I could commence cooking this morning.