This post was originally published on November 10, 2011.
Thanksgiving is 2 weeks away! Is the exclamation point there to emphasize panic or joy? I’m excited! I’ve been teaching quite a few Thanksgiving-themed classes as of late and I’m feeling spirited. Don’t let these Thursday posts stress you out. The whole point is to show you what you can do in advance, not what you must do in advance. All these tips and strategies are most relevant to the hosts and hostesses who are preparing most or all of the meal themselves and who have a busy schedule leading up to the holiday. If I didn’t get a lot of these tasks completed early, I don’t see how I could pull off this meal without tons of stress.
Here’s what you can get done this week:
- Get your knives sharpened Especially your carving knife. A razor-sharp knife is the most important tool in your kitchen. In my area, you can get your knives sharpened at Sur La Table, the farmer’s market and at the local cutlery store at the mall. I think Sur La Table charges $1/inch.
- Make your grocery lists I make three lists:
- Non-perishables (e.g., flour, spices, wine, nuts, dried fruit) I buy these now.
- Perishables to buy one-week ahead (e.g., winter squashes, butter, hard cheeses, potatoes)
- Perishables to buy two days before (e.g., turkey, dairy, bread for stuffing, all other fruits and vegetables)
- Buy to-go containers I always make too much food and I like sending care packages home with my guests to enjoy the day after, especially our single friends. This year I am definitely packing up all the extra desserts so that they aren’t tempting me the next afternoon when I’m shopping for holiday gifts online. I love the idea of having people bring their own reusable containers, but for me it’s easier to get these disposables from my local Smart & Final. I also saw some brown paper to-go boxes on amazon.
- Clean out the refrigerator I’ll get to this over the weekend. Now is a great time to get rid of food past its prime or to get creative with the last spoonful of nut butter or those four olives just to make more space in the fridge. I have a second, inexpensive refrigerator in the garage which really comes in handy for big dinners. If you don’t have the extra space, see if one of your neighbors is going away for the holiday and can store your chutney and jam collections for a few days.
- Check your instant read thermometer This tool the only way you’ll be able to tell if your turkey is cooked properly, so it’s important that it’s accurate. If you’re unsure, stick the tip of the thermometer into boiling water. If the temperature reads 212 degrees Farenheit, you’re good to go.
Check my last two posts for help with menu planning and stocking up on the proper equipment. If you haven’t decided on your menu yet, that’s a good place to start. Then you can create your timeline and purchase your non-perishables.
A little announcement: I just joined Periscope and did my first live-streaming video yesterday. You can read a little more about Periscope here, but essentially it is a free app that allows you to share and watch live video broadcasts from your mobile phone. I demonstrated how to carve a whole roasted turkey. You can still view the video until about 2:45 pm PST today, at which point it will expire since periscope videos only last 24 hours. I’ll be doing many more over the next two weeks!
No comment yet, add your voice below!