Talking Turkey

I’ve had a wonderful week in Hawaii.  The book events went great–fueled in part by a big story on me in last Friday’s Honolulu Advertiser.  My only blip was yesterday and considering yesterday was Thanksgiving it might be more than a blip.  It might be a blop.

The turkey tanked.

It really did and even though Surfer Ty said, “I don’t want you to go and write something on your website about how horrible the turkey was but my boyfriend said it was good.”  Yes, even though he did say that, I didn’t promise him.  I just looked at him mournfully.

But the turkey was bad.  It was tough.  And dry.  As though I nuked it or something.

I don’t understand. 

Or maybe I kind of do.  I tried something new.  I tried one of those oven bags where you stick the bird in all seasoned and buttered and tie the bag up and put it in the oven.  Unfortunately the bird seems to cook a lot faster in the bag.  But when it comes to poultry faster isn’t always better.  Faster just means you throw the turkey out after dinner instead of lovingly covering and nurturing in the fridge, trying to get as much delicious meat off the bones as you can for sandwiches and turkey soup, etc.

Etc.

Thank God it was just Ty and me yesterday (and to think I’d invited Megan Crane to join us for dinner if she managed to be in Hawaii for Thanksgiving…) because I would have been mortified serving that Terrible Turkey to others.  And yes, Ty said he liked it, but Ty’s a surfer.  He starves half the time.   But I know better.  I am a woman after all, and I’ve made some good meals in the past.  I’ve been proud of my turkey.  But now I’m confused.  How can I get back to good turkey?  How can I guarantee a great Christmas meal?

I suppose serving ham is a start.

But Thanksgiving will return.  It always does.  And I can’t have another Thanksgiving like yesterdays.  I need help.  I need suggestions.  Someone’s tricks.  Someone elses’ beloved recipe.

If you know how to cook a great bird, please let me know.   I refuse to let yesterday’s failure shadow my future.  I will learn.  I will grow.  I will overcome.